Confessions of an Economic Hitman - 1425 Words

Economic Hitman I decided to talk about Economic Hitman because since I opened the web site, I got attracted by this quote â€Å"Dedicated to transforming the world into a sustainable, just and peaceful home where all beings can thrive†, by John Perkins who is an American author and one of the famous economist person in the world because he claims to have played a role in an supposed process of economic establishment of Third World countries on behalf of what he shows as a section of the United States government. His best book is Confessions of an Economic HitMan that was published in 2004. John Perkins worked directly with the World Bank, IMF, and many other global financial institutions and corporations, but he was one of the economic Hitman.†¦show more content†¦To prevent mobbing, organizational leaders plays the important role by enforcing decency and high ethical standards in the workplace. Population Theory in general , population growth is The most controversial issue that people is monitoring, and there are consequence of the issue regarding health care level, food, agriculture that we should to address because Population has recently increased due to the development and improvement of medical facilities in our modern science. Therefore, Government and many agencies are trying to find way to keep the source of living updated and in level to increase as the population increases. Billy Meier is a farmer who born in Switzerland who have sent to help the extraterrestrials people to make the earth a better place to live. After i read some of Meier contact, I understand some of the points that Meier illustrate in contact reports 6, 7, 9. For example, in contact 6 Meier and Semjase start talking about secret creation. According to Semjase, â€Å"every human life form has to live through seven (7) definite main stages or main periods and seven (7) associated secondary stage s or sub-stages†. in the other word, human being go through seven periods which there are primary life, rational life, intellectual life, real life, creational life, spiritual life, and creation life. Overall, Meier theory is that our planet should be controlled to not have overpopulation by educating people to use birth control which are the significant methodsShow MoreRelatedConfessions Of An Economic Hitman Essay2564 Words   |  11 PagesConfessions of an Economic Hitman Identifying Corporate Social Responsibility Issues Corporate Responsibility Dr. Farzad Rafi Khan April 16th, 2015 Team 1 Andrew Wirawan Ali Karamustafaoglu Ashtyn Packer Christ-Arnaud Lacombe Marion Mayer Ulrik Karlsen Contents Introduction 2 Reflection on John Perkins’ Sincerity 3 What Do the Voices From Below Show? 5 How Can Institutions Transform and End Malicious Practices? 6 How to Increase Awareness in Society? 8 Conclusive Thoughts about theRead MoreConfessions of an Economic Hitman2350 Words   |  10 PagesConfessions of an Economic Hit man John Perkins The reasons as to why I selected this book was heavily weighted on my personal interests. The fact that I am interested in matters of economics, imperialism, capitalism and deception and corruption on a government level, made reviewing Confessions of an economic hit man an enjoyable experience. â€Å"For them, this is a war about the survival of their children and cultures, while for us it is about power, money and natural resources. It is one partRead MoreThe New Confessions Of An Economic Hitman By John Perkins1978 Words   |  8 PagesIn the book â€Å"The New Confessions of An Economic Hitman† by author John Perkins, he discusses in detail his experience as an economic hitman, and the role he played in underdeveloped and developing countries. He writes about his, various multinational corporations, political institutions, and the United States role in indebting countries to profit off them. Essentially, his book is about the United States way in expanding globalization and what can be done to stop the exploitation of other countriesRead MoreJohn Perkins Is An American Novelist1088 Words   |  5 Pages About the Author John Perkins is an American novelist. Confessions of Economic Hitman (2004) is one of his bestsellers. Perkins graduated in 1963 from the Tilton School and completed Bachelors of Science degree in Business Administration in 1968 from Boston University. From 1968-1970, he volunteered for Peace Corps in Ecuador. He was screened by National Security Agency (NSA) while working for a firm in Boston, Chas.T.Main during 1970s to work as EHM. His job as EHMRead MoreDocumentary Analysis: Zeitgeist Addendum Essay815 Words   |  4 Pagesinterview with John Perkins, author of Confessions of an Economic Hitman. From the word â€Å"Hitman,† we know that money, economy, politics, and control was involved. In this part, Latin-American countries had leaders who strived to improve their country’s economy. Big corporations even the United States confronted these leaders in an effort to control their resources or source of money then subjugate them through loans. Some of the leaders refu sed the offer then the hitman comes in. These countries were IranRead MoreThe Bilderberg Group Conspiracy Theory1548 Words   |  7 PagesNew York Times, Time Magazine, Royals, heads of Parliament, among many others. â€Å"Wealth is only as useful as the power you actually wield with it† and he believes that the group sent, the date for the invasion of Iraq, set oil prices, and caused the economic crash ultimately showing that they run the world (Estulin). The Bilderberg group wants to decrease the population by 80% because they believe that they cannot control the current population (Jones). This is because the elitists want to only haveRead MoreEssay on Grassroots Boycott: The Fight for Human Rights 726 Words   |  3 Pagesresult of unbridled capitalism.† Author John Perkins, also known as the ‘economic hitman’ describes his role as a highly paid professional who helped the U.S. cheat poor countries around the world out of trillions of dollars by providing them more money in which they could not pay back and later, taking over their economies in exchange of natural resources such as oil. In the epilogue of his book â€Å"Confessions of an Economic Hitman† he expresses his thoughts on taking ownership and changing the systemRead MoreThe Impact Of Globalization And Globalization1582 Words   |  7 Pagesreservation-like areas and are left to adapt or perish by themselves. As modern society requires more a nd more raw material for industry and innovation, the land and culture of the native people is being destroyed. John Perkins explains in Confessions of an Economic Hitman that indigenous land is being ravaged in the search for raw material and the mass growing of crops. American corporations are allowed to run rampant in foreign land by using billions of dollars of debt owed to America by foreign countriesRead MoreAn Unequal Distribution Of Wealth And Power Across The Nation2049 Words   |  9 Pagesregarding our economic lives. Our understanding of what’s going on with the wealth distribution and the actuality of what’s going on is two completely different things. So you may ask, what’s the reason behind this inequality? The answer is corporations and big businesses. Corporations such as Bank of America, Nike, Google, Apple, and Microsoft are rising to power. Corporations have also completely diminished the original intent of our Founding Fathers. According to Collin and Yeskel’s â€Å"Economic ApartheidRead MoreUnited Nations and World4943 Words   |  20 Pa gesNEO-COLONIALISM Neocolonialism describes how, after World War II, colonial powers started using economics i.e. lending and interest rates, to control former colonies and cultivate new areas, thereby creating political, economic and social dependencies. Neocolonialism describes certain economic operations at the international level which have alleged similarities to the traditional colonialism of the 16th to the 20th centuries. The contention is that governments have aimed to control other nations

Marketing Myopia - 1487 Words

Abstract The article, â€Å"Marketing Myopia† written by Theodore Levitt, illustrates how businesses interact in their particular industry’s life cycles of growth, maturity and decline. One of the primary focal points of the article is that businesses must know their industry in regards to satisfying their specific customer’s needs. Identifying customer needs and meeting them, allows for continued growth of the company and industry. Recognizing the necessity to satisfy customer’s needs rather than merely selling products will establish an innovative company with continued growth and profits. Key words: Marketing, satisfaction, myopia, industry In the article, â€Å"Marketing Myopia†, Theodore Levitt, challenges all business leaders†¦show more content†¦The second belief that there is no competitive substitute for the industry’s major product concludes that the threat of innovation is very little if at all possible. In the article, the petroleum companies ignore the threats of competitors who are investing in innovative alternative sources of fuels to satisfy customer’s needs of transportation. They are investing in the original product and how to more efficiently extract, refine and distribute it to their customers. As in the past missed opportunities, the oil industry continues to be blinded by its narrow preoccupation with its specific product and the value of its reserves (Levitt, 2004). Other arguments of this belief suggest that companies operate within a narrow thinking of product/definition and single industry perspective (Richard, Womack, Alalway, 1993). One example is the gr ocery retailer; AP, and how its management defined the organization by the type of product it sold, groceries, and how they made decisions to not add highly profitable non-grocery items to their assortment of products as their competitors did (Richard, Womack, Alalway, 1993). By not offering such items as national brand merchandise, delicatessens, and seafood sections, AP allowed competitors to gain competitive advantages in their industry. The third belief that too much faith in mass production and in the advantages of rapidlyShow MoreRelatedMarketing Myopia785 Words   |  4 PagesArticle: Levitt, T. (1960) â€Å"Marketing Myopia†, Harvard Business Review, July-August, 1960 Marketing myopia is a term coined by Theodore Levitt. The fundamental concept to take from marketing myopia is that a business will survive and perform better if it focuses on satisfying customer needs rather than selling specific products. Rather than defining the company and its products to respond to the customers’ needs and wants, this is a short-sighted, inward, myopic marketing approach focusing on theRead MoreMarketing Myopia955 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Selling and marketing are antithetical rather than synonymous or even complementary. There will always be, one can assume, a need for some selling. But the aim of marketing is to make selling superfluous. The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well that the product or service fits him and sells itself.† (Drucker 1973, pp.64-65) In the early years of the ‘70s era, Drucker was one of the first educators and authors who identify marketing as a way to understand customers’Read MoreMarketing Myopia1265 Words   |  6 PagesMarketing Myopia What is Marketing Myopia? Marketing Myopia is the short-sighted approach of management of focusing on a particular product and not identifying the correct industry the organization is in. (Levitt, 1975) In essence it implies that organizations should not define their business based on their products and should attempt to identify the business based on customer centric evidence. Organizations need to focus on customer wants and use customer centric evidence forming strategicRead MoreMarketing Myopia Of Noki Marketing929 Words   |  4 PagesMarketing Myopia of NOKIA Contents Introduction 3 Back ground of Nokia 3 Marketing Myopia 3 New Marketing Myopia 4 Bibliography 5 Introduction Nokia was the most famous mobile phone manufacture around the world. Its slogan technology connecting people has been rooted in consumers mind deeply. However Nokia had faced a huge market lost once the smart phone published. The report is about the marketing myopia analyse of Nokia. Back ground of Nokia Nokia CorporationRead MoreThe New Marketing Myopia7296 Words   |  30 PagesSocial Innovation Centre The New Marketing Myopia _______________ N. Craig SMITH Minette E. DRUMWRIGHT Mary C. GENTILE 2009/08/ISIC Electronic copy available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1336886 The New Marketing Myopia by N. Craig Smith* Minette E. Drumwright ** and Mary C. Gentile *** forthcoming in the Journal of Public Policy Marketing This paper can be downloaded without charge from the Social Science Research Network electronic library at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1336886 Read MoreEssay about Marketing Myopia779 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Marketing Myopia:   Marketing Myopia suggests that businesses will do better in the end if they concentrate on meeting customers’ needs rather than on selling products. The mistake of paying more attention to products a company offers than to the benefits and experiences produced by these products. The term marketing myopia was first expressed in a famous article of the same name written by  Theodore Levitt  for the  Harvard Business Review  in 1960. In Marketing Myopia, Levitt argued that manyRead MoreLiterature Review on Marketing Myopia2738 Words   |  11 PagesArticle 1: Marketing Myopia 3 Article 2: An Integrated View of Marketing Myopia 4 Article 3: Beyond Marketing Myopia: The Service of Small Railroads 5 Article 4: Futuristics: Reducing Marketing Myopia 6 Article 5: Reconsidering the Classics: Reader Response to Marketing Myopia 7 Article 6: Global Marketing Myopia 8 Article 7: Editorial: Marketing Myopia 9 Article 8: Extending the marketing myopia concept to promote strategic agility 10 Article 9: The New Marketing Myopia 11 Article 10:Read MoreMarketing Myopia, By Theodore Levitt1348 Words   |  6 PagesMarketing Myopia Analysis â€Å"Marketing Myopia†, by Theodore Levitt is one of Harvard Business Review’s most profound articles ever published, having won the McKinsey Award in 1960. The title of the article hints what it suggests, a short-sighted approach to marketing. Levitt, whom has witnessed the rise of three industries: petroleum, automobiles and electronics, analyzes and comments on businesses’ failures, partly due to a misguided focus. Business, in essence is to establish an entity in which profitRead MoreAnalysis Of Theodore Levitts Marketing Myopia 1341 Words   |  6 PagesIn Theodore Levitt’s article â€Å"Marketing Myopia†, he defines that marketing should focus on customer oriented instead of product oriented. He had introduced a famous question, â€Å"What business are you really in?† Many times, people misidentify the industry they are in. For example, Levitt uses the examples of railroad business, Hollywood, oil company, and many other examples to teach us that oriented management can keep a growth industry growing. Although â€Å"product orientation is unquestioned† for manyRead MoreAnalysis Of Theodore Levitt s Marketing Myopia744 Words   |  3 PagesTheodore Levitt s original 1960 Harvard Business Review in 1960 Marketing Myopia addressed shortsighted in management, industry is a customer satisfying business and not a goods producing business (Levitte, 1960). The core meaning behind Levitt s Marketing Myopia is Levitt (2008), Every major industry was once a growth industry. But some that are now riding a wave of growth enthusiasm are very much in the shadow of decline. Others that are thought of as seasoned growth industries have

Bullying in School Free Essays

Bullying: 1. I read the article, â€Å"Jury Orders School District to Pay $800,000 to Bullied Student. † This article was about a boy named Dane Patterson, who had been bullied all through middle school and his early high school career. We will write a custom essay sample on Bullying in School or any similar topic only for you Order Now He claims that the school failed to protect him from years of bullying, and it finally came to be enough when he was sexually harassed in the locker room. As a result to this, the Patterson family filed a lawsuit under Title IX of the Equal Opportunity in Education Act, using the sexual harassment story as the basis.This week, the jury ordered the school district to pay Dane $800,000 to make up for the damages and trauma caused by the ongoing situation. Anti-bullying experts argue that this verdict will send a clear message to schools that they are in fact responsible for sexual harassment and bullying, and that they must keep a constant eye out for such behavior. 2. In my opinion, I do not think schools should be held fully responsible for bullying.I think that maybe they should make more of an effort to prevent it, but there is no way they can take care of all the bullying issues that happen in school. For example, some kids don’t even make an effort to ask for help, or let anyone know they are being bullied, so the school shouldn’t be held accountable for a situation they aren’t even aware is occurring to begin with. In Dane’s situation however, I believe the school should be held responsible because he clearly asked for help and didn’t receive any, and this had been going on since middle school!I think that schools should be fully accountable only if the child seeks out help numerous times and doesn’t receive it, or if the school doesn’t do everything in their power to make the bullying go away. On the other hand, there are some situations which the school cannot control, like I said in the first example; if that is the case, I don’t believe the school should be held responsible. 3. I believe that the parents of the bully’s should be held at least somewhat responsible for their child’s actions because then they could stop the bullying before it gets out of control.Ultimately, schools are responsible for keeping an eye out on bullying and regulating the behavior, but there are some cases in which they just cannot control, therefore they shouldn’t be held responsible. Obesity: 1. For obesity, I read the article, â€Å"Pepsi Initiates Move to Pull Sugared Soft Drinks from Schools in 200 Countries. † This article was about PepsiCo Inc’s announcement, as of Tuesday of this week, about how they planning to remove all of their full-calorie sweetened soft drinks from schools in more than 200 countries by the year 2012 to reduce the trend of obesity.The article also mentions that earlier this month, Coca-Cola made a similar announcement, but they feel they should only eliminate soft drink sales from schools only if parents make a re quest. Of course, both companies realize that eliminating soft drinks will not end the rising trend of childhood obesity, but they believe that learning better eating and drinking habits in schools are certainly a step in the right direction. 2. I don’t think that schools should be held accountable for obesity in any sense.Schools should strive to sell healthier food, but they are not the cause of obesity. The school is not responsible for the amount of food a child buys, so schools should not be responsible for obesity. 3. In my opinion, obesity is more caused by eating habits in life outside of school, such as home or going out and getting fast food all the time. It’s even genetic. I don’t believe schools should be responsible for obesity because the child controls their own eating habits, not the school. How to cite Bullying in School, Papers Bullying in School Free Essays string(121) " climate are expected to influence bullying behaviors, separate and distinct from generally reducing student aggression\." Bullying is now recognized as a common form of victimization on American school campuses and a significant school safety problem (Nansel et al. , 2001). This special issue of School Psychology Review provides thoughtful conceptual and practical information for school psychologists, who can play a central role in the schools’ response to this growing concern about school bullying. We will write a custom essay sample on Bullying in School or any similar topic only for you Order Now In this paper, I review and expand on topics discussed, particularly as they relate to the American school context. Reaching a national consensus on school bullying represents a significant challenge that will require balancing needs across researchers, educators, and public policy makers. Whatever the effectiveness of specific bully prevention programs, the national effort to minimize the negative effects of bullying will need to address fundamental matters related to the definition of school bullying and the translation of best research practices into public policy and educational practice at the school site level. I suggest that clarity on matters of definition is of the utmost importance. First, it is needed for the scientific purpose of having precision in what is being studied. Second, it is needed because a lack of a common understanding about what constitutes bullying could result in a confusing array of national, state, and local policies and responses to the problems created by bullying. Introduction Contributions of Special Issue Articles Espelage and Swearer Espelage and Swearer (2003) set the stage for other contributors to this volume with their thorough review of bullying literature. They effectively argue that bullying research has reached a critical stage where future investigations should capitalize on the lessons learned about the definition and measurement of bullying, the nature of gender differences, and the varied topography of the bully-victim relationship. They set forward the challenge of how best to define and measure bullying; the extent of that challenge was demonstrated by the varied definitions and methods of articles in this special issue. Perhaps most important is the vision that pushes researchers in this area to recognize the importance of contexts; for example, familial, peer, school structures as determinants, correlates, and perpetuators of bullying behavior. Whereas improved definitions and measurements of bullying will help define the individual behavior, determining the contextual influences will require careful and creative research methodologies. Rodkin and Hodges Rodkin and Hodges (2003) frame their discussion of bullying in the context of peer ecology and school culture. In particular, their emphasis on identifying and understanding â€Å"popular bullies† takes an important step toward the recognition that not all bullies fit the profile of children who are socially marginalized or deviant. Rodkin and Hodges’s article discusses a type of bully who is well-liked among his or her peer group and is thus better able to attract others to engage in their bullying behaviors. These discussions emphasize the complex influence of peer ecology, the diversity of children who engage in bullying, and varying motivations and functions that bullying may serve. Although there are many popular students in school, only a select few use their popularity as a platform for bullying other students. One question that emerges from Rodkin and Hodges’s article is why some popular students take advantage of the opportunity to bully, but most do not. Long and Pellegrini Long and Pellegrini (2003) add an additional perspective to this bullying issue (i. e. , focus on the dynamism or long-term nature of bullying and dominance). Researchers are often constrained by their research designs and methodologies to characterizing bullying through the use of static, one-time measures. As Espelage and Swearer have noted, an important aspect of bullying is the fact that is occurs repeatedly over a long period of time. Long and Pellegrini suggest that observing or measuring this concept across several years will provide an important perspective about the role of dominance and bullying in group behavior of students in a middle school cohort. They hypothesized that dominance would increase during a time when groups are being formed and then settle once the relationships have been established. These authors demonstrated the use of linear mixed models to track measures of dominance and bullying over time and to determine the conditional effects of gender on change on these concepts. They clearly outline the complex statistical techniques utilized, thereby encouraging the use of such models for future research. Their findings confirmed a pattern of increase, then decrease across time. However, their findings suggested a slight increase for seventh grade students at the end of their school year, perhaps anticipating the need to reestablish relationships in the transition to eighth grade. Overall, dominance and bullying were higher for males. As with other studies in this issue, these results, although demonstrative of the potential utility of change models for explaining bullying, are constrained by the definition of bullying because they relied on student self-definition of â€Å"bullying† behavior. It is very likely that students varied in their conception of â€Å"bullying. † Future investigations might include a specific descriptor for this term to ensure that survey responses are valid. Leff, Power, Costigan, and Manz Although much research on bullying has focused on assessment and prevention at the classroom level, the playground and lunchroom are also prime locations for bullying to occur. Left, Power, Costigan, and Manz (2003) explain that bullying often occurs in these settings because of a lack of structured activities and a lack of structured supervision. Left et al. evaluate an assessment tool that is designed for completion by paraprofessionals supervising during lunch and recess. This approach is one that accounts for the context in which bullying often occurs and the school ecology that can contribute to its prevention. Although the data from this study fail to provide information on instances of bullying that occur within the lunchroom and playground contexts, accurate assessment of the school climate in these areas will presumably enhance the school’s ability to develop targeted interventions. As there is no definition of bullying provided in this article, future efforts should examine the extent to which changes in lunchroom and playground climate are expected to influence bullying behaviors, separate and distinct from generally reducing student aggression. You read "Bullying in School" in category "Papers" Orpinas, Horne, and Staniszewski Developing empirically validated programs that effectively reduce school bullying is a challenge that many schools face. Orpinas, Home, and Staniszewski (2003) describe the development and evaluation of an innovative program designed to reduce bullying and victimization at the elementary school level. The program discussed is notable for its ability to garner commitment and cooperation from many members of the school community, specifically teachers. The authors identify staff collaboration, in conjunction with the comprehensive approach of the program, as the heart of its success. Although this program is effective at reducing aggression, as it is measured by the study’s self-report questionnaire, the program and the assessments used to evaluate the program do not target bullying independently from other forms of peer aggression. The program appears to successfully reduce aggressive behavior, but it is unclear how much of this behavior meets criteria for the hallmarks of bullying: intentionality, power imbalance, and repetition. The commitment and motivation of the school staff participant that was engendered by this approach is admirable and would certainly contribute to a program with the specific aim of reducing bullying behavior, as well. Limber and Small Several state legislatures have enacted laws related to bullying in an attempt to ad dress the perception that bullying is a growing problem in American schools. Limber and Small (2003) review the state laws that have been passed and some of the major issues surrounding bullying legislation. In particular, they note a trend towards defining bullying in conjunction with other types of peer aggression, such as â€Å"harassment† or â€Å"intimidation. † By considering these terms as synonymous, Limber and Small suggest that states fail to capture the unique qualities of bullying, potentially resulting in school personnel being confused or misled. Limber and Small offer several recommendations for state legislators, state departments of education, and local policy makers seeking to develop sensitive and appropriate bullying laws. Limber and Small’s focus on legislation recognizes the most formalized approach to bullying–one that may mandate state resources. This raises the question: What else are states doing to prevent and intervene with bullying that has not been formalized into legislation? The way that bullying is addressed in schools, by school districts, and by state departments of education is often not reflected in their state laws. In addition, only 15 states have passed legislation, leading to the question of what is happening in the other 35 states. Implications of Special Issue Articles for School Psychology Practice The topic of bullying in American schools was neglected for too long (Espelage Swearer, 2003). This issue affirms the crucial roles that school psychology researchers and practitioners can contribute to future efforts to better understand this phenomenon and to develop evidence-based strategies designed to reduce its incidence and consequences. I suggest that these efforts will move forward most efficiently and effectively if thought is given to carefully defining bullying and to building a national consensus about the nature of this problem. In an effort to be better informed about the actions being taken in the 50 United States to reduce bullying and to build on Limber and Small’s (2003) efforts, we turn to a presentation of state-level responses to bullying. The Status of School Bullying Policy and Practice in the United States The analysis of forensic psychologists McGee and Debemardo (1999) helped to popularize the idea that school shooters are awkward adolescents who had past histories of bully victimization and social isolation. Amidst the national angst after the multiple school shootings in the late 1990s, the notion that these youth had been victimized to the point of extreme violence was offered as one explanation for these terrible events. Subsequent analyses (Fein et al. , 2002; O’Toole, 2000; Vossekuil, Fein, Reddy, Borum, Modzeleski, 2002) have shown this to be a qualified and limited relationship, but they also reinforced the perception that at least some school shooters were bully-victims who acted to avenge long-term peer abuse. Although bully victimization cannot be used with any degree of accuracy to predict school shootings (Reddy et al. , 2001), one potentially positive response to the recognition of this phenomenon is that it modified perceptions that bullying was a relatively innocent rite of youth passage. Instead, bullying is now seen as one set of behaviors that might have deadly consequences. Legislative Responses to School Violence Interestingly, as mentioned by Espelage and Swearer (2003), the motivation to address bullying in Finland (Dan Olweus’s home) emanated from concern about suicides among bully victims. Similarly, in response to American school shooting tragedies (many of the school shooters also were suicidal), educators and policy makers began to take action (e. g. , California Governor’s School Violence Task Force, 2000). After years of neglecting the bullying phenomenon, beginning in 1998, states began to pass laws using the term â€Å"bullying. † As might be expected, states that have experienced notable school shooting incidents are more likely to have formal school bullying laws than other states. In recent years, a number of states have passed legislation that directly mentions bullying and articulates school responses and disciplinary consequences. Limber and Small (2003) provide an overview and discussion of these legislative responses. In addition to the passage of formal educational laws, various states have responded more informally through the dissemination of resources and training. Although the prevention of school-associated deaths is an essential objective, formal legislative responses can only be as effective as the implementation of bullying prevention and intervention strategies in schools, a topic to which we now turn. State-Level Bullying Practices Unfortunately, in the rush to address the new perceived threat of school shootings, insufficient time was taken to formally define bullying. Consequently, efforts to pass state laws and to implement local policies have had limited coherence (Limber Small, 2003). Many state statues, in fact, do not define â€Å"bullying† other than to use the word itself; others equate it to peer harassment; and yet others include hate crimes of all types including those directed against gay, lesbian, and bisexual students. New Hampshire, for example, actually requires a school employee â€Å"who has witnessed or has reliable information that a pupil has been subjected to insults, taunts, or challenges, whether verbal or physical in nature, which are likely to intimidate or provoke a violent or disorderly response shall report such incident to the principal, or designee who shall in turn report the incident to the superintendent† (2001). These codified definitions of bullying are at times inconsistent with international perspectives and research (Espelage Swearer, 2003; Juvonen Graham, 2001; Rigby, in press; Smith et al. , 2002). Summary of State Policy and Practices Formal state legislation. As Limber and Small (2003) reported, 15 states have enacted bullying legislation. When state representatives were asked whether their state had a law addressing bullying, 13 additional representatives wrote that their state legislation addresses bullying, but does not explicitly use the term â€Å"bullying. † Instead, bullying behavior is subsumed under the heading of another law (e. g. , harassment, assault, injurious hazing). As Limber and Small discuss, failing to accurately label bullying makes intervening more challenging. Such misunderstandings may also lead to punitive laws, rather than a commitment to supporting and guiding bullies toward change. State definitions of bullying. State definitions of bullying (defined by state law or the state representative) were compared with the primary components of Olweus’s (1993) definition of bullying. Olweus’s definition is composed of three primary components: intentionality, an imbalance of power, and repetition. In addition, Olweus (2001) explains that a wide range of behaviors can be considered bullying, including physical aggression, relational aggression, systematic exclusion, and destruction of property. Table 2 includes information for each state law in the following areas: Many Forms of Bullying (the definition of bullying includes more than one type of bullying behavior, physical, verbal), Intentional, Imbalance of Power, and Repetition. In addition, several definitions of bullying specify outcomes of the behavior. To be considered bullying, the behavior may need to disrupt learning or the school environment, cause emotional stress or distress in a victim, or result in physical harm to a student. The number of states that included a discussion of the effect of bullying on victims indicates an increasing awareness of victims’ experiences. However, most formalized legislation continues to focus on actions to be taken with bullies, to the exclusion of responding to victims. Although laws in New York and Rhode Island require that schools provide mentors for students concerned about bullying or violence, victim issues and needs are notably absent from most legislation. State-level bullying resources. This special issue is evidence that practitioners and researchers are moving forward in defining bullying and developing targeted evidence-based interventions. Nonetheless, the definitions provided by state legislation and state representatives do not appear to be based in a strong research grounding. Not one of the 15 states that have enacted bullying legislation provides a definition of bullying that includes all components of Olweus’s definition. Further, none of the other state representatives who provided a definition that was not formalized into legislation cited all aspects of the definition. This disconnect between research and policy leads to questions about the development of legislation. In particular, there may be political pressures from various constituencies that influence the wording and scope of bullying laws. For example, if legislation is partially or primarily a response to media-intensive school violence, as mentioned above, then the most immediate response is likely to be the quick fix (i. e. , punitive and controlling through strict disciplinary provisions). Conclusion Researchers in many countries (e. g. , Finland, England, Canada, and Australia) have intensively focused on the problem of school bullying far longer than those in the United States by seeking an empirically based understanding of bullying (Smith et al. , 2002). As a result, an international dialogue on theories of bullying has accumulated over the years based on careful investigation and intervention. In contrast, the interest in the U. S. on the topic of bullying has been more recent. Now that bullying has passed through a period of awareness building, the time has come to move into a period where research is conducted with more precision and complexity. The clarity provided will support more effective, targeted, evidence-based practice. Ironically, although the U. S. Department of Education has developed a flier (U. S. Department of Education, 1998) with evidence-based definitions and research on bullying, state legislators have produced diverse legislation. According to the U. S. Department of Education, bullying is defined as: â€Å"intentional, repeated hurtful acts, words or other behavior, such as name-calling, threatening and/or shunning committed by one or more children against another. The victim does not intentionally provoke these negative acts, and for such acts to be defined as bullying, an imbalance in real or perceived power must exist between the bully and the victim. Bullying may be physical, verbal, emotional, or sexual in nature† (p. 1). This definition is closely aligned with well-accepted research definitions (e. g. , Olweus, 1993), yet state departments of education have not incorporated all components of this definition. One conceptualization of bullying is that of a continuum of verbal and nonverbal aggressive behaviors that are commonly exhibited by students (Espelage Swearer, 2003). At the extreme end of the continuum are behaviors of students who repeatedly victimize other students; their actions are not qualitatively distinct from those of other students on the continuum; they are simply more frequent and persistent. This idea that bullying lies on a continuum and that most students engage in some form of peer victimization suggests that perhaps bullying should be addressed in conjunction with other forms of peer aggression. However, this does not preclude accurately assessing this form of aggressive behavior. For example, a recent study by Solberg and Olweus (2003) indicates that the frequency and duration of victimization has a significant effect on victim outcomes. Specifically, marked negative consequences were found among those students who experienced bullying events two to three times in the previous month. Although the threshold of how â€Å"repetitious† bullying needs to be to have a generalized negative effect on a youth may vary by child, Solberg and Olweus’s (2003) analysis provides a marker to possibly differentiate general aggression from bullying. In addition, increased precision in defining bullying will affect prevalence research. Among the most commonly cited work on bullying prevalence in American schools is work by Nansel et al. (2001). In their survey, the definition of bullying provided to students included the following statement: â€Å"We say a student is BEING BULLIED when another student, or a group of students, say or do nasty and unpleasant things to him or her. It is also bullying when a student is teased repeatedly in a way he or she doesn’t like. But it is NOT BULLYING when two students of about the same strength quarrel or fight† (p. 2095). Failure to specify that bullying is necessarily a pattern of behaviors or a relationship may produce higher prevalence rates and fall short of recognizing the unique functions that bullying serves. Taking a peer-relationship approach to understanding bullying has implications for practice, assessment, and policy. Defining bullying as a specific type of peer aggression will aid in this pursuit. As Limber and Small (2003) discuss, anti-bullying legislation is unfortunately intertwined with definitions and legislation addressing harassment. Harassment is defined as actions that are intended to target a member of a group of identifiable individuals who are protected by state and/or federal antidiscrimination legislation. This confusion and overlap of terms leads to political quarrels that could be avoided if bullying were more precisely defined. For example, although a law requiring school districts to develop policies prohibiting harassment, intimidation, and bullying now exists in the state of Washington, some conservative groups in this state have expressed concerns that anti-bullying laws could infringe on students’ rights to speak freely about their opposition to homosexuality (Zehr, 2001). The question of whether anti-bullying legislation should specifically include a clause protecting identifiable groups (based on characteristics such as sexual orientation) remains a topic of public debate. For example, antibullying legislation in the states of New Jersey and Washington currently incorporates a definition of bullying that includes a clause stating that bullying is motivated by a (real or perceived) distinguishing characteristic. It should be noted that many state antibullying laws do not pertain specifically to â€Å"bullying†; rather, they often address â€Å"harassment, intimidation, or bullying† or include the term â€Å"hazing. † This combination of concepts and terms has repercussions for definitions, community responses, policies, and consequences. A definition of â€Å"bullying† that takes a relational approach has implications for practice, assessment, and policy. Interventions designed for victims of chronic peer aggression will differ from those developed for youth experiencing single or unrelated aggressive acts. If bullying is a relationship, then responses to bullies focus on changing a pattern of behavior and relating. If most aggressive acts are called bullying, it will be more difficult to develop an accurate knowledge base about bullying in American schools. In addition, none of the current definitions of bullying have formally operationalized the essential elements of the bullying definition: imbalance of power (one youth can and is using coercion) and intentionality (the bullying is done purposefully and with the intent to harm). Such information cannot be assessed merely through the self-report of either the bully or the victim because this assessment of necessity involves a reciprocal relationship. One strategy to explore power differences that have been attempted is the use of obvious size differences in stick drawings of possible bullying situations (Smith et al. , 2002). Ultimately, only the bully knows his or her motivation (although they may have rationalized it in a self-supporting manner) and the victim only knows if she or he experienced harm (although even here there may be some forms of denial or self-protective reframing of the experience). On the other hand, bullies and victims may not be the best judges of the motivation of their behavior and the interpretation of their emotional reactions. Cornell and Brockenbrough (in press), for example, found that self-reported bullying and victimization was inconsistent with teacher and other peer ratings of bullying behavior. The teacher and peer ratings were the most consistent and they were better predictors of future school discipline referrals. The findings of this study suggest that teachers and peers may be more objective judges of whether or not a power differential exists between students and if the impact of the bullying behavior was harmful. Even the most basic unanswered bullying research question: â€Å"How prevalent is bullying in American schools? † depends completely on how the term bullying is defined. I have suggested that the prevention of the negative consequences of bullying in American schools will be enhanced if researchers, practitioners, and policy makers develop a shared understanding of bullying as a type of school aggression that has unique effects on bullies, victims, and bystanders. It is also necessary to recognize that most youth do not engage in bullying behaviors. Many students are in a position in which they are more powerful than another student and yet they do not abuse this power. Research is needed to better understand what prevents a student from using this power to bully other peers. For research to move forward in determining why many students do not chronically victimize their weaker peers, it is necessary to understand the specific aggressive behaviors of bullies and the functions that they serve. Implications for Bully Prevention Strategies Suggested by Special Issue Articles Community Level †¢ Encourage the adoption of legislation that includes a precise definition of bullying derived from current research (Limber Small) †¢ Definitions of bullying, policy, and legislation should address bullying specifically, as a concept that is distinct from â€Å"harassment,† â€Å"hazing,† etc. (Espelage Swearer; Limber Small) School-wide Level †¢ Provide trainings for school personnel about bullying and preventing bullying (Limber Small) †¢ Extend training to include school personnel (including para-professionals and volunteers) who supervise students in the lunchroom and on the playground (Leff, Power, Costigan, Manz) †¢ Avoid zero tolerance or punitive consequences in favor of more individualized and guidance oriented responses to student bullies (Limber Small) †¢ Encourage schools to implement evidence-based bullying prevention and intervention programs (Limber Small; Orpinas, Home, Staniszewski) †¢ Include playground and lunchroom contexts as settings for actively assessing and intervening in bullying (Leff, Power, Costigan, Manz) †¢ Develop an awareness of the ways in which the school climate (in various school settings) promotes or discourages aggression and bullying (Left, Power, Costigan, Manz) †¢ Recognize varying forms of bullying including relational aggression (Espelage Swearer) †¢ Collaborate with all school personnel in developing programs, as their commitment will be integral to the program’s success (Orpinas, Home, Staniszewski) †¢ Develop school-wide prevention programs that take into account the individual school’s climate and context (Orpinas, Home, Staniszewski) Individual Student Level †¢ Recognize the varied social contexts in which bullying may occur and the social status of bullies (Rodkin Hodges) †¢ View bullying from a social-ecological perspective to provide a more enriched and comprehensive understanding of behaviors (Espelage Swearer) †¢ Work to determine the function (social and personal) that bullying weaker students serves for the bully (Rodkin Hodges) †¢ Be cognizant of possible bidirectional influences of family factors in promoting the victim role (Rodkin Hodges) †¢ Recognize that bullying is part of a dynamic developmental process that should not be taken out of the context of change over time (Long Pelligrini) †¢ Recognize that as students grow older the influence of opposite-sex peers and heterosexual relationships play an important role in social dominance, particularly for boys (Long Pelligrini) †¢ Recognize that bullies and victims are not dichotomous groups, rather there is a continuum of student involvement in bullying and victimization behaviors (Espelage Swearer) References California Governor’s School Violence Task Force. (2000). School violence prevention and response. Sacramento, CA: Author. Retrieved March 29, 2006, from http://www. ocjp. ca. gov/publications/pub%5fschlvio. htm Cornell, D. C. , Brockenbrough, K. (in press). Identification of bullies and victims: A comparison of methods. Journal of School Violence. Espelage, D. L. , Swearer, S. M. (2003). Research on school bullying and victimization: What have we learned and where do we need to go? School Psychology Review, 32, 365-383. Fein, R. , Vossekuil, B. , Pollack, W. , Borum, R. , Modzeleski, W. , Reddy, M. (2002). Threat assessment in schools: A guide to managing threatening situations and to creating safe school climates. U. S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program and U. S. Secret Service, National Threat Assessment Center, Washington, DC. Juvonen, J. , Graham, S. (Eds. ). (2001). Peer harassment in school: The plight of the vulnerable and victimized. New York: Guilford. Leff, S. , Power, T. , Costigan, T. , Manz, P. (2003). Assessing the climate of the playground and lunchroom: Complications for bullying prevention programming. School Psychology Review, 32, 418-430. Limber, S. , Small, M. (2003). Laws and policies to address bullying in U. S. schools. School Psychology Review, 32, 445-455. Long, J. D. , Pellegrini, A. D. (2003). Studying change in bullying and dominance with structural equation modeling. School Psychology Review, 32, 401-417. McGee, J. P. , Debernardo, C. R. (1999). The classroom avenger. The Forensic Examiner, 8, 5-6. Nansel, T. R. , Overpeck, M. , Pilla, R. S. , Ruan, W. J. , Simons-Morton, B. , Scheidt, P. (2001). Bullying behaviors among U. S. youth: Prevalence and association with psychosocial adjustment. Journal of the American Medical Association, 285, 2094-2100. National School Safety Crisis Center (2003). Report on school associated violent deaths. Retrieved March 29, 2006, from www. nsscl. org Olweus, D. (1993). Bullying at school: What we know and what we can do. Oxford: Blackwell. Olweus, D. (2001). Peer harassment: A critical analysis and some important issues. In J. Juvonen S. Graham (Eds. ), Peer harassment in school: The plight of the vulnerable and victimized (pp. 3-20). New York: Guilford. Orpinas, P. , Home, A. M. , Staniszewski, D. (2003). School bullying: Changing the problem by changing the school. School Psychology Review, 32, 431-444. O’Toole, M. E. (2000). The school shooter: A threat assessment perspective. Quantico, VA: National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime, Federal Bureau of Investigation. Reddy, M. , Borum, R. , Berglund, J. , Vossekuil, B. , Fein, R. A. , Modzeleski, W. (2001). Evaluating risk for targeted violence in schools: Comparing risk assessment, threat assessment, and other approaches. Psychology in the Schools, 38, 157-172. Rigby, K. (in press). What it takes to stop bullying in schools: An examination of the rationale and effectiveness of school-based interventions. In M. J. Furlong, M. P. Bates, D. C. Smith, P. Kingery (Eds. ), Appraisal and prediction of school violence: Methods, issues, and contexts. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers. Rodkin, P. , Hodges, E. (2003). Bullies and victims in the classroom ecology: Four questions for school ser vice providers and social development research. School Psychology Review, 32, 384-400. Smith, P. K. , Cowie, H. , Olafsson, R. E, Liefooghe, A. P. D. , Almeida, A. , Araki, H. , del Barrio, C. , Costabile, A. , Dekleva, B. , Houndoumadi, A. , Kim, K. , Olaffson, R. P. , Ortega, R. , Pain, J. , Pateraki, L. , Schafer, M. , Singer, M. , Smorti, A. , Toda, Y. , Tomasson, H. , Wenxin, Z. (2002). Definitions of bullying: A comparison of terms used, and age and gender differences, in a fourteen-country international comparison. Child Development, 73, 1119-1133. Solberg, M. E. , Olweus, D. (2003). Prevalence estimation of school bullying with the Olweus bul How to cite Bullying in School, Papers Bullying in School Free Essays Bullying should be a crime. It is very cruel and unethical. â€Å"Each day an estimated 160,000 students miss school for fear of being bullied and 10 percent of students who drop out do so because of repeated bullying† (Dalton 1). We will write a custom essay sample on Bullying in School or any similar topic only for you Order Now The way it makes children feel isn’t fair. Imagine that happening to yourself. Bullying in schools presents problems to every age group therefore there should be more bullying prevention programs to help get rid of the problem. Younger age Bullying is a topic that needs to be talked about. Younger age is defined from kindergarten to seventh grade. Children bully because they feel they need to overpower people. They also bully because they think they are better than others or some people just have a low self-esteem. When Younger kids bully it is normally name calling, teasing, or making fun of them by the way they look, speak, or even how smart they are! Older age bullying is another one of my topics. Older age bullying is defined from the grades of eighth to a senior in high school. People in the Older age group bully for mainly the same reasons. When older people normally bully, it is a lot more sever then younger age bullying. â€Å"Although most victims of bullying in schools are too meek to take matter into their own hands, a few of them can be pushed to certain critical limits. 60% of identified bullies during their grade 6-9 years eventually got involved in at least one criminal conviction by age 24. † Bullying in Schools (1). Older age bullying normally ends up violent and is a lot more severe then younger age bullying. They get into fights or harassment is filed, these are the main things that happen. People will take all of someones strength and will and harass or fight them just to make them feel better about themselves. This is bad because the children who are being bullied do not deserve what they are getting. Nobody deserves to be harassed and manipulated for no reason or any reason. Most of the time, the people that are being bullied, it isn’t their fault at all. Prevention is another area of concern. According to the online article, â€Å"Bullying Academy,† every school needs a anti-bully website for students, educators, and parents. This world needs to realize what is going on with bullying in schools and take action(1). Every school should have monitors of bullying throughout the halls and classrooms all day long. This is just one thing you could do to prevent bullying. There are many things that you could do, depending on what one your school board would like the most. Every city or town should take money from their funds and put it into schools and bullying prevention programs. According to the online article â€Å"Caring School Community,† â€Å"prevention focuses on strengthening students’ connectedness to school—an important element for increasing academic motivation and achievement and for reducing drug use, violence, and delinquency. † Every school should have a bullying prevention program, where parents and students could come and learn about bullying. These programs could also talk about how it affects people. They should give statistics about what people who bully end up doing in their lives and what people that don’t bully end up doing in their lives. I also think we are making important progress towards discovering how successful anti-bullying programs can be† (Dr. Ken 1). Bullying in schools is wrong and we should have more bullying prevention programs. My main point in writing this paper is to inform people that bullying is wrong. Also I wish that everyone be more aware about the situation, and donâ€℠¢t deny it because it is happening whether you would like to admit it or not. People need to stand up and take charge and make a change in peoples lives. People who are being bullied would love if you took a couple hours of your week just to help them get over the struggles in life. How to cite Bullying in School, Papers

Improving Nurses Compliance with Standard Precautions OfInfection

Question: Discuss about the Improving Nurses' Compliance with Standard Precautions Of Infection? Answer: The term psychosocial refers to the effect of one's social environment on mental health. The behaviour associated with agreement on rules for infection control and prevention depends on a person's ability to understand its importance and it is affected by the social perspective of how it can ensure the safety of those associated with the procedure. Unrealistic optimism is a cognitive bias that triggers a belief in a person that they are less likely to experience an infection as compared to other individuals. Brain imaging studies of the prefrontal cortex have shown that optimism bias that prompts an individual towards negative behaviour that there exists a selective failure regarding updates and reduced neural coding of information that is undesirable about a future outcome (Sharot, 2011). Behaviour that chooses risky options are therefore more likely to occur in individuals who process information available to them in a less rational manner. The extent which an individual can control the risk of contracting or spreading an infection depends on the health locus of control. An understanding of behavioural sciences may help reduce the spread of nosocomial infections by helping health workers to adhere to regulations regarding disinfection and procedures such as hand washing. Studies show that during patient care hospital associated infections occur due to cross-contamination that occurs due to non-adherence to safe practices. A study at a hospital in Birmingham found that compliance with infection control procedures was lower among doctors than nurses(Stein, 2003). Yet another study found that Universal Precautions taken by nurses in a Hong Kong hospital were inadequate. (Chan, 2002). Shaping cognitive determinants through social, behavioural corrections can be made through evaluation of health locus of control of healthcare professionals (Pittet, 2004). 1. Before I commenced my programme of education, washing hands, disposal of waste, and disinfecting surfaces was carried out as per the awareness of a lay person that I was taught at home. And I have to admit that the extent of cleanliness that I could adhere to as a child, I seldom adhered to all the rules at all times. My usual excuse was that I was always in a hurry. Having learnt about cross contamination and the dangers that non-adherence can expose a person and to those in one's care are well understood. The spread of multidrug- resistant bacterial infections and viruses such as HIV make me adhere to the rules at all times. There is a considerable difference in my understanding of infection control and the measures required. Earlier I lived and worked in settings that posed fewer risks as compared to a hospital where the risks are much higher and so is the need to adhere to practices that minimize infection risks. A study that evaluated found that the presence of peers increased compliance with hand washing. Out of a total of 47,694 opportunities of hand washing, when health workers were alone the compliance was 20.85% which increased to 27.90% in the presence of one or more peers. (Monsalve, 2014). Only training without behavioural inputs does not improve compliance among nurses (Whitby, 2006). A review of nurses' compliance with infection control found that it was 40% across several studies (Erasmus, 2011). Minimal handling and clustering of nursing procedures showed improvement in compliance in a neo-natal intensive care facility (Lam, 2004). According to the theory of reasoned action, an individual believes that compliance with a particular behaviour will lead to favourable outcomes and, therefore, there is an increased likelihood to perform the behaviour. In an experiment, it was found that when educational intervention was made, it led to differences in nurse compliance (Creedon, 2006). Educational and training interventions improved compliance of nurses with infection control procedures (Adly, 2014). It may not always be possible for me to adhere to standard procedures for infection control. But discussing the issue with peers, performing procedures without thinking, a necessity of performing procedures get reinforced with educational inputs. When there is a lack of time, I may try to use a hand rub, depending on the condition of patient contact and the length of patient contact. A lack of time as the main reason for non-compliance with steps required for infection control among health professionals. But the fact that it can expose patients and co-workers and the health worker to risks of hospital acquired infections which may be life-threatening or increase the duration of patient's stay in hospital means that no reason for non-compliance should be acceptable. In spite of work pressures and working in a time constrained manner safety precautions cannot be given a miss during procedures. Whether it is hand washing, surface disinfection of skin or hospital surfaces maximum commitment to adherence to good practices should be the objective of every health professional. Training programmes and educational content about exposure to risks due to non-compliance should be a regularly given. Discussions about the importance of compliance amongst health workers on a regular basis promote hand disinfection. Time flies but managing a given task in the available time is important. In particular, hospitals and community health centres have an added responsibility to work in the given time because we are dealing with human lives. Any shortfall in compliance is likely to cause human suffering either to ourselves or the patients. So the excuse of not having time is unreasonable. The responsibility of not allowing cross contamination lies with the health care worker. The risk of hospital-acquired infections can jeopardize the lives of patients, colleagues and visitors to the hospital. The biomedical model of medicine continues to be the dominant model in medical sciences. It follows the classical approach or the factor-analytic approach usually employed by the scientific community in the West. (Engel, 1980); (Domenech., 2011). Training based on just the biomedical model causes the establishment of beliefs and attitudes that are likely to be less effective for the patient's treatment. But when training includes a biopsychosocial model, the beliefs and attitudes of the healthcare professionals undergo a radical change(Engel, 1980). When adopting biomedical approach the health professionals are more likely to dehumanise the patient whereas a biopsychosocial approach, helps them to treat the patient as a person and include the physical, mental and social aspects of the patient's personality. As per the biomedical approach, only the body of the patient receives treatment, and the treatment remains rather non-holistic in kind. The adherence to practices of infection con trol are much better when using the biopsychosocial approach; there is a minimum risk of cross contamination and transfer of infectious agents. The patient's treatment gets personalised, and the thoughts, wishes, preferences of the patient receive attention from the staff. The levels of social and mental suffering of the patient get addressed. Patients receive treatment from physical and physiological perspectives. According to the biomedical model the patient's economic, social and psychological concerns need to be addressed (Elliot, 2009). Training in the biopsychosocial approach to infection control makes the health professional responsible towards the patient. It becomes necessary to take responsibility for one's health and adherence to the practices that cause minimal contamination and transfer of infectious agents from one surface to another gain paramount importance. When not following standard protocols, the professional knows that the health consequences for colleagues, patients and the society will be substantial. The patient may have more knowledge about infection control and may advise the healthcare worker to follow standards of precaution or remind about hand washing protocols. The case of a psychologist who stated, I have no need to wash my hands. I do not touch my clients - this appears to be a case of unrealistic optimism where the psychologist has a bias towards a practice and refuses to wash hands due to minimal contact with the patient. What the mental health professional has chosen to ignore is that the environment of the hospital has several points of contact other than the patient from where infection could spread. Door handles, washrooms, taps, furniture surfaces, and others. The belief that the practice of not washing hands is safe and does not pose a risk to oneself, or the patient is misguided. Even if something happens, there is little chance that anyone will find out and this encourages a callous attitude. An internal locus of control and person-centred approach will prompt the doctor to practice hand hygiene and promote it among peers. Scenario 2 - A practitioner who believes they only need to use hand gel to cleanse their hands for the whole of their working period. A psychosocial approach will help such a practitioner to practice the hand washing protocol and not depend entirely on using on a hand gel for cleansing because of the need to be a role model in the presence of junior colleagues and patients. Because the patient believes that you know what is best for prevention of infection and they may even imitate your behaviour. Because hand washing is the most basic component of preventing health care-associated infections, it is important to think rationally and avoid putting patients and oneself to risk (Mathur, 2011). Some suffer from dissonance based irrational belief that they are not at risk. A biopsychosocial approach would prompt the doctor to adopt a responsible and ethical approach to hand disinfection. Inability to follow standard procedures for infection control is one of the main reasons for the spread of nosocomial infections. I have observed several occasions when health care workers fail to adhere to practices for containing the spread of infections. The reasons for non- compliance are varied and many. On most occasions the reason cited is - lack of time. On many occasions there is the belief that even if something happens no one will ever find out. What people forget is that they are not immune to many of the pathogens that they are transferring through unsafe practices. They may be exposing their family and friends to risk. There are occasions when those working with patients are themselves suffering from an infectious illness, and they may come to the work place, exposing the patients to the danger of avoidable diseases. Vaccination of nurses with influenza vaccine has been adopted s a preventive strategy (Jackowska , 2015). But the fact that many doctors are responsible role models and set a standard for the health care staff to follow. Peers also affect the behaviour of colleagues. Compliance and adherence to standard norms for infection control are better when working in a group. Regular educational interventions play a role in helping to achieve compliance with standard procedures for infection control. These interventions could be in the form of lectures, pamphlets, posters and handouts. The sense of responsibility towards oneself, family, peers, patients and colleagues can help in increasing compliance and fight the menace of hospital acquired infections. An increased awareness in health and social care settings will lead to enhanced compliance with infection control. References Adly, R.M., Amin, F.M. Aziz, M.A.A.E., 2014. Improving Nurses' Compliance with Standard Precautions ofInfection Control in Pediatric Critical Care Units. World journal of nursing sciences, Volume 3, pp. 1-9. Chan, R. , Molasiottis, A., Eunice, C., Virene, C., Becky, H., Chit-ying, L., Frances, S., Pauling, L., Ivy, Y., 2002. Nurses knowledge of and compliance with universal precautions in an acute care hospital. International journal of nursing studies, 39(2), p. 157163. Creedon, S., 2006. Infection control: behavioural issues for healthcare workers. Clinical Governance: An International Journal, 11(4), pp. 316-325. Domenech., J., 2011. Impact of biomedical and biopsychosocial training sessions on the attitudes,beliefs, and recommendations of health care providers about low back pain:A randomised clinical tria. Pain, Volume 152, pp. 2557-2563. Elliot, P., 2009. Infection Control: A Psychosocial Approach to Changing Practice. s.l.:Radcliffe Publishing. Engel, G. L., 1980. The clinical application of the biopsychosocial model. The American journal of Psychiatry, 137(5), pp. 535-544. Erasmus, V. D. T. B. H. R. J. B. M., 2011. Systematic Review of Studies on Compliance with Hand Hygiene. Infection control and hospital epidemiology, Volume 31, pp. 283-294. Jackowska T, P. K., 2015. Prevention of nosocomial infections in the pediatric ward - own experiences. Developmental period medicine, 19(2), pp. 225-34.. Lam, B. L. J. . L. Y., 2004. Hand Hygiene Practices in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Multimodal Intervention and Impact on Nosocomial Infection. Paediatrics, 114(5). Mathur, P., 2011. Hand hygiene: Back to the basics of infection control. Indian Journal of Medical Research, 134(5), p. 611620.. Monsalve M.N., Pemmaraju, S.V., Thomas, G.W., Herman, T., Segre, A.M., Polgreen, E., 2014. Do peer effects improve hand hygiene adherence among healthcare workers?. Infection control and hospital epidemiology, 35(10), pp. 1277-85. Pittet, D., 2004. The Lowbury lecture: behaviour in infection control. Journal of Hospital Infection , Volume 58 , Issue 1 , 1 - 13, 58(1), pp. 1-13. Sharot, T., Korn, C.W. Dolan, R.J., 2011. Unrealistic optimism is cognitive bias that triggers a belief in a person that they are less likely to experience an infection as compared to other individuals.. Nature Neuroscience, Volume 14, p. 14751479. Stein, A.D., Makarawo, T.P. . Ahmed, M.F.R., 2003. A survey of doctors' and nurses' knowledge, attitudes and compliance with infection control guidelines in Birmingham teaching hospitals. Journal of hospital infection, 54(1), p. 6873. Whitby, M. M., McLaws, M.-. L. . Ross, M.W., 2006. Why Healthcare Workers Dont Wash Their Hands:A Behavioral Explanation. infection control and hospital epidemiology, 27(5), pp. 484-492.