Free Essays on Mandala

I. How are the architectural structures of the Stupas and the paintings of Mandalas related to each other? Mandalas create circular symbolic designs, similar to that of Buddha’s crown, which is the top spire, forming a circle on the Stupa. The hemispherical mound forms a drum shaped base. In addition to this, the head of Buddha forms a square as well as the base of the Stupa. Within the circle of the Mandala, a square is formed that has four T-shaped gate-like entrances leading to the center of the Mandala. This is similar to the four legs of Buddha that form steps of the lower terrace which represent four separate T-shape gate entrances. Each is a circle inscribed in a square. Both the Stupa and Mandala have a Buddha at the center of these creations. Both centers represent the essence, the heart of Buddha. III. Discuss the Paleolithic period to the Neolithic period. What do the existing art works convey about these time periods? The Paleolithic period marked the development of the human species. This era refers to the â€Å"Old Stone Age,† a time period during which the majority of the population was making tools of stone. The people of this time were nomadic and were also hunters and gatherers. A large part of this civilization spent a lot of time in caves where they painted w/ brushes made of animal hair. They finger painted using colors/pigments made by mixing minerals and animal fat, or vegetable oil. An example of art from this period is the Venus of Willenorf. This particular artwork conveys full figured women, representing pregnancy/fertility. This suggests the practice of fertility rituals. The cave painting of animals suggests the practice of hunting. The Neolithic period is known as the â€Å"new Stone Age,† a time when people were living in a more community based environment. They had established villages with farms, and the animals were now domesticated. This period developed pottery, a modest clay pot re... Free Essays on Mandala Free Essays on Mandala I. How are the architectural structures of the Stupas and the paintings of Mandalas related to each other? Mandalas create circular symbolic designs, similar to that of Buddha’s crown, which is the top spire, forming a circle on the Stupa. The hemispherical mound forms a drum shaped base. In addition to this, the head of Buddha forms a square as well as the base of the Stupa. Within the circle of the Mandala, a square is formed that has four T-shaped gate-like entrances leading to the center of the Mandala. This is similar to the four legs of Buddha that form steps of the lower terrace which represent four separate T-shape gate entrances. Each is a circle inscribed in a square. Both the Stupa and Mandala have a Buddha at the center of these creations. Both centers represent the essence, the heart of Buddha. III. Discuss the Paleolithic period to the Neolithic period. What do the existing art works convey about these time periods? The Paleolithic period marked the development of the human species. This era refers to the â€Å"Old Stone Age,† a time period during which the majority of the population was making tools of stone. The people of this time were nomadic and were also hunters and gatherers. A large part of this civilization spent a lot of time in caves where they painted w/ brushes made of animal hair. They finger painted using colors/pigments made by mixing minerals and animal fat, or vegetable oil. An example of art from this period is the Venus of Willenorf. This particular artwork conveys full figured women, representing pregnancy/fertility. This suggests the practice of fertility rituals. The cave painting of animals suggests the practice of hunting. The Neolithic period is known as the â€Å"new Stone Age,† a time when people were living in a more community based environment. They had established villages with farms, and the animals were now domesticated. This period developed pottery, a modest clay pot re...

Word Choice Hole vs. Whole

Word Choice Hole vs. Whole Word Choice: Hole vs. Whole For reasons far too boring to go into here, English spelling involves a lot of silent letters. We see this in some words that start with â€Å"wh-,† including â€Å"whole.† However, English also includes the word â€Å"hole,† which is pronounced exactly the same despite the lack of a â€Å"w† at the start. â€Å"Whole† and â€Å"hole† are completely different in meaning, though, so you won’t want to mix them up in writing. Check out our guide on how to avoid errors when using these terms. Hole (A Gap or Hollow) The word â€Å"hole† is almost always a noun. It refers to an empty space in something. This can either be an opening that goes through something to the other side or just a hollow in something: My favorite part of a doughnut is the hole in the middle. I dug a big hole in the ground. In the first sentence above, â€Å"hole† refers to the opening that goes through the entire doughnut. In the second, it refers to a space dug into the surface of the ground. But both of these are â€Å"holes.† We assume this is a hole full of baked goods.(Photo: George Cummings) More rarely, â€Å"hole† is a verb meaning â€Å"make a hole in something.† However, this is usually restricted to ships and boats (e.g., The torpedo holed the ship). Whole (Complete or Unbroken) With a â€Å"w† at the beginning, â€Å"whole† is typically an adverb or an adjective. We use it to say that something is complete or unbroken. For example: I am going away for the whole week. The snake swallowed the rat whole. The first sentence here uses â€Å"whole† as an adjective to modify â€Å"week† (i.e., the entire week). In the second, â€Å"whole† is an adverb modifying â€Å"swallowed† (i.e., it tells us that the snake ate the rat in one piece). In both cases, though, it shows we’re discussing the entirety of something. â€Å"Whole† can also be a noun, where it again refers to something in its entirety: Taken as a whole, the work of John Hurt is impressive. Two halves make a whole. In all cases, then, â€Å"whole† refers to something being complete or undivided. Hole or Whole? â€Å"Hole† and â€Å"whole† sound the same and share many letters, so they can be easy to confuse. However, they are very different in practice, so keep the following in mind: â€Å"Hole† is usually a noun and refers to an empty space or gap in an object. â€Å"Whole† is usually an adjective or adverb and refers to being complete. Since these words are so similar written down, and since spellcheckers won’t flag either term as â€Å"incorrect,† you also need to look out for accidental typos. But proofreading can help with that!

Wedding Ceremony Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Wedding Ceremony - Essay Example This definition, however, fails to highlight the actual meaning and worth of a wedding ceremony. In most cultures weddings underscored the need for the transition from one stage of life to another. It may no longer be seen that way but in Greek cultures, for example, wedding marked the transition of a woman from one â€Å"Oikos† to her new â€Å"Oikos†. â€Å"She changed from a partner, a maiden, to a nymph, a married woman without children, when she married and then finally to a gyne, an adult woman when she bore her first child. The entire set of marriage rites focused on the bride and her relocation to a new Oikos and Kurios, the most important transition in her life.† (Powers, 1997) The wedding in Greek culture would last three days where each day had an important cultural significance. The first day was the day when a bride would offer her toys and other childhood stuff to deities. This was done to mark her freedom from her old life and transition into a new life. Similarly for Romans as well, the wedding was a critical rite and did not just mean the act of marrying two people. In Roman culture, people could legally live together without a wedding and hence when a ceremony took place, it meant much more than just legalizing the marriage. Just like the Greek ceremony, Romans would also have a day on which the bride would perform certain rituals to mark her transition to the next stage of life. She would also get rid of her toys and childhood belongings. However, the most important part of the ceremony was the hairdo and the dress. The Roman bride would wear the dress only once and her hair would be styled in a particular manner. The veil was a must and it had to be worn by all brides.

Review Article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Review Article - Essay Example The researchers subjected the cadavers’ spines to 20Â º of flexion and 15Â º of extension, then measured intradiscal pressures, along with segmental motion, at the intact C4-C5 and C6-C7 vertebrae of their specimens respectively. Subsequently, they measured these variables on the C5-C6 vertebrae following anterior cervical plating. By performing a paired measures t-test on their measurements of changes in intradiscal pressure and segmental motion, the authors arrived at their results. The research findings demonstrated that intradiscal pressures (the dependent variable) increased considerably during the flexion (the independent variable) imposed upon them. Pressures at the C4-C5 vertebrae increased by roughly 73.2% during the course of this flexion, and at the C4-C5, an increase in pressure of approximately 45.3% was observed. Although intradiscal pressures at adjacent levels increased during pressure, this effect failed to reach significance. Both during extension and flexion, the researchers’ measurements of segmental motion during flexion increased at these adjacent levels. Based on these results, the authors cite substantial intensification of intradiscal pressure and segmental motion at levels adjacent to fusion as primary causes of early disc degeneration and pathology. In part, these measured effects account for one mechanism of early disc degeneration at levels adjacent to cervical spine fusion, which is in line with the author’s hypothesis. Issues relating to a criticism of Eck et al. (2002) fall generally between two categories: (a) potential confounding variables in the design of the experiment, and (b) methodological limitations that may prevent more accurate results. One potential confound in the experiment is the possibility of inconsistency between the cadaver specimens. In the Materials and Methods section, no mention is made of how the cervical spines of these

Assessing the occupational competence in the work enviroment Essay Example for Free

Assessing the occupational competence in the work enviroment Essay C. IN CARRYING OUT ASSESSMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL COMPETENCE, I WOULD ASK MYSELF: †¢How effective was my assessment and feedback? †¢Was there anything I didn’t anticipate? †¢How did I deal with it? †¢What went well? †¢What could I improve? †¢If I had to change anything what would I do DIFFERENTLY? I WOULD ASK THE LEARNER WHAT THEY INTEND TO DO AND HOW THEY ARE GOING TO ACHIEVE IT, GET THEM TO TELL ME WHAT TOOLS THEY ARE GOING TO USE TO GET THE DESIRED LOOK AND WHY THEY WILL BE USING THEM, ALSO WHAT PRODUCTS ARE GOING TO BE USED (IF ANY). ONCE THEY HAVE FINISHED THE ASSESSMENT I WILL ASK THEM. HOW THEY THINK IT WENT AND THEN GIVE THEM MY FEEDBACK. MY FEEDBACK WILL START WITH A POSITIVE E. G. WELL DONE FOR KEEPING WITHIN THE TIME SCALE. AND THEN TELL THEM IF THE ASSESSMENT WAS ACHIEVED OR NOT AND IF NOT HOW THEY COULD WORK TOWARDS ACHIEVING IT. I WILL FINISH WITH ANOTHER POSITIVE AND SETTING A NEW TARGET WITH A NEW DATE. BY KEEPING A REFLECTIVE JOURNAL ON MY EXPERIENCES AND THOUGHTS IT WOULD HELP ME WITH MY FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND GIVE ME USEFUL PRACTICE IN SELF-EVALUATION. D. TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENCY OF OWN EXPERTISE AND COMPETENCE RELEVANT TO OWN ROLE IN ASSESSING. OCCUPATIONAL COMPETENCE, I WILL NEED TO KEEP MY KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS UP TO DATE IN ORDER FOR ME TO BE AN EFFECTIVE AND CREDIBLE ASSESSOR. I WILL NEED TO MAINTAIN CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND I WILL HAVE TO KEEP UP TO DATE WITH RELEVANT GOVERNMENT LEGISLATIONS, AWARDING ORGANISATION REGULATIONS, POLICIES AND ORGANISATION PROCEDURES RELATED TO ASSESSMENT AND QUALITY ASSURANCE. I WILL ALSO NEED TO KEEP UP TO DATE WITH NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND TEACHING. I WILL ATTEND FURTHER TRAINING COURSES TO KEEP MY CPD UP TO DATE AND KEEP A LOG OF IT. I WILL ATTEND STANDARDISATION. MEETINGS TO SHOW THAT I AM KEEPING MY ASSESSORS QUALIFICATION UP TO STANDARD REQUIRED BY THE GOVERNING BODIES. OUTCOME 4 BE ABLE TO PLAN THE ASSESSMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL COMPETENCE. B. TO PLAN ASSESSMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL COMPETENCE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING METHODS: †¢Observation of performance in the work ENVIRONMENT I WOULD OBSERVE THE LEARNER BY THEIR PERFORMANCE MAKING SURE THE CRITERIA IS COVERED. THIS WOULD BE DONE THROUGH ONE TO ONE WITH THE LEARNER. I WOULD MAKE SURE START AND FINISH TIMES WERE SET AND MAKE SURE THE SERVICE PROVIDED IS GOING TO MEET THE STANDARDS REQUIREMENTS. ANY  DOCUMENTATION WOULD HAVE TO BE FILLED IN, SIGNED AND DATED AND NEW TARGETS WOULD BE SET. †¢Examining products of work – I would check that THE WORK OF THE LEARNER HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT IN THE CORRECT AND PROFESSIONAL WAY AND THE END RESULT HAS THE DESIRED LOOK AND FINISH. †¢Questioning the learner – I would initially ask the LEARNER WHAT THEIR PLAN OF ACTION IS AND HOW THEY ARE GOING TO ACHIEVE IT, IF MORE CRITERIA NEEDED TO BE MET I WOULD ASK MORE QUESTIONS TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRY AND MEET THE LEVEL REQUIRED. †¢Discussing with the learner – I would make sure the DISCUSSIONS WERE RELEVANT TO THE OUTCOMES AND. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA, I WOULD DISCUSS THE UNITS THAT NEED TO BE COVERED AND HOW WE COULD USE ONE VISIT TO COVER MORE THAN ONE UNIT (HOLISTIC APPROACH). I WOULD ALSO DISCUSS THE AMOUNT OF TIME NEEDED FOR THE PROCESS AND DATES AND TIMES OF VISITS. I WOULD MAKE IT CLEAR TO THE LEARNER WHAT I WOULD EXPECT FROM THEM FOR A COMPETENT ASSESSMENT. †¢Use of others (witness testimony) – As an assessor YOU WOULD NEED TO BE A PROFESSIONAL IN HAIRDRESSING WITH X NUMBER OF YEAR’S EXPERIENCE. YOU WOULD NEED TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THE NATIONAL STANDARDS AND CARRYING OUT OBSERVATIONS, YOU WOULD DOCUMENT ALL. THAT HAS BEEN OBSERVED BUT COULD NOT ENTER INTO THE CANDIDATES LOG BOOK. †¢Looking at learner statements – The learner would HAVE DOCUMENTED EXTRA EVIDENCE. THIS WOULD BE A WRITE UP ON UNDERPINNING QUESTIONS WHEN A RANGE HAS NOT QUITE BEEN MET. THIS COULD ALSO BE A WRITE UP ON A HAIR STYLE THAT WAS ACHIEVED, EXPLAINING HOW THEY WENT ABOUT GETTING THE ACHIEVED LOOK. †¢Insufficient evidence – If a learner hands back their ASSIGNMENT BUT HAS NOT MET THE CRITERIA COVERED, THEY WOULD BE TOLD THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO COMPLETE THE ASSIGNMENT. THEY WOULD BE ASKED TO ADD THE REQUIRED EVIDENCE MAKING THE. ASSIGNMENT ACHIEVABLE. †¢Recognising prior learning – This would be when a LEARNER HAS COMPLETED A UNIT IN ANOTHER QUALIFICATION WITHIN THE SET TIME OF THE NATIONAL STANDARDS. I WOULD CHECK THEIR CERTIFICATION FOR PROOF OF THIS AND GET THE LEARNER TO TAKE THE TEST OF UNDER PINNING KNOWLEDGE SO THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TO DO THE SAME UNIT AGAIN. I WOULD BE ABLE TO DOCUMENT THIS IN THE LEARNERS LOG BOOK WITH A RPL FORM, THE FORM WOULD NEED TO BE SIGNED AND DATED FROM THE ACHIEVED DATE ON THE CERTIFICATE. C. TO PLAN THE ASSESSMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL COMPETENCE TO ADDRESS LEARNER NEEDS AND CURRENT ACHIEVEMENTS. IN MY ASSESSMENT PLAN I WOULD IDENTIFY ANY SPECIFIC NEED THAT THE LEARNER MAY HAVE E. G. DYSLEXIA (I WOULD CHECK WITH THE RELEVANT DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE TRAINING ESTABLISHMENT TO SEE WHAT HELP COULD BE OFFERED TO THE LEARNER I. E. EXTRA TIME GIVEN FOR ASSIGNMENTS AND WRITTEN TESTS). I WOULD THEN AGREE THE LEVEL AND EXTENT OF THEIR CURRENT KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS. D. IN ASSESSMENT PLANNING MEETINGS WHEREVER POSSIBLE I WILL ALWAYS TRY TO TAKE A HOLISTIC APPROACH. IF ONE UNIT IS BEING TAKEN I WOULD IDENTIFY HOW MANY OUTCOMES AND CRITERIA MIGHT BE MET, I WOULD DO THIS BY USING THE ASSESSMENT METHODS OF: OBSERVATION, EXAMINATION OF. PRODUCTS OF WORK AND QUESTIONING. AS AN ASSESSOR, WORK TO HOLISTIC ASSESSMENT PRINCIPLES WILL MAXIMISE OPPORTUNITY AND SAVE TIME AND COST. IF I HAVE ARRANGED TO BE OBSERVED ASSESSING COMPETENCE, EXAMINING PRODUCTS OF WORK AND QUESTIONING, I COULD DISCUSS WITH MY ASSESSOR WHETHER I COULD BE OBSERVED CARRYING OUT AN ASSESSMENT PLANNING MEETING DURING THE SAME VISIT. THIS COULD BE A FOLLOW ON PLANNING MEETING WITH A LEARNER WHO IS READY TO GO ON TO THE NEXT STAGE OF THEIR ASSESSMENT. BILINGUALISM DEALING WITH BILINGUALISM WOULD FIRST HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED AT THE INITIAL ASSESSMENT; THE LEARNER’S FIRST. LANGUAGE IS NOT ENGLISH SO AS AN ASSESSOR I WOULD HAVE TO FIND THE BEST WAY OF COMMUNICATION. THIS COULD BE IN USING AN TRANSLATOR (ELECTRONICALLY OR A DICTIONARY) THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF ENGLISH VOCABULARY ON THE LEARNER’S BEHALF TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PASS THE TESTING THAT IS INITIALLY DONE BEFORE ACCEPTANCE OF THE COURSE. SKILLS TESTING A SKILL TESTING IS A PRACTICAL OBSERVATION OF A SET SKILL TASK THAT HAS BEEN SET BY THE ASSESSOR. THE ASSESSOR WILL TELL THE LEARNER WHAT IS REQUIRED AND GIVE THE LEARNER A SET TIME TO GET THE TASK ACHIEVED. THIS CAN BE USED TO CHECK THE LEARNER’S CAPABILITIES. MAINTAIN LEGAL AND GOOD PRACTICE REQUIREMENTS WHEN ASSESSING VOCATIONAL SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING UV30566 TRACEY HEARNE OUTCOME 4 TO EVALUATE MY OWN WORK IN CARRYING OUT ASSESSMENT OF VOCATIONAL SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING I WOULD ASK MYSELF: DID THE LEARNER UNDERSTAND WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE TO MEET THE CRITERIA? WAS THE FEEDBACK CLEAR ENOUGH FOR THE LEARNER TO UNDERSTAND? WERE ASSESSMENTS MARKED AND RETURNED WITHIN THE TIMESCALE? BY ASKING MYSELF THESE QUESTIONS I CAN EVALUATE MY OWN WORK WITH THE EVIDENCE THAT I HAVE RECORDED. D. TAKE PART IN CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO  ENSURE CURRENT EXPERTISE AND COMPETENCE IN ASSESSING VOCATIONAL SKILL, KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING. IN TAKING PART OF ‘CPD’ THIS IS TO KEEP MY KNOWLEDGE UP TO DATE, AND TO MAINTAIN NEW SKILLS WHILST ASSESSING. I NEED TO BE ABLE TO PROVE HOW I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS. I NEED TO SHOW CERTIFICATES I HAVE GAINED IN COURSES I HAVE ATTENDED. KEEP A RECORD OF HOURS WORKED/SHADOWED. MADE REGULAR VISITS TO RELEVANT WEBSITES. (WWW. HABIA. ORG) READING RELEVANT PUBLICATIONS (HAIRDRESSERS JOURNAL (HJI). KEEPING A LOG OF ALL MY ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION IN EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES WILL BE MY RECORD OF ‘CPD’.

All About Shark Cartilage Essay -- Animals Fish Papers

All About Shark Cartilage Sharks have existed on this earth for over 400 million years, and for the most part have been one of the only species in earth’s history that has not been changed dramatically as a result of evolution (http://www.nutritionwarehouse.com/Shark.Cartilage.html). Furthermore, in recent times since the onslaught of the industrial revolution, numerous pollutants and toxins have been introduced into the earth’s oceans, forests, and atmosphere resulting in cancerous development in nearly all forms of life. Incredibly, however, the amazing living machine known as the shark has survived literally unchanged and has rarely developed cancer despite the fact that almost all other creatures of land and sea get cancer regularly (http://www.realife.com/cancer.html - http://www.realife.com/cancer.html ). These prehistoric sea creatures have skeletons, unlike other animals, largely made up of cartilage, which is a tough yet malleable connective tissue. The fact that sharks do not regularly get cancer, that they have survived the test of time, and that they are composed mostly of cartilage has raised quite a bit of interest among scientists within the past twenty years (http://www.realife.com/cancer.html - http://www.realife.com/cancer.html ). Based upon this research (however, mostly unofficial) shark cartilage is now very popular on the web as a safe and effective treatment for osteo and rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, and numerous other diseases (http://www.freeyellow.com/members/totalnatural/doforme.html - http://www.freeyellow.com/members/total). The above information was obtained off of the world wide web, however, in this website we will also discuss the "real" information that has been obtained from reliable med... ... claims made on the web are definitely not true because of their lack of scientific evidence. Shark cartilage may be used for cancer treatment effectively in the future, however, right now no scientific facts can support the claims of shark cartilage's ability to treat cancer. References Hunt, Traci. "Shark cartilage for cancer treatment." American Journal of Health System Pharmacology. Aug 15 1995; 52: 1756, 60. Iwaguchi, T. "A novel angiogenic inhibitor." Cancer Letters. Jun 15 1990; 51:181-6. Langer, Robert. "Shark cartilage contains inhibitors of tumor angiogenesis." Science. 1983; 221:1185-87. Markman, Maurie. "Shark cartilage." Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine. June 1996; 63:179-180 Matthews, James. "Media feeds frenzy over shark cartilage as cancer treatment." Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Aug 4 1993; 85:1190-91.

Centura Health Overview

Centura Health is considered Colorado's largest healthcare organization, inclusive of a 12-hospital system. The company's mission includes celebrating the value inherent in each individuals life and working collaboratively to â€Å"lift the burdens of others† by offering comprehensive and loving care to all customers and patients served by Centura (Centura, 2005). The mission statement of the organization is to â€Å"extend the healing ministry of Christ my caring for those who are ill and nurturing the health of people in our communities† (Centura, 2005). The vision includes fulfilling the organizations covenant that guarantees excellence and integrity of service, creating partnerships with community members and patients for life (Centura, 2005). The organization has identified multiple core values which include: integrity, stewardship, spirituality, imagination, respect, excellence and compassion† (Centura, 2005). Current Centura operates as a non-profit agency and structures key decision making using what they refer to as a â€Å"Values Impact Analysis† (Centura, 2005). This tool helps organizational representatives weight the costs to benefits of selected decisions as applied to the organizations core values. The process adopted by the organization is considered â€Å"dynamic and rigorous† with the intent of enabling â€Å"conscientious decisions respectful of stakeholders needs† but also in line with the values and needs of patients (Centura, 2005). The organizational model includes a hierarchical system with the following: President/CEO, Executive Vice President and COO, Sr. Vice President, CFO, Chief Medical Officer and supporting management staff (Centura, 2005). Key to the governance model includes collaboration with other medical providers and health agencies throughout the state of Colorado. The decision making model adopted by Centura involves use of the Values Impact Analysis process that helps key management staff make decisions that are not only fiscally sound but also reflect the organizations core values and perspectives of patients that may be impacted by decisions. The organization makes use of an on site Mission and Ministry whose role includes providing â€Å"reflections, a prayer chain† and various other resources for employees and associates of the organization (Centura, 2005). In addition the organization utilizes a SHARE program that resembles a rewards and recognition program to highlight outstanding achievements among employees, customers and co-workers (Centura, 2005). Centura has also adopted a collaborative environment where communication is promoted through a â€Å"Mastery Development Plan† (Centura, 2005). This plan provides team members within the organization a method of facilitating personal and professional development and communication by providing training for technical and support staff and providing communications training to all staff to encourage greater collaboration and community connections among employees (Centura, 2005). Centura has also adopted quality improvement measures focusing on patient populations, physician and clinician teams to help promote â€Å"excellence in care† (Centura, 2005). The organization to this effect has created what they refer to as a â€Å"Quality, Safety and Outcomes Management department† whose sole role includes supporting a solid communications infrastructure and commitment to quality improvement (Centura, 2005). Centura's approach to quality involves defining ‘value directed' services and providing value directed management to customers both internal and external. This is a solid approach to instilling quality within the organization. Arogyaswamy & Simmons (1993) point to the important of using value-directed management approaches to ensure the best possible service to customers. Further the authors suggest that organizations must approach total quality and empowerment of staff through articulated measures to achieve â€Å"stronger market positions† by establishing â€Å"an unquenchable thirst for improvement† (Arogyaswamy & Simmons, 3). Ways to do this include through integration and shared vision (Lambert, Hylander & Sandoval, 2003). Barusch, Merkman & Maramaldi (2005) note that within the health care organization standardized measures are necessary to ensure control and power are properly delegated and that quality is ensured in all patient interactions and outcomes. Care benchmarks, satisfaction tools and quality assessors currently adopted by Centura fall in line with recent studies suggesting that routine attention to performance measurement via various standardized methods help improve organizational efficiency and continuous improvement (Holzer & Julnes, 2001). Further risk management is best assessed by gathering quality data from standardized reporting systems that provide detailed summaries of the industry, characteristics of service and help regulate distribution of services and procedures within the healthcare organization (Blankmeyer, Knox & Stutzman, 2001). Centura uses multiple benchmarks to currently reap information regarding quality and service protocols, including the Values Impact Analysis and the Master Development Plan. The values impact survey acts as a standardized reporting system providing mangers and staff with detailed cues regarding employee and organizational performance. The Master Development Plan serves as a tool that can enhance performance management and train various staff members including nursing staff members to achieve their highest potential within the organization. Key issues a nursing staff coordinator may address within this organizational context is whether incumbents are consistently reporting on their progress and achievements using the values impact analysis and master development program. These programs do offer detailed information regarding potential areas of weakness and improvement within the organization. At present the strongest elements of Centura's organizational structure include its commitment to shared knowledge and communication among staff members. Additionally the organization is committed to empowering employees to excel in their job functions and dedicated to continuous training. The organization may benefit from an overhaul of the performance measurement protocols adopted for individual employees. Most organizations fall short of identifying to as great an extent possible the level of staff satisfaction with performance measurement protocols. Turnover within the organization at present is relatively low suggesting that employees are however receiving the feedback they need to excel on the job. At this point in time when problem areas are identified using the quality assessment tools in place management turns to focused committees to resolve issues. The organization would benefit by involving more primary care nurses and other direct staff involved in decision making processes that involve improving quality improvement. Because Centura is a hierarchical organization, most decisions are made from the top down. Recent studies suggest however that continuous quality improvement and risk management efforts are enhanced significantly when organizations adopt a flat approach to knowledge management and quality improvement. This means that employees at all levels of the organization must be empowered to help make decisions and share information regarding continuous improvement measures. One way to adopt this philosophy at Centura may be to establish various committees designed to help solve specific problems within their scope of expertise or knowledge. Overall Centura Health provides a superb foundation for providing quality care and direction for staff and the patients and community it serves. The organization is committed to quality improvements, knowledge sharing and partnerships within the community to reduce any risk associated with delivering care and to improve its knowledge sharing ability within the community. At present the organization has adopted various standardized instruments, which consistently provide accurate measurements of quality benchmarks within the organization. The top down management approach may be the sole factor limiting consistent knowledge sharing and hence risk management reduction or continuous improvement within the organization.