Best Vacation Essay Example for Free

Best Vacation Essay Are you in the mood to relax, take in the sun, and have people cater to you? If so, you should take my advice and go on a cruise. My family and I took a four-day, three-night cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Sovereign of the Seas three years ago and it was the best vacation we have ever had. Nothing else mattered but what was in that moment. Though getting to the ship took a lot of time, the cruise was a place to get away, have no worries, and feel like a queen. I packed, wondering if I had forgotten anything I would need and thought to myself, is it worth all this hassle? My family and I planned to drive from Austin, Texas, to Galveston, Texas and stop in Texas City, Texas for the night. We did not want to waste a moment of our vacation so we stopped and visited our family in different towns on the way. We arrived at Texas City that night, rented a room and went right to bed. The drive had exhausted all of us and all we could think about was a good night’s sleep and the hopes of a better, less exhausting day tomorrow. We got up the next morning around six a. m. ate breakfast, and got on the road to the ship. Finally, we made it. There it was, the biggest ship I had ever seen in my life. It was a city on water. We checked in and walked into the main lobby of the ship. When we entered, my family and I looked at each other as if to say â€Å"Oh my god. Do we belong here? This is the classiest place I have ever seen. † A gentleman who reassured us we were in the correct place greeted us. He made us feel as if he would have spent all day with us just making sure we had everything we needed. We then went to our room and found chocolates on our pillows, a cute monkey made out of towels hanging from the ceiling, and a mini bar full of all the drinks we could drink. We all knew that at this moment we were going to have a vacation of a lifetime. That evening we spent the rest of the day exploring the ship as if it was a maze that needed solving. The next morning my family and I decided to have breakfast. There were so many places to choose from it was hard to decide. We could dine at one of the buffets, in a formal dining room, or out on the deck. We finally made the choice to dine in one of the formal dining rooms. At once, a waiter was at our table assuring us we were the most important customers he had and anything we needed was his pleasure to provide. After breakfast, we spent that first day going in and out of shops and resting on the deck looking out over the ocean. At this point, we were so relaxed we felt like we could melt. There were no worries here and the hardest job we had was deciding what to wear that day. I wondered if this is the way the rich and famous feel. The next day was a very exciting day for us. We were stopping at Cocoa Cay, a small private island. My family was ready to explore and I was ready for the snorkeling excursion. Everyone loaded up on small boats and little by little, we all made it to the island. As soon as I stepped off the boat, I stepped into sand that was as white as snow. The water was crystal clear like the water coming from a mountain spring. My family hurried away to start exploring and I headed for the snorkeling gear. I put all the gear on and into the translucent water I dove. As I submerged myself into this undersea world all the sounds around me ceased. I could hear the heart beat of the ocean swishing around me. As I looked around, I noticed the colors were shimmering in this underwater world. I could see luminously colored fish and coral all around me. Spectacularly colored fish of all shapes and sizes swam around me as if to say hello. I caught a glimpse of a stingray as he glided by aimlessly. The next day we woke up with a sense of wretchedness. It was our last day and we were not looking forward to going back to our everyday life. We were treated as if we were royalty and hated to give this up. We went back home to the same routine. We had to go back to work and do our daily chores. I caught myself daydreaming about the cruise and the carefree life we experienced there. If anyone would like to relax, take in the sun, and have people cater to you, a cruise is definitely the vacation you should choose.

Four Factors of Organizational Success Essay Example for Free

Four Factors of Organizational Success Essay There are numerous ways to achieve organization success. Ask any two business guru their opinions and you will undoubtedly get two unique lists. Successful entrepreneurs covet their secrets of success and business school faculty lecture what the latest texts have written. Defining a check list of do’s and don’ts may seem like a rather easy task, but the implementation of those ideas is what will truly lead to organizational success. But what is organization success? That question can have many answers depending on the business. A University might define it as job placement of graduating students, but a middle school may be successful if its American history program is nationally recognized. A publicly traded company (and its stock holders) could define it as profits over the last quarter, whereas a small technology start-up could consider the issue of a patent on their newest widget a success. It’s my assessment that of all the factors pertaining to organizational success, those that revolve around the people within the organization and adaptation within the organization are the largest factors of success. I believe when a commitment to improvement, a continuous workforce development plan, and an implementation of a shared vision are harmoniously integrated by a resilient leader, it will place a company on a path to organizational success. Commitment to Continuous Quality (Process Improvement) There are no perfect scenarios where a company continues to profit and does nothing to improve. Updating a process is a continuous method that involves employees at all levels while focusing on the needs of the customer (John, 1992). Successful organizations are able to identify potential areas for increasing the value of processes or products. Not all products need to undergo substantial change in order to qualify as a process improvement. A change in the perceived value of the product is all that is needed. For example, a recent advertisement from McDonald’s is touting their Egg McMuffin sandwich as a luxury and higher class item. Taking from old consumer adage â€Å"It’s the Cadillac of †¦Ã¢â‚¬ , McDonalds has substituted â€Å"McMuffin† for Cadillac. There have been no changes to the recipe of the sandwich, but they have changed the perception of the item by comparing it to a separate premium item and in turn increasing a perceived value (Biasi, 2012). Whether a company modifies a current product, updates a process or simply re-brands, constant improvement is a key factor in the success of an organization. Shared vision In order for a company to achieve a goal, its employees must be on board with the missions of the organization. That is, employees must be aligned with the mission, values and goals of the organization in order to foster growth and achieve long term success (The secrets of organizational success, 1995). In order for an organization to implement any changes, those within (at all levels) must share in the vision of the organization (Kanter, 1988). Every company should have a vision. Without a vision there are no goals to achieve and the company has no definition of success in the future. A successful vision provides a company with a few goals to which they can devote their resources to while inspiring its workforce to achieve those goals (Clancy, n.d.). The importance (as stated by Clancy) lies with inspiring employees. A vision alone needs support. Simply wanting something done, without dedicating recourses to it, is futile. Creating a shared vision, one in which employees have a stake, is significant in the organizations long term success. Providing a personal connection to the product (or process) drastically changes the way employees approach their work and makes a substantial impact on their work quality (Hill Tande, 2003). People have to want to work, not because they are told to (Senge, 1990). The creation of a shared vision adds value to the work of an employee. A paycheck cannot be the only motivation. The employee must want to take stake in the operation of the company and understand their work is critical to the mission of the company. Continuous Learning / Workforce Development Former CEO of Intel Andrew Grove once said, â€Å"Success breeds complacency. Complacency breeds failure† (1996). It is important for a company to provide its staff with the opportunities to develop and provide new insights into company processes. While in his tenure at Intel, Grove urged executive to allow staff to experiment with new techniques and processes while concurrently performing the production of existing products (Grove, 1996). Acknowledging the importance of creative freedom and invention allows for an improved process to be implemented without a significant reduction in production levels (Sheridan, 2004). Learning enhances people’s abilities; it drives creation, workplace competencies and motivates others to do the same (Loon, Lim, Teck, Lai, 2012). A company can develop their staff internally while creating new ideas, updating procedures and processes. Constant improvements do not come automatically. Instituting a program that promotes continuous learning and workforce development can eliminate down time between successes and will create a substantial competitive advantage. Strategic decision maker As an organization undergoes change, its leaders also need to have the willingness to do so. Strategic decision makers are flexible yet concise; they must make crucial decisions regarding growth, divestment, new products and cost cutting (Grant, 2008). As a company attempts to succeed in the marketplace, its leader must effectively navigate a myriad of executive decisions that affect the livelihood of the company. While any company can claim they want to improve, the implementation of that vision is the key. R.M. Kanter (1988) discusses that the best of those leaders are called â€Å"Change Masters†; leaders who are able to create a shared vision, encourage innovation, and support internal education. She continues that change isn’t always necessary, but a strategic decision maker will identify times where change is eminent and make adjustment rapidly. Take for example Lee Iacocca and Chrysler. Before his hire, the company was on the edge of complete failure. Something desperately needed to change. With the hire of Lee Iacocca came a decision to layoff those employees not willing to accept changes he believed would right the company. Those who stayed for a maximum $14 per hour salary, redesigned the brand and help the company earn over $2.5 billion within three years of his hire. (Roberts, n.d.). I am not suggesting a change in company culture is necessary, but a leader must be able to identify the need for change, have the ability to implement such change, and the gumption to do so. Finding a leader with the before mentioned qualifications will aid in corporate success. Four factors working together There are many other factors which could lead to (or prevent) organizational success. It’s my belief that the four points briefly discussed are deeply intertwined and provide an ever changing path towards success. The proper mix of these four items creates an environment that fosters company development. Just a few examples of the cohesion of these four factors have been noted in other publications: * Great leaders must be passionate about their visions and responsible for advancing workforce development (Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly Konopaske, 2006; Loon, et al., 2012). * Continuous learning among all levels leads to future process improvements (Zairi, Whymark. 2000). * Leaders must also have the mindset required for visionary leadership; otherwise they are managers and not leaders (Transforming leadership for success and sustainability, 2011). * Continuous process improvements that are derived from a shared vision are more readily adapted by employees (Guti, Llorà ©ns-Mon tes, Óscar. 2009). The items above are not meant to be all inclusive. There are numerous other factors that one could argue have equal impact on success. While I do not discredit those other factors, it’s my determination that the four mentioned are factors that are able to be controlled within the organization. Other factors such as environmental conditions, consumer behaviors, and external costs, remain out of the control of the business leader. Focusing on supplying staff with the necessary leadership to achieve the company vision will lead to success. As the newest management fads pass and business trends change, one thing will remain constant: the success of organization will rely on heavily people who are a part of the organization. References Biasi, A. (2012) Increasing Perceived Value (of your product or service). Smart Marketing Solutions. http://www.smartmarketingllc.com/2012/01/14/increasing-perceived-value-of-your-product-or-service/ Clancey, K.J. (n.d.). Shocking truth of the month. Most companies are operating without a vision. Retrieved from http://www.thekevinclancy.com/truths_102009_g.html Gibson, J.L., Ivancevich, J.M., Donnelly, J.H. Jr., Konopaske, R. (2008). Organizations. Behavior, structure, processes. McGraw-Hill Irwin. New York, NY. Grove, A. (1996). Only the paranoid survive. Double Day Publishing. New York, NY. Guti, L. J., F.J. Llorà ©ns-Montes, Óscar, F. B. S. (2009). Six sigma: From a goal-theoretic perspective to shared-vision development. International Journal of Operations Production Management, 29(2), 151-169. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/01443570910932039 Hill, B., Tande, C. (2003). Personal impact maps: Chart the course to a shared vision. Workspan, 46(10), 38-42. Retrieved from ABI/Inform database. John, S. W. F.,Jr. (1992). Managing process improvement at the cherry point naval aviation depot. National Productivity Review (1986-1998), 11(4), 533-533. Retrieved from ABI/Inform database Kanter, R. M. (1988). Change masters vs. change stiflers. Executive Excellence, 5(3), 12-13. Retrieved from ABI/ Inform database Loon, M., Yet, M. L., Teck, H. L., Cai, L. T. (2012). Transformational leadership and job-related learning. Management Research Review, 35(3), 192-205. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/01409171211210118 Senge, P. M. (1990). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization. New York: Doubleday/Currency. Sheridan, J.H. (2004). 1997 Technology Leader of the Year, Andy Grove: Building An Information Age Legacy. Industry Week. Retrieved from http://www.industryweek.com/companies-amp-executives/1997-technology-leader-yearandy-grove-building-information-age-legacy Sudhir, K. C., Pullig, C., F, D. A. (1997). Critical success factors from an organizational life cycle perspective: Perceptions of small business owners from different business environments. Journal of Business and Entrepreneurship, 9(1), 47-0_7. Retrieved from ABI/Inform database. The secrets of organizational success: Aligning employees behind new corporate goals and objectives. (1995) Training Development, 49(8), 28-28. Retrieved from ABI/Inform Database. Transforming leadership for success and sustainability. (2011). Strategic Direction, 27(3), 19-21. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02580541111109598 Zairi, M., Whymark, J. (2000). The transfer of best practices: How to build a culture of benchmarking and continuous learning part 2. Benchmarking, 7(2), 146-167. Retrieved from ABI/Inform database.

Medea by Euripides | Analysis

Medea by Euripides | Analysis Children are seen as an essential part of a family, as well as the embodiment of the love between two people. One can find numerous references to children and the roles they play in works that analyze society and its defects, such as Medea by Euripides, and Six Characters in Search of an Author by Luigi Pirandello. In literature, children are used to represent a great majority of things, but in particular they can represent innocence and purity. This is due to the fact that children are seen as free of any sins or impurities, because their minds do not have the capacity to fully comprehend evil as adults do. Both Euripides and Pirandello use children to symbolize the contamination of human nature through loss of innocence and the consequences it can bring. The childrens innocence in Medea is used to illustrate that love can be a force of destruction. The following examination will illuminate the importance of the theme of loss of innocence in the play. This claim is rationalized by the Chorus after the childrens deaths: O your heart must have been made of rock or steel, You who can kill With your own hand the fruit of your own womb. Of one alone, I have heard, one woman alone Of those old who laid her hands on her children, Ino, sent mad by heaven when the wife of Zeus Drove her out from her home and made her wander; And because of the wicked shedding of blood Of her own children she threw Herself, poor wretch, into the sea and stepped away Over the sea-cliff to die with her two children. What horror more can be? O womens love, So full of trouble, How many evils have you caused already! (41-42) Candidate Number: 002130-005 When Medea murders her children, who are the personification of innocence, not only has she destroyed their innocence, but also metaphorically destroyed her own innocence. At the very beginning of Medea, the reader is shown both Jason and Medeas transgressions: Medeas having persuaded the daughters of Pelias to commit murder for her benefit, and Jasons abandoning Medea and his children for another woman. This serves to introduce the warring reality of the play, as well as Medeas barbaric tendencies, which further serve to draw attention to the childrens innocence. The Nurses comment that the children have no thought at all of their mothers trouble and that it is not usual for the young to grieve (2), tells us that the children are not even aware of the great evil that is closest to them. Throughout the remainder of the play, Medea slowly becomes more and more consumed by evil, until she ruthlessly takes the lives of her own sons in order to exact her revenge on Jason. In this sense, they can be viewed as the plays conscience, manipulating the audience into sympathizing with them through their innocence and at the same time be horrified with Medeas cruelty and viciousness. In Six Characters in Search of an Author, the children symbolize the deterioration of human nature as a result of their parents seemingly inappropriate decisions, which ultimately leaves the children feeling powerless. The Mother illustrates this when she says: But those two little ones over there have you heard them speak? They cannot speak, sire, not anymore! They still keep clinging to me to keep my torment alive and present. For themselves they dont exist, dont exist any longer. (55) Candidate Number: 002130-005 The Mothers impulsive decision to leave the Father indirectly affected the lives of her future children, setting in motion a series of events that would change their lives forever. In addition, the children are forced to witness the abuse and neglect that continues to tear the family apart. In the aforementioned example, Pirandello purposefully paints such a clear picture of the childrens suffering, as well as their innocence to show the consequences of potentially immoral decisions. Perhaps the most important aspect of this drama is the fact that both the Little Boy and Girl do not utter a single word throughout the entire play. This not only emphasizes their loss of innocence, but also adds an eerie quality to the play: the families tragic past has transformed the children into ghosts that represent the sense of powerlessness and symbolize how a family is ripped apart by death and abuse. In both Medea and Six Characters, the abandonment of the children further contributes to the loss of innocence resulting from Jason and the Fathers selfishness and neglect. At the end of each drama, the reader is shown just how deadly the consequences can be. Medea condemns Jasons thoughtless acts when she reveals: And how happy among Greek women you have made me On your side for all this! A distinguished husband I have for breaking promises. When in misery I am cast out of the land and go into exile, Quite without friends and all alone with my children, That will be a fine shame for the new-wedded groom, For his children to wander as beggars and she who saved him.. (17) Candidate Number: 002130-005 The Stepdaughter in Six Characters in Search of an Author further supports this claim when she states: Its not true. [To the Director] Dont believe it. Know why she says it? For his sake. [Pointing to the Son] His indifference tortures her, destroys her. She wants him to believe that, if she abandoned him when he was two, it was because he [the Father] compelled her to. (17) Jasons contribution to his childrens loss of innocence is demonstrated when he marries the daughter of Creon, and later rationalizes his irresponsible and neglectful actions to Medea by telling her that it was in the childrens best interests. However, in reality, Jason is aware that he will benefit more from this arrangement since his position in Creons kingdom is secured. Despite his claim that it is in the childrens best interests for him to marry the princess, common sense dictates that the king would eventually expect an heir through his own daughter. Jasons marriage to the princess triggered a grave aggressive response in Medea that created a domino effect and led her to obsessively seek revenge on Jason by transforming her children into unknowing messengers of death and ultimately taking their lives. In Six Characters, the Father forcibly divides the family by acting as the manipulative force behind the Mother and Sons devastating separation and later neglecting his parental responsibilities. Despite the Mothers vulnerable state of mind and erratic behavior, the Father, like Jason, ultimately pursues the alternative that is most beneficial to him. His selfishness leads him to send the Son away, thus impeding the crucial development of an emotional relationship between the Son and Candidate Number: 002130-005 his parents. The Father continues his self-serving pursuit by making inappropriate advances toward the Step-Daughter, which he later denies. As a result of this, the Step-Daughter becomes bitter and resentful, ultimately unleashing her anger and confusion upon the Young Boy, who she blames for the familys descent into tragedy. Because of the Fathers initial decision, the Young Boy is robbed of his innocence and carefree childhood experiences, and he becomes too frightened to even speak. The resulting loss of innocence leads to the ultimate tragedy in the play, which is the Young Boys suicide. In Medea and Six Characters in Search of an Author, the childrens loss of innocence is the direct result of their parents unseemly behavior. In Medea, the children are used to illustrate how lives are destroyed due to rejected love. While in Six Characters, the children represent the final outcome in the deterioration of human nature due to their loss of innocence. Ultimately, the fathers ambitions, combined with the mothers irrational responses lead to the calamitous destruction of the children.

Elephant the movie Essay -- essays research papers

Gus Van Sant’s Elephant was at once critically praised and denounced by both film reviewers and filmgoers alike. The cinematography takes you on a waltz throughout a seemingly typical day at an unnamed high school, stopping through the journey to focus on the stereotypes of school. The jock, the quirky artist, the cliqued girls, the skateboarder, they are all represented and representative of his film. Van Sant created a film, seemingly without a staunch opinion on the horrors of the Columbine shootings. The movie seems distanced from the actors and their actions: an unaware participant from the tranquil introduction to the gruesome climax. His seeming lack of a purpose, lack of a reason for the creation of this film, is exactly the impetus that drives its core meaning. The high school was as stereotyped and typical as possible, a campus where everyone swears they’ve visited once in their life. The visceral climax is at once both slowly built up to inevitability by the characterizations of the assailants, yet it also strikes the school suddenly and without warning. Van Sant’s film is a series of seeming contradictions and paradoxes that create the illusion that he has no stance on the Columbine shootings. His stance, however, is given away in the purposelessness of the film; the idyllic simplicity of the school, and its subsequent destruction, has no purpose. The Columbine massacre had no purpose. Gus Van Sant’s aestheticized school builds up a world that seems tangible to most students. He carries every right to create his own world and tear it back down. It is this beauty that he creates that makes the film so much more shocking when it ends. Aesthetic realism is the concept of accepting reality as unchangeable; therefore, one must find the beauty that is inherent in everyday life instead of attempting to create beauty. The idea is that aesthetic realism â€Å"sees all reality including the reality that is oneself, as the aesthetic oneness of opposites,† (Siegel). In other words, life is at once changing and the same. For example, someone is the same person when they wake up in the morning and the same person when they go to sleep at night. They haven’t changed. However, there have still changed as a person throughout the day, at least minutely. Change and stability both occur simultaneously. At the same time, Siegel states that it â€Å"sees the largest purpose o... ...e what can be easily related to; they wouldn’t be considered stereotypes otherwise. The beauty that is created during the first hour, which is denounced by Foundas as unrealistic, is subsequently destroyed in the climax. To create and destroy mediocrity would not be as stirring a rendition as Van Sant’s recreation of perfection coupled with his systematic disposal of it. Gus Van Sant has created a world of high school that has every stereotype. He manifests a sense of beauty in every shot he creates, with the slow arcing camera shots combined with the loving caricatures of the students. He finds the aesthetic realism in high school, the elegance inherent in aspects of campus life, and constructs a film around it. It is his own right to create his own view of high school, and while critics can disagree, they should not debase. The initial purposelessness should only be taken at face value; it is the lack of purpose in the beginning of the film that makes the lack of purpose in the massacre more obvious. There was no reasoning behind the Columbine shootings, they were a tragic occurrence that had little logic behind it. However, Van Sant’s film had purpose underneath its exterior.

On Dis-ease :: essays research papers

<a href="http://www.geocities.com/vaksam/">Sam Vaknin's Psychology, Philosophy, Economics and Foreign Affairs Web Sites We are all terminally ill. It is a matter of time before we all die. Aging and death remain almost as mysterious as ever. We feel awed and uncomfortable when we contemplate these twin afflictions. Indeed, the very word denoting illness contains its own best definition: dis-ease. A mental component of lack of well being must exist SUBJECTIVELY. The person must FEEL bad, must experience discomfiture for his condition to qualify as a disease. To this extent, we are justified in classifying all dieases "spiritual" or "mental". Is there any other way of distinguishing health from sickness - a way that does NOT depend on the report tha the patient provides regarding his subjective experience? Some diseases are manifest and others are latent or immanent. Genetic diseases can exist - unmanifested - for generations. This raises the philosophical problem or whether a potential disease IS a disease? Are AIDS and Hemophilia carriers - sick? Should they be treated, ethically speaking? They experience no dis-ease, they report no symptoms, no signs are evident. On what moral grounds can we commit them to treatment? On the grounds of the "greater benefit" is the common response. Carriers threaten others and must be isolated or otherwise neutered. The threat inherent in them must be eradicated. This is a dangerous moral precedent. All kinds of people threaten our well-being: unsettling ideologists, the mentally handicapped, many politicians. Why should we single out our physical well-being as worthy of a privileged moral status? Why is our mental well being, for instance, of less import? Moreover, the distinction between the psychic and the physical is hotly disputed, philosophically. The psychophysical problem is as intractable today as it ever was (if not more so). It is beyond doubt that the physical affects the mental and the other way around. This is what disciplines like psychiatry are all about. The ability to control "autonomous" bodily functions (such as heartbeat) and mental reactions to pathogenes of the brain are proof of the artificialness of this distinction. It is a result of the reductionist view of nature as divisible and summable. The sum of the parts, alas, is not always the whole and there is no such thing as an infinite set of the rules of nature, only an asymptotic approximation of it. The distinction between the patient and the outside world is superfluous and wrong.

Biblical Illusions in Toni Morrisons Song of Solomon Essay -- Song So

Biblical Illusions in Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison, is about a man named Macon Dead. Throughout this novel, however, he is known by all except his father as Milkman because his mother breastfed him until he was in his teens. The novel centers on Milkman's attempt to find himself. His family is a wealthy black family living in a poor black neighborhood, where Milkman's father prohibits Milkman from interacting with most of them, including his aunt. However, he ends up visiting her, and while there, he learns a little about his family's mysterious past and decides to look deeper into it. Throughout his journey into his past, one may notice a large amount of biblical allusions. The first and most noticeable of these allusions is the title of the novel itself. _Song of Solomon_ is not only the title of this novel, but also a biblical book. This book in the Bible is also known as the Song of Songs and the Canticles. It is a collection of songs telling the story of a conversation between King Solomon and his beautiful Shulamite Bride, who happe...

Nurse Role, Management of Obesity

The role of nurses in the management of Obesity The case study provided regarding diet and weight management has led me to explore the role of a nurse specifically during the management of obesity. The investigation aims to determine how a nurse can intervene and control obesity. The research generally looks at the role of the nurse in managing a patient that is clinically classed as obese. Obesity is calculated using BMI measurements (appendix 1). Limitations to this investigation from a personal perspective are that I haven’t yet practised as a nurse so I can’t use reflection on my own practise as a learning tool.Taking this into consideration I have sourced my information with the use of secondary research methods, thus meaning the summary and synthesis of existing research already available to me via published articles, books and other relevant resources. As you will see as you read on the value of knowledge and evidence to professional practise is critical. The mai n reason why you need to base your professional practice on the best available evidence is explained by Aveyard and Sharp (2009, p6), â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ t enables us to deliver the best possible patient/client care rather than out of date practice’’. Aveyard and Sharp (2009, p7) goes on to say that â€Å"evidence based practice is practice that is supported by clear reasoning, taking into account the patient or clients preferences using your own judgement†. This description is backed up by Sackett et al (1996, p71-72) who described EBP as, â€Å"the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patient/clients†.Gray (1997,p9) emphasized a focus on patient values describing EBP as , â€Å"an approach to decision making in which the clinician uses the best evidence available in consultation with the patient, to decide upon the option which suits the patient best. The NMC code of Condu ct (2008) foregrounds the importance of evidence based practice in professional development and requires that all nurses should be accomplished in practicing evidence based care.After reading various journal articles and books on EBP I have discovered that it is about integrating individual clinical expertise, for example your own proficiency and expertise, along with the best external evidence and also taking in mind the best interests for the patient. It is of high importance to use current best evidence, according to Greenhalgh and Donald (2000) without current best evidence, â€Å"practise risks becoming rapidly out of date, to the detriment of the patients†. Ultimately EBP is the formalization of the care process that the best clinicians have practiced for generations.The contribution of EBP to clinical practice is the delivery of high quality, cost effective and quality care (Aveyard and Sharp, 2009). Challenges surrounding EBP are a nurses experience, for example new n urses may be a little anxious of their new surroundings and unable to utilize all their newly learnt skills. According to Ferguson and Day (2007), â€Å"access to evidence in nursing practice is often challenging due to time constraints, difficulties in interpreting the disparate research reports on particular issues, or lack of up-to-date print-based resources or Internet connections on nursing units†.The main tool applied during my research process was Library Gateway which can be accessed via Shu space. Library Gateway enables you to access a large number of information resources and search tools. The main resource I used is Library Search, which can find results from books, full text journals and many other sources, and return them in one integrated list. The other Gateway tools include Subject Guides, help pages for referencing, the Video, Images and Audio guide and a list of subject databases.Textbooks provide good background information and offer an excellent starting point for more in-depth research, the information provided is not normally rapidly changing and it must be remembered that it may be out of date. Journal articles contain current information and research. They provide detailed reports of the methodology and results of laboratory research, case series reports, clinical trials, program evaluation, and other kinds of research studies. Journal articles focus on finding solutions to specific health care problems. The Internet is not always the best place to look for professional-level information.While it can be easily searched and you get a lot of what you find in full-text, the quality of the health care information found can be questionable. It is important to look at trusted authorities online, however the internet can be useful for looking into a patient’s perspective, for example a patient may explain their worries and experiences in an online chat forum which is always an interesting insight. The tables that follow details the databases used and the search criteria applied. Each database offers a different value of evidence. It is important to consider the following factors when looking t text documents regardless whether it a book, journal, article or online†¦.. Who wrote it, why it was written and when it was produced (SHU 2012). Once you have found a source that is deemed suitable it is then important to consider if the study was original, was the design of the study sensible, has systematic bias been avoided or minimised, was assessment ‘blind’, were preliminary statistical questions addressed (Greenhalgh, 2010). After summing up these points the methodological quality will have been accurately assessed and providing no flaws or faults are found it can be deemed accurate and reliable information.Table 1. Databases used; Database| Details| SHU Library Search| SHU Library Search searches for academic journal and newspaper articles, books,videos, maps and much more from a single sea rch bar. It searches the SHU library catalogue, full text journals and other linked databases. It is limited to content subscribed to by SHU. | Internurse| Internurse is the online archive of peer reviewed nursing articles published by MA healthcare Ltd. It draws together articles from 13 high quality journals. | Table 2. Search Strategy;Database| Keywords| Rationale| Criteria| No. of results| Search terms used in Library Search and Internurse| Nurs* AND manag* AND obes*| The word nurse/nurses/nursing and manage/managing/management and obese/obesity| 2008 to 2012English languageNo country specified. Type of publication: Peer reviewed journals and books | 32| You can search as far back as 2004 using Inter-nurse. For the chosen subject area I decided to concentrate my research more specifically on more recent research as I found I was bombarded with information when I looked as far back as 2004.This has allowed me to look at more recent publications which I feel is highly important in a profession where health care routines are often being changed and improved. Once I had narrowed down the search I was able to pick journals, articles and books which I felt where most appropriate by reading the abstract to get a more in depth overview of what would be best for my topic. Obesity can lead to the onset of several complications, which with the intervention of nurses could be prevented, these complications are highlighted in appendix 2.Maggi Banning (2005) states that there is an ever increasing need for the evolvement of a nursing role as an obesity nurse specialist. She claims the nursing profession needs to step up and prepare for obesity management. The National Obesity Forum provides an ‘Obesity Care Pathway Toolkit’. It strengthens the need for the use of EBP by claiming weight management should ‘†¦. be based on best evidence, where ever possible’. It also states the following, â€Å"It is essential that services be developed in c onsultation with the users and people who will be delivering them, working together as a multi-disciplinary group.Training on weight management control, healthy eating and increasing physical activity to health professionals is necessary to ensure consistent, accurate and up to date messages are given to patients at all times. Currently, very few NHS weight management services are monitored or audited, this will be a must in the future and needs to be built in at the planning stage. The feedback will result in improved services to patients. † Changes in eating habits and activity levels are thought to lie at the heart of obesity (Wadden et al, 2002).As a nurse will get to see their patients everyday it is the ideal opportunity for them to advise patients on healthy eating and provide encouragement for increased levels of activity. Drummond (2002) identified that communication between the nurse and patient is important as some patients may be self conscious or body-conscious. F or example certain terms should be avoided such as ‘sport’ or ‘exercise’ which may have negative associations for patients, a higher level of activity and ‘avoiding sedentary pursuits should be emphasised’.Body weight is considered a sensitive issue for most people so it is vital that healthcare professionals handle the subject of weight loss with sensitivity. Crogan (2006) emphasized that it is important that nurses establish an open approach to communication when addressing issues relating to obesity. I feel a multi-component intervention would be the best way for nurses to manage obesity. It should include behaviour change strategies to increase peoples physical activity levels or to decrease inactivity levels, improve eating behaviour and the quality of the persons diet and aim to reduce energy intake.According to (Sheehan and Yin, 2006) nurses constitute a political force in health policy, because they are situated in a wide range of setti ngs. This is backed up by Bennett 2007 who states, ‘Nurses in the primary care setting are uniquely placed to support patients to make the necessary changes’. Nurses need to have an understanding of the patients multiple needs and to collaborate with other members of the health team to discuss personalized holistic care issues.Chrystalleni and Christiana (2010) have recognised that â€Å"the aetiology of obesity is multi-factorial, and dietary factors that relate or are responsible for the development of obesity are complex and still not understood†. As they define development of obesity to not be understood I feel this is a large limitation and therefore requires constant comparison of current techniques used in managing obesity along with any current evidence that has arisen through trustworthy practice research. In conclusion, the role of a nurse in managing an obese patient should involve discussing the weight issues and the severity on the patient’s h ealth.As supported by Green et al (2000) this will enable the nurse to gain insight into the magnitude of the problem and to negotiate realistic goals in terms of weight loss and to support and provide dietary advice which is acceptable for the individual. Nurses should consider each patient holistically and use appropriate language in order to encourage and not offend. As encouraged by the national obesity forum patient selection should be active rather than passive, with opportunistic screening rather than reliance exclusively on self-referral.The nurse should discuss ways in which a negative energy balance is achievable. References AVEYARD, Helen and SHARP, Pam (2009). A beginners guide to evidence based practice in health and social care,. Open University Press, McGraw-Hill. BENNET D (2007). Nurses at the cutting edge of obesity. Practise Nursing. 18,9,454-458. CHRYSTALLENI, Lazarou, CHRISTIANA, Kouta (2010). The role of nurses in the prevention and management of obesity. [onlin e]. 19 (10) 641-647. Journal from British Journal of Nursing last accessed 12th November 2012 at http://www. internurse. om CROGAN E (2006). A bio-behavioural approach to obesity. Practise nursing. 17, 9, 439-442. DRUMMOND S (2002). The management of obesity. Nursing Standard. 16(48), 47-52. GRAY J. A. M (1977). Evidence-based Healthcare. Churchill Livingstone, Newyork, USA. GREENHALGH, T & DONALD,A (2000). Evidence based health care work book: Understanding research for individual and group learning. London, BMJ Books. Last accessed 16th November 2012. GREENHALGH, Trisha (2010). How to read a paper: the basics of evidence based medicine. [online]. London, BMJ Books.Book from Library Gateway last accessed 12thNovember 2012 at: http://library. shu. ac. uk FERGUSON, Linda & RENE, Day (2007)Challenges for new nurses in evidence-based practice. [online]. Journal of Nursing Management. 15(1), 107-113. Last accessed 15th November at: http://onlinelibrary. wiley. com. lcproxy. shu. ac. uk/ doi/10. 1111/j. 1365-2934. 2006. 00638. x/full JOLLEY, Jeremy (2010). Introduction to evidence based practice for nurses. Harlow. Pearson Education. MAGGI, Banning. The management of obesity: the role of the specialist nurse. online]. 14 [3]140. Journal from British Journal of Nursing last accessed 12th November 2012 at http://www. internurse. com Nursing & Midwifery Council (2008). The code: standards of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives. Nursing & Midwifery Council. London. SACKETT, D. L. , et al. (1996). Evidence based medicine: what it is and what it isn't. British Medical Journal, 312[7023],71-72. Sheffield Hallam University (2012). Evaluation: Why evaluate. [online] Last accessed November 2012 at http://infoskills. shu. ac. k/skills/evaluation. html SHEEHAN NC, YIN L (2006). Childhood obesity: nursing policy implications. J Pediatr Nurs 21(4): 308-10, Last accessed November 2012 at http://www. who. int World Health Organisation (2005). Obesity and Overwei ght: Factsheet. [online] Last accessed 12th November 2012 at http://www. who. int/en Appendix 1. (WHO 1995) BMI (kg/m2) Category of Obesity 18. 5–24. 9 Normal weight 25. 0–29. 9 Grade I obesity 30. 0–39. 9 Grade II obesity ;40. 0 Grade III obesity