Application project 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Application venture 1 - Essay Example Publicizing really can assist them with choosing the best thing. How else you would realize what toothpaste to pick. Do you have sufficient opportunity and cash to attempt all the items? In addition, new items show up day by day, and the errand of promotion is to educate purchasers regarding these progressions and enhancements. That is the reason promoting causes you to purchase precisely what you need. Speaker 1: Or it encourages you to purchase what you didn't require at all and, in addition, couldn't bear, yet promotion made you get it! That is the thing that I am discussing. Before Apple appearance no one idea that phones can be a piece of picture, and no one would accept that a student can set aside cash for snacks to purchase IPhone in light of the fact that she accepts that it will make her look at cooler without flinching of her friends. Also, that is because of publicizing which doesn't educate yet convinces purchasers with mental instruments. That is industrialism, when individuals quit picking deliberately yet get affected by the intensity of brand which is made with the assistance of notice. Speaker 2: Look, advertise has showed up when the human advancement showed up. Before Internet and TV period individuals were selling their items with the assistance of brilliant signs which were subbed by TV and Internet ads. It is a straightforward advancement. What's more, by and by individuals purchased the items which spoke to them most and were applicable to their comprehension of value. The young lady with IPhone watches the remainder of the phones' advertisements, and has a free decision which one to purchase. It is only that Apple sells results of high caliber that are somewhat costly for understudies, yet the relationship among quality and cost is completely ordinary. Speaker 1: I comprehend your point, however indeed before splendid ads individuals didn't understand what number of things they need! Have you seen these advertisements of beauty care products, dresses, devices with youthful and exquisite models? Promoting makes individuals feel that

Gentrifications Impact on Homelessness - Free Essay Example

On average, about half a million people will spend tonight without a place to call home. There are myriad reasons, varying from individual to individual, but perhaps the most frustrating reason for an already established family to be uprooted from their home is gentrification. Gentrification, as defined by Merriam-Webster as, the process of repairing and rebuilding homes and businesses in a deteriorating area accompanied by an influx of middle-class or affluent people and that often results in the displacement of earlier, usually poorer residents.14 Many of these residents are only barely able to eke out a living in these lower-class neighborhoods; when they are kicked out either by landlords or unsustainably high costs of living, they will most likely require longer than most to get their assets in order, resulting in a prolonged period of homelessness.. This accidental targeting of lower class individuals is something people seldom consider when moving into a newly renovated neighborhood. Homelessness is essentially a housing issue, so it is safe to say that as housing prices increase, so does the homeless population. However, there are actions to be taken to help those in need: various types of federal housing programs specifically designed to aid struggling families financially and physically. Gentrification can be defined as the process of refining and revamping a district so it conforms to middle-class taste. As gentrification causes real estate market to increase prices on housing, the numbers in the homeless population incrementally escalates. Households that are below the median income are often at risk for not being able to afford housing. One of the causes for increases in housing prices is the Starbucks Effect. A real estate research group called Zillow found that between 1997 and 2014, homes within a quarter mile of a Starbucks increased in value by 96 percent, on average.1 Julie Lerch, a woman mentioned in the website, can confirm the Starbucks effect. A little over a year after she moved into her condo in Chicago, a Starbucks opened approximately 1-2 blocks away from her. Three years later, she sold her 2-bedroom condo for $100,000, which is 53 percent more than what she paid for.1 Across the metro areas, cities such as Chicago, Boston, Washington, and Philadelphia, homes near a Starbucks are generally more preferential than homes without. In Chicago, the median value of homes near Starbucks rose 59 percent.2 In an excerpt from the book Zillow Talk, CEO Spencer Rascoff and Chief Economist Stan Humphries came to the conclusion that: In Boston, the median value of all homes in 1997 was $155,600, and that increased b y December 2013 to $351,100, an increase of 125.6 percent. Boston homes within a quarter mile of a Starbucks in January 1997 were valued at a median of $175,930. In December 2013, their median value was $476,778 a 171 percent increase.3 From the quote above, we can see that Starbucks has made its mark in Boston. Another popular coffee chain is Dunkin Donuts. As Dunkin Donuts are being built near homes, their price value increases but not as high as Starbucks. Shwartz4 In the graph above, we see that with the placement of Dunkin Donuts in certain areas, the cost in housing does increase. However, with Starbucks, the housing prices differ up to 50K which could be a detrimental difference when owning a home. The affordability and availability of the general housing market correlates with homelessness. The costs of living increases while household salaries remain the same. In a research conducted by the University of Utah, they saw that the housing affordability in Utah, over the long term, is threatened due to the difference in increases between housing prices and household income. From the study, they found that the annual rate of increase in housing prices 3.32% versus the annual rate of increase in household income which is only 0.36%7. To alleviate the pressures and fears of losing a home and ensure the preservation of housing affordability, existing affordable housing units should be protected. The nation loses more than 400,000 affordable housing units every year due to disinvestment and disrepair4. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs goal is to provide financial aid for supportive housing for low-income families. A branch within this program is called Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD). RADs primary purpose is to give public housing agencies a tool to protect and improve public housing properties. By doing this, RADs aim is to preserve these limited public housing units by converting them to other federal based housing assistance, an example would be project based vouchers15. As of October 2015, more than $2.5 billion of external funding has been raised for about 19,000 units.8 Four major programs that account for almost all of the federal spending on affordable housing assistance for people with low incomes are: Tenant-Based Assistance (TBRA), Project-Based Rental Assistance (synonymous for Project-Based Section 8), operating funds, and capital funds. Through this, the programs set a limit that allows tenants to pay no more than 30 percent of their income towards their rent. Together, all four programs stipulate affordable housing for more than 5 million people in over 2 million households16. A challenge that is faced when preserving affordable housing units can be seen in California. In order to address housing needs, California must be able to plan for the continuous building of housing developments. Unstable subsidy can make it difficult when planning for new, affordable housing development over time. It also makes it difficult to narrow down construc tion, fees, and program requirements18. In the figure below, we see that the decline in federal HOME and Community Development Block Grant funding to California between 2003 and 2015. In general, funding levels for federal housing programs have slowly decreased over the years. Several families endure additional challenges besides the affordability of available homes. For example, people who leaving homelessness might not have a sufficient credit score that is required to rent a home or apartment. Even with the Housing Choice Vouchers that aid with rent, it is still difficult for many households to find affordable homes. On a more positive note, a more recent action that took place in San Diego in efforts to preserve and create more affordable housing units. At the beginning of September 2018, San Diegos Housing Commission announced that they will administer up to $50 million to build and preserve affordable housing and rental units. Los Angeles County also has leveraged $1.7 billion in public and private funds towards the construction and preservation of 3.362 affordable apartments over the last five years19. Two-thirds of those apartments are reserved for persons that are dealing with homelessness, mental illness, and physical disabilities. According to a report by the County Chief Executive Office and the Community Development Commission/Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles has helped house over 21,000 households though the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program19. In the time frame of 2017-2018, a total of 29,081 families have been assisted with housing matters through the County Chief Executive Office and the Community Development Commission/Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles. An additional approach to fight against the negatives of gentrification was a program that was established specifically for homelessness is rapid re-housing. Rapid re-housing is an intervention that helps individuals and families experiencing homelessness to return to permanent homes as quickly as possible. Rapid re-housing was developed by local service providers attempting to address a specific problem in their communities: homelessness13. These providers saw that there were many families either in temporary housing si tuations or just homeless due to the lack of housing affordability. This is done through housing identification, and move-in assistance, and case management.10 Housing identification is the process when households are matched to their appropriate and affordable housing. Move-in assistance is a time-limited financial support that is provided to help individuals and families get back on their feet. Case management services are provided to help the families and individuals understand the barriers of homelessness and how they can prevent it. For example, these services include addressing credit history and lease agreements etc. After they receive housing, these services also provide knowledge in other amenities such as public benefits, employment, and health care etc. A study called the Family Options Study found that the average program cost for rapid re-housing was approximately $6,578, rather than $16,829 for an emergency shelter10. In 2014, 29,506 beds, funded from multiple sources, was obligated to rapid re-housing for families across the country13. This represented about 8 percent of beds for homeless families which increased from 2013 which was 5 percent, represented in the graph below. An additional benefit from rapid re-housing is that it has lower barriers to entry rather than other housing programs such as project-based transitional housing. For example, only 10 percent of families reviewed for rapid re-housing were unable to gain it while 17 percent of families reviewed for project-based transitional housing were unable to gain housing13. An evaluation was conducted by HUDs to see the statistics of families that entered rapid re-housing. Of the 23 sites that received funding for rapid re-housing: Over one-fifth (22 percent) exit in fewer than 30 days, 11 percent exit in 31 to 60 days, 34 percent exit in 61 to 180 days, 22 percent exit in 181 to 365 days, and 9 percent exit in 366 to 547 days (HUD 2013b). 13 Nation-wide, about 82 percent of families who entered rapid re-housing exited successfully into permanent housing (from summary report on year two of HPRP (HUD 2013b). Several studies of this found that the rates of these individuals and families returning back to becoming homeless are low. Although the rates are low, most families that leave rapid re-housing, about 76 percent, move to another home at least once13. There were also families that faced challenges after exiting the program. In all, 70 percent worried about food security, 57 percent struggled with money for rent, 14 percent had a child expelled or susp ended from school within the last year, and 17 percent reported deteriorating health (Oliva 2014; Spellman 2015).13 Despite the statistics above, the rates of individuals that go back to becoming homeless are lower than the years before. Although gentrification is seen as a positive action on neighborhoods among the upper-middle class, it has a negative effect on the lower-class individuals and families. By pushing out these lower-class individuals to build more fancy buildings that fit the upper-middle classs standards and aesthetics, it leaves the lower-class individuals homeless in the dust. Homelessness is the mere product of economic and societal policy choices. This accidental targeting of lower-class individuals makes it hard for them to find affordable housing. A possible solution that was previously mentioned were the various types of housing programs specifically designed to aid homeless families financially and physically by giving a temporary home and then placing them into permanent homes after. These programs are specifically designed to help individuals that have been removed from their homes get back on feet. Data from the rapid re-housing program has shown that it reduces returns to homelessness. According to the Annual Homeless Assessment Reports of 2017, it seems that these federal housing programs helped in the decrease of the homeless population. Homeless families with children had decreased by 5.4 percent throughout the nation since 2016. The report also found that 553,742 people experienced homelessness in the United States which is only a 0.7 increas e since 2016 and a 13.1 percent decrease since 201012. Thirty states have reported decreases in homelessness between 2016 and 2017. Works Cited Markets Where Starbucks Boosts Home Values the Most. Mortgage Learning Center, 28 Oct. 2016, www.zillow.com/blog/starbucks-home-values-170734/. Anderson, Jamie. Starbucks: Inspiring and Nurturing the Human Spirit by Caffeinating Home Values. Mortgage Learning Center, 3 May 2016, www.zillow.com/research/starbucks-home-value-appreciation-8912/. Cappadona, Bryanna. Zillows Starbucks Effect Has Venti-Sized Holes. Boston Magazine, Boston Magazine, 12 Mar. 2015, www.bostonmagazine.com/property/2015/03/12/starbucks-effect-zillow-boston/. Schwartz, Elaine. How the Starbucks Effect Relates to Housing Prices. Econlife, 12 Sept. 2018, econlife.com/2018/09/housing-price-starbucks-effect/. https://gardner.utah.edu/wp-content/uploads/HousingBrief.pdf https://www.nationalhomeless.org/publications/facts/Federal.pdf https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/Insights-Ensuring-Equitable-Growth.pdf https://www.usich.gov/resources/uploads/asset_library/evidence-behind-approaches-that-end-homelessness.pdf https://www.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/2017-AHAR-Part-1.pdf https://www.hud.gov/press/press_releases_media_advisories/2017/HUDNo_17-109 https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/54201/2000265-Rapid-Re-housing-What-the-Research-Says.pdf https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gentrification 15. https://www.nlchp.org/ProtectTenants2018 Â  https://endhomelessness.org/ending-homelessness/policy/affordable-housing/ https://www.sdhc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/SDHC-50-Million-to-Create-and-Preserve-Affordable-Housing.pdf 18. https://www.hcd.ca.gov/policy-research/plans-reports/docs/Californias-Housing-Future-Main-Document-Draft.pdf

Zirconium Facts (Atomic Number 40 or Zr)

Zirconium is a gray metal that has the distinction of being the last element symbol, alphabetically, of the periodic table. This element finds use in alloys, particularly for nuclear applications. Here are more zirconium element facts: ZirconiumBasic Facts Atomic Number: 40 Symbol: Zr Atomic Weight: 91.224 Discovery: Martin Klaproth 1789 (Germany); zircon mineral is mentioned in biblical texts. Electron Configuration: [Kr] 4d2 5s2 Word Origin: Named for the mineral zircon. Persian zargun: gold-like, which describes the color of the gemstone known as zircon, jargon, hyacinth, jacinth, or ligure. Isotopes: Natural zirconium consists of 5 isotopes; 28 additional isotopes have been characterized. The most common natural isotope is 90Zr, which accounts for 51.45 percent of the element. Of the radioisotopes, 93Zr has the longest half-life, which is 1.53x106 years. Properties: Zirconium is a lustrous grayish-white metal. The pure element is malleable and ductile, but the metal becomes hard and brittle when it contains impurities. Zirconium resists corrosion from acids, alkalis, water, and salt, but it does dissolve in hydrochloric or sulfuric aicd. Finely-divided metal may ignite spontaneously in air, especially at elevated temperatures, but the solid metal is relatively stable. Hafnium is found in zirconium ores and is difficult to separate from zirconium. Commercial-grade zirconium contains from 1% to 3% hafnium. Reactor-grade zirconium is essentially free of hafnium. Uses: Zircaloy(R) is an important alloy for nuclear applications. Zirconium has a low absorption cross section for neutrons, and is therefore used for nuclear energy applications, such as for cladding fuel elements. Zirconium is exceptionally resistant to corrosion by seawater and many common acids and alkalis, so it is used extensively by the chemical industry where corrosive agents are employed. Zirconium is used as an alloying agent in steel, a getter in vacuum tubes, and as a component in surgical appliances, photoflash bulbs, explosive primers, rayon spinnerets, lamp filaments, etc. Zirconium carbonate is used in poison ivy lotions to combine with urushiol. Zirconium alloyed with zinc becomes magnetic at temperatures below 35 °K. Zirconium with niobium is used to make low temperature superconductive magnets. Zirconium oxide (zircon) has a high index of refraction and is used as a gemstone. The impure oxide, zirconia, is used for laboratory crucibles that will withstand heat sh ock, for furnace linings, and by the glass and ceramic industries as a refractory material. Occurrence: Zirconium does not exist as a free element, primarily due to its reactivity with water. The metal has a concentration of around 130 mg/kg in the Earths crust and 0.026 ÃŽ ¼g/L  in sea water. Zirconium is found in S-type stars, the Sun, and meteorites. Lunar rocks contain a zirconium oxide concentration comparable to that of terrestrial rocks. The primary commercial source of zirconium is the silicate mineral zircon (ZrSiO4), which occurs in Brazil, Australia, Russia, South Africa, India, the United States, and in smaller amounts elsewhere in the world. Health Effects: The average human body contains about 250 milligrams of zirconium, but the element serves no known biological function. Dietary sources of zirconium include whole wheat, brown rice, spinach, eggs, and beef. Zirconium is found in antiperspirants and water purification systems. Its use as a carbonate to treat poison ivy has been discontinued because some people experienced skin reactions. While zirconium exposure is generally considered safe, exposure to the metal powder can cause skin irritation. The element is not considered to be either genotoxic or carcinogenic. Crystal Structure: Zirconium has an alpha phase and a beta phase. At room temperature, the atoms form close-packed hexagonal ÃŽ ±-Zr. At 863  Ã‚ °C, the structure transitions to body-centered ÃŽ ²-Zr. Zirconium Physical Data Element Classification: Transition Metal Density (g/cc): 6.506 Melting Point (K): 2125 Boiling Point (K): 4650 Appearance: grayish-white, lustrous, corrosion-resistant metal Atomic Radius (pm): 160 Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 14.1 Covalent Radius (pm): 145 Ionic Radius: 79 (4e) Specific Heat (20 °C J/g mol): 0.281 Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 19.2 Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 567 Debye Temperature (K): 250.00 Pauling Negativity Number: 1.33 First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 659.7 Oxidation States: 4 Lattice Structure: Hexagonal Lattice Constant (Ã…): 3.230 Lattice C/A Ratio: 1.593 References Emsley, John (2001). Natures Building Blocks. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 506–510. ISBN 0-19-850341-5.Lide, David R., ed. (2007–2008). Zirconium. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. 4. New York: CRC Press. p. 42. ISBN 978-0-8493-0488-0.Meija, J.; et al. (2016). Atomic weights of the elements 2013 (IUPAC Technical Report). Pure and Applied Chemistry. 88 (3): 265–91. doi:10.1515/pac-2015-0305 Return to the Periodic Table

William Armitage And Robert Browning s The Clown Punk And...

Explore the ways writers present strong feelings and/or feelings Both Simon Armitage and Robert Browning who wrote â€Å" The clown punk† and â€Å"The last Duchess use form and structure to communicate â€Å"a voice†. sentiment dramatic monologue form feeling of murder, mystery, jealousy naive nature of the duchess many features range The poem Ozymandias written by Percy Shelley is about the narrator who meets a person that tells him about a story on what he saw. Ozymandias shows the nature of power of corruption over time. It is deeply ironic that the statue that is mentioned in the poem, of ozymandias, is broken and is in ruins. It is ironic because when Ozymandias was alive he thought he was powerful and untouchable . He thought he was the â€Å"king of kings†. This quote shows how Ozymandias thought of himself showing how pride has gone to his head . and he thought that he was better than all the kings, his attitude was very arrogant and conceited . Percy Shelley writes this poem in the form of a sonnet, typically written about love. He manipulates the poem to make it his own and fit in with the content. If the reader reads out the poem, they will pick up on the loose use of iambic pentameter. Half rhyme and assonance is also used which ruins the flow and makes the poem sound fractured. The poem has a very irregular pattern in which it mimics the decay by eventually altering the original rhyming pattern till it disappears with odd pattern. â€Å"Half sunk , a shatter’d visage lies† Only

The Value Profile of Bulgarians According to Hall and Hofstede Essay Sample free essay sample

When we talk about intercultural communicating. we consider civilization as a set of beliefs. moralss and values that determine the behaviour of states. Edward T. Hall divided civilizations harmonizing to their ways of pass oning. into high-context and low-context civilizations. Low-context civilizations are civilizations. which need expressed verbal words and information. in order to to the full understand the message. On the other manus a high-context civilization is a civilization where there is a batch of information environing the explicit verbal message. Peoples from a high context civilizations. and Bulgarians are one of them. frequently send more information implicitly. hold a wider web of household. friends. co-workers. clients and are maintaining themselves up to day of the month with the people of import to them. and therefore be given to remain good informed on many topics. How we use clip is one of the most indifferent and certain ways to specify cultural differences har monizing to Hall. We will write a custom essay sample on The Value Profile of Bulgarians According to Hall and Hofstede Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Societies perceive and usage clip otherwise. doing struggles when spouses lack understanding of their cultural differences. Americans. defined as monochronic. pay attending to one thing at a clip. position clip linearly. and agenda and value clip otherwise than make polychronic people. They require more information. adhere to a program of action. and stress promptitude. Conversely. polychronic people. such as Bulgarians. are more time-flexible. execute many undertakings at one time. alteration programs frequently and easy. be given to construct lifetime relationships. and basal promptitude on relationships. When it comes to mensurating cultural differences. there is one individual who admiration a immense research and theoretical parts. His name is Geert Hofstede. He found that differences in values between civilizations could be reduced to four basic values. He calls them dimensions. The four cultural dimensions are: power distance. which has to make with the credence of a hierarchal or unequal power construction. Uncertainty turning away implies how civilizations deal with uncertainnesss of mundane life. Individualism indicates. whether the people perceive themselves as independent or collectivized. Masculinity/ Femininity signifies. whether the dominant values in society are achievement and success or caring for others and quality of life. If we explore the Bulgarian civilization with the aid of Hofstede theoretical account. we can acquire a good overview of the deep drivers of the Bulgarian civilization relation to other universe civilizations. Peoples in Bulgaria accept a hierarchal order in which everybody has a topographic point and which needs no farther justification. Hierarchy in an organisation is seen as reflecting built-in inequalities. centralisation is popular. subsidiaries expect to be told what to make and the ideal foreman is a benevolent tyrant. Bulgaria is more collectivized than individualist and in procedure to go more feminine than masculine. Bulgaria has a really high pe nchant for avoiding uncertainness. Countries exhibiting high uncertainness avoidence maintain stiff codifications of belief and behavior and are intolerant of irregular behavior and thoughts. In these civilizations there is an emotional demand for regulations. clip is money. people have an interior impulse to be busy and work hard. preciseness and promptness are the norm. invention may be resisted. security is an of import component in single motive.

Music for the Mind Analysis and Response Essay Example

Music for the Mind Analysis and Response Essay Music for the Mind The purpose of this essay was to inform and explain to individuals all of the several ways for people to enjoy music as well as to explicate that the readers should strive for a more active type of listening. It showed the impact music can have on the lives of people. Aaron Copland said that even â€Å"One note is enough to change the atmosphere of the room† (599). This essay was written for just about everybody, with hearing of course, because most everyone listens to music. Even for the few that do not listen to music often, this could perhaps persuade them to listen to music . This was presented in a creative essay type format. The different types of music and conclusion of this essay are examples of evidence to support the purpose. Copland mentioned â€Å"We all listen to music on three separate planes†¦ (1) the sensuous plane, (2) the expressive plane, (3) the sheerly musical plane† (599). Copland also says that the reader should strive for a more active kind of listening regardless of what type of music you listen to (603). However, the author also mentioned that many people who would normally consider themselves qualified music lovers abuse the first plane when listening. This author effectively uses these appeals very effectively with logic. This author used a more objective type of language in his essay. The evidence in this essay supports the claims through practices people experience while listening, writing, or performing music. The evidence covers the perspectives associated with the 3 planes, but nothing else. I felt this article was very well written. I enjoyed the essay, as I was engaged during it. Anyone who listens or performs music can very easily relate to this essay and become engaged into it. The organization of this essay also helps people to be absorbed by this essay. We will write a custom essay sample on Music for the Mind Analysis and Response specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Music for the Mind Analysis and Response specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Music for the Mind Analysis and Response specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The language throughout this article is not too formal, but not terribly informal. It was the perfect median in which you could read through and easily relate to the essay. Copland was very descriptive throughout this essay. I agree with this essay. This essay very much allows you to think and appreciate music in a way that you may have never thought about before. Personally, as a musician, I occasionally tend to listen to music in the third, musicality plane. I enjoy listening to the small details in songs and pieces of music. Without the small details in songs, they would not sound as aptivating as they are. However, I did not realize I was listening to music in this third plane until I read this article. I agree with the author when he claims that some people abuse the sensuality plane of listening by going to concerts in order to lose themselves. These individuals use music as a consolation of an escape. They enter a world where one does not have to think about reality. Of course , these individuals are not even thinking about the music. Instead, they dream because of and incidentally of the music yet never quite listening to it (599). I can relate to the author when he begins to talk about the second plane, the expressive plane. All music does have expressive power. Of course, some music will have much more than others, behind all of the notes, lyrics, is what the music is all about. Copland states that there is a meaning to music, however he cannot state that meaning. I agree because all music is going to have different meanings. A lack in appreciation of music sometimes disables one’s ability to connect with the music. The third plane, the sheerly musical plane, also relates to me. While taking music theory I and II in high school, we were told to compose our own songs, which allowed me to understand how the sheerly music plane works much better. Many listeners are not aware of this third plane when they are enjoying their music. Sometimes, I will stop and think about how the notes are put together, and try to guess the intervals between notes. Aside from the physical notes, other parts of the sheer musicality are rhythm, dynamics, scales, and much more. It is important to become more alive to music on its musical plane. This essay was the most enjoyable to read because of how well I was able to connect to it with a past comprised so much of music. Before reading this article, I did not quite think about all of the different planes of listening to music and how they all correlate to each other. I found myself, after reading this article, able to connect with each and every plane of music that Copland mentioned. I, of course, will often listen to music and enjoy it in the sensuous plane. I also can look at music from a composer’s point of because I have written and recorded my own song. However, along with this, I agree with the author in which many performers do not get into the music entirely because they are too worried about the notes and rhythms, they seem to forget what the song is all about. Finally, I can also relate to the third plane because I have a past with music and I can pick out certain notes, rhythms, and details in songs that add so much detail to the song. Overall, I believe Copland did an outstanding job in the writing of this essay. Works Cited Copland, Aaron. The Norton Reader. New York: W. W. Norton Company, 2012. Print.

Reflective Essay on Learning Disabilities †Psychological Well-being The WritePass Journal

Reflective Essay on Learning Disabilities – Psychological Well-being Background Reflective Essay on Learning Disabilities – Psychological Well-being ) emphasised that it is important to do mental notes when doing an assessment since this would provide some clue as to how the person is feeling. Hence, one must look at the appearance, behaviour, speech, emotional state, and thinking of the person being assessed. However, looking into these areas is not enough since misinterpretation or erroneous assumptions may take place. Rather, it is necessary to take into account the context, setting, social norms, and beliefs for the individual being assessed (Pender, Murdaugh, and Parsons 2006). Needs-led assessment will allow the nurse to place more emphasis on finding solutions (Coffey and Hannigan 2003). 2. Risk Assessment A significant role is played by risk assessment and management in the practice of mental health nurses and multi-disciplinary teams. These risks include threat/danger to others as well as self-harm, amongst others. Despite the presence of risks however, a balance must be considered between the needs of each individual service user (client) and people’s safety and protection. A further emphasis is placed on paucity of information and lack of knowledge about such risks, thereby leading to ‘clinical gambling’ that can further result in mishaps (Cordall 2009). It is necessary to provide focus on improved consistency in applying risk assessment and management strategies, considering their central role in the practice of mental health. Admittedly, risk assessment and management went through certain developments, including the area/s to be understood about risk assessment; its clarity and what must be assessed; strategy developments in nursing risk; proposals; and leaned enquiry-based lessons. Hence, risk language must be standardised and simplified, which requires improving clarity in the vital roles of the concept (Cordall 2009). When one speaks of risk assessment in mental health services, he/she deals with the broader possibility (risk) of an event or behaviour (outcome). The outcome is the principal area of interest since it is commonly connected to an extent of severity, which could be associated with the indications of dangerousness/illness. Important regard is given to the impact of such severity because both a high outcome risk with low impact and a low outcome risk with high impact can take place (Kettles and Woods 2009). A useful way to consider the manner through which events take place is much the same as researchers’ predictive ability to test a number of risk assessments, which is also a useful way to evaluate the success of outcomes. Contingency tables allow an examination of correct predictions and error rates, and are hence an excellent means to present these results. On the other hand, the severity of behaviour refers to the level of intensity of risk occurring, and may be classified as mild, moderate, or severe (Kettles and Woods 2009). Clinical practice in a range of settings involves the core feature of violence risk assessment. The focus on risk to others in the mental nursing health practice is that ignoring or failing to acknowledge it can leave medical personnel unprepared and a lack of preparation results in situations where less willingness to work with aggressive and violent patients might be felt by clinical staff. Moreover, as there is a widely-held awareness of the relatio nship between mental illness and violence, an increasing basis of risk assessments will be taking place in clinical, correctional, and legal settings (Woods, 2009). On the other hand, risk to self, which may include suicidal behaviour, physical and social self-neglect, and vulnerability to risk from others, must also be considered. Worthy of note here are the biologic theories of suicide, which look into the link between physical illness, increased risk, and neuro-biological factors of suicide (Murray and Upshall 2009). 3.Case Study The Purpose of Assessment and its Potential Impact for Promoting Inclusion The person who is the focus of this case study is an epileptic patient named Janet. She is 48 years old, very fragile (small and short), and is within the care facility because her medication was not acting on her. She was admitted for her best interest. Janet was admitted to the mental health hospital due to her episodes of self-harming, which is a risk to herself and to other service users (other patients).   Janet is on different psychotic tablets and mood stabilizers; she is unable to sleep despite having been prescribed with sleeping tablets. Her behaviour is very challenging: she bites, screams all day, and is out of control. She came to the hospital to be observed and to allow personnel to research on a suitable drug that could work for her. She came to the ward setting via a referral from both her General Practitioner (GP) and her Psychiatric consultant. In the ward, she was placed on a close observation at Level 3. She was also assessed by the speech and language therapist as well as the behavioural therapist because of her difficulty to swallow. Her mental health is very unstable and she is unable to communicate verbally. However, she uses and understands gestures. She only makes sounds, noises, and screams as a way to co mmunicate. She likes pulling and grabbing, and loves her meal, especially her cups of tea. Janet came from a low-income British family, never married, and never had children due to her apparent condition. She is second amongst four children and still has both of her parents. The above narrative shows an investigation of a patient with a mental and learning disability problem, who was admitted to a mental health setting expecting treatment. It is apparent that an assessment was done on the patient before any clinical personnel would have carried out a specific intervention procedure. The above has not only related the nature of the patient’s illness but also presented other information that may be gathered in order to conduct an accurate assessment that will aid a precise diagnosis. The diagnosis of learning disabilities/mental disorders requires assessment as the initial step, which was evidently carried out on Janet. Mental health assessment is conducted visvis a full clinical assessment, which is a systematic evaluation of the psychological, biological, and social factor of a person who is presented with a potential psychological disorder. Assessment begins with a process wherein a curative alliance occurs between the client and the mental health personnel, thereby forming the basis of a care plan. Empathy and compassion are necessarily involved in the process in order to support the development of trust between the client and the mental health personnel forming an alliance (Elder et al. 2013; Kettles and Collins 2002). The clinical personnel in charge of Janet were empathetic and compassionate of her condition. The health personnel took extra care to understand the client in crisis, taking into account her associated fear and distress level, especially if he r prior service experience had been difficult and/or if she underwent compulsory treatment. The mental health nurse took the major role in the performance of an accurate and ongoing assessment on Janet. Assessment may be generally described as a complicated process since the diagnosis it performs ascertains the treatment for the client. The client’s needs and strengths are gauged by thorough assessment. It must be noted that assessment seldom includes one function; patients might be assessed to determine who they are, to describe and appraise particular problems of living as well as personal and social resources. All of these are embodied in a global assessment. Through assessment, the mental health nurse was able to obtain some understanding of the significance of Janet’s condition and problems (Elder et al. 2013; Morrison-Valfre 2013). The mental health nurse engaged in Janet’s condition acknowledged the different systems and levels of care for the person-in-care and ensured that she received treatment with dignity and respect so as to enable her to go back eventually to the highest possible level of self-care (Griffin, 2012). All patients must be treated with dignity and respect, giving careful considerations to the manner of communication with them (Hindle, Coates, and Kingston 2011). Thus, being aware of Janet’s systems and levels of care visvis her condition allowed the mental health nurse and care specialists to determine her treatment and receive it with respect and dignity. Types of assessment may be classified as global, focused, and ongoing.   Global assessment enables the provision of baseline data, such as the client’s health history and current needs assessment. Focused assessment, on the other hand, has a limited scope in its aim to focus on a specific need or potential risk.   Ongoing assessment pertains to systematic monitoring and observation related to certain problems (Elder et al. 2013).   The case study adopts a global assessment. Prior to assessing the service user being referred to in crisis, it is necessary to find out if she experienced mental health services and consulted their crisis plan. It is also important to enquire of her preference for a male or female care professional to carry out the assessment. In this case, Janet’s family specified female care professionals. Moreover, crisis assessment needs to clarify the information and its potential outcomes, addressing the client’s individual needs. Assessment for mental health must involve the client’s relationships, social and economic circumstances, behaviour, symptoms, diagnosis, and current treatment (NHS 2011). It is evident that amongst these concerns, the assessment made on Janet was focused most on her behaviour, symptoms, diagnosis, and current treatment. Her family history, social and economic circumstances, and the like, were also mentioned in the assessment. It must be recognised that assessments and diagnoses performed must be evidence-based and need the use of accepted methods. Assessments are carried out by suitably qualified staff with training and experience to assess mental health problems, and where possible, in the client’s preferred setting, with respect to the safety of all concerned. Collecting information about the person can be performed by the person himself/herself, or by other people who have prior observation of the person’s behaviour, such as family or carers. In this regard, it was the latter which was applied to Janet due also to her inability to communicate effectively. What the mental health nurse needs to know about the patient determines how he/she gathers the information. Knowing about what the person feels or thinks necessitates asking him directly in order to gather the needed information. Hence, the mental health personnel oftentimes asked Janet about what she thought or felt about certain things , people, or food. If the mental health nurse needed to know the manner in which Janet might behave in certain circumstances, Janet must be asked to reflect on her behaviour, or someone may be asked to observe Janet’s behaviour, or both. Further, it is essential to understand the lived experiences of both Janet and her carers in the assessment. Necessary information for understanding such lived experience involves Janet’s or the carer’s manner of interpreting what is taking place with Janet besides knowledge about her life, including her interests, personality characteristics, social resources, and personal circumstances. Janet’s family was involved in the treatment in the earliest possible way because of their in-depth information about how the symptoms of mental illness have developed, including their knowledge of the social and emotional environments contributing to the flourishing of such symptoms in Janet. Interviews, diaries/personal records, questi onnaires, and direct observations are the major assessment methods that can be performed to obtain the needed information for the assessment (Wilkinson and Treas 2011).   In Janet’s assessment, relevant information was collected through interviews, direct observations, and a referral from her GP and her psychiatric consultant. Interviews were performed with her family members and carers who observed her behaviour.   Models of Assessment and How They Impact on Inclusive, Responsive and Responsible Practice The new model of care is exemplified by new care practices whereby best practices as advanced by research evidence present the new model of care (Kleinpell 2013).   According to Freeman (2005), a biopsychosocial assessment of the patient is considered in an effective intervention, with a recommendation of a multi-method and multi-modal format. Moreover, these domains of information are used for assessment: biological, affective, behavioural, and cognitive domains, alongside the units of assessment, including the patient, his family, the health care process, and the socio-cultural setting in which the patient exists. The mental health personnel must understand the current status and history of the patient, and the assessment must identify problem areas and consider the patient’s assets and resources. This model can be employed in contemplating the patient’s change of behaviour to improve his quality of life, prevent illness, and promote well-being (Freeman 2005). The biopsychosocial assessment model also investigates the interrelatedness amongst the physical, psychological, behavioural, environmental, and social aspects of an individual’s life. The biological system focuses on the anatomical state of disease and its effect on the individual’s biological functioning. On the other hand, the effects of psychological factors, including personality and motivation, are emphasised in psychological system as the individual experiences mental illness. Further, the social system looks at the familial and cultural effects of the experience of illness. The causal ordering of biopsychosocial model is intrinsically biomedical, which means that rather than the causes, biochemical abnormalities can affect a person’s social environment. One criticism of this model is that it tends to rule out structural and social factors, but can however be considered as a useful framework for understanding the experience of mental illness (Freeman 2005) . The psychosocial model, on the other hand, is considered a holistic perspective to mental disorders and presents the interdependent areas of biological, psychological, and social factors in the assessment of mental health disorders (Boyd 2008). It is significant to note that standardised assessment methods promote inclusion in the mental health. The strategy of the European Union (EU) for mental health identifies best practice in the domain and in fostering social inclusion. A holistic approach is required in any effort to recognise best practice in social inclusion rather than to simply emphasise on aspects relating to mental health. Social exclusion cannot be addressed by just looking at the mental health problem of a person since one of the fundamental reasons for social exclusion of people with mental health illnesses is the propensity to take an exclusive emphasis on their medical symptoms rather than resolving the fundamental causes of their problems. Issues needing attention are equality and diversity, access to physical and mental health care and social networks, to name a few (House of Lords, 2007). The relevance of action to promote and improve social inclusion is embodied in mental health policy and is safeguarde d in the National Service Framework, which affirms that discrimination against people with mental health problems must be resisted and their social inclusion must be fostered. This signifies that mental health workers must regard the promotion of social inclusion a primary concern. The Effectiveness of Formal and Informal Assessments as Mechanisms to Develop a Shared Understanding of Need Either a formal or informal assessment may be carried out by the mental health nurse. A formal assessment involves an ordered interview plan and tools including questionnaires, checklists, etc. to acquire important information to aid the assessment interview. On the other hand, an informal assessment is less structured and the questions raised are those that the interviewer views to be relevant at the time he/she asks them. The formal interview has more benefits than the informal one since it is able to carry out a more or less similar assessment of people through the tools and structured interview plan thus devised. In addition, the individual’s biases and value judgments are less expected to influence the interview, as can take place in an informal assessment. The decision to use either formal or informal assessment methods is ascertained by the person in care as well as the adopted standardised assessment procedures (Pryjmachuk 2011). A formal assessment is emphasised on some form of structure and is commonly planned and studied with care, i.e. through some research. An informal assessment, on the other hand, involves information gathered through less structured methods.   Despite the almost similarity in the appearance of both methods, such similarity is however superficial. In both cases, the care personnel (e.g. nurse) would ask the person-in-care certain questions relating to his condition, noting his replies. However, a formal interview will have the questions carefully prepared earlier and might even be worded in a certain way, whilst the informal interview lacks this feature. Instead, the nurse conducting an informal assessment would ask certain questions she thinks relevant at that time, phrasing them in such manner she considers appropriate. Albeit both kinds of assessment are commonly used in mental health settings, it is important to recognise the significant advantages of any formal system over the l ess structured ways of investigating the condition of persons-in-care. The guidelines and procedures embodied in a formal system allow various people-in-care to be examined in a relatively the same fashion. This results in reduction, if not total cancellation, of one’s own prejudices. Regardless of who completes the assessment, its outcome must be the same, and such cannot be said of informal methods (Barker 2004).   The first point of information must be the patient’s basic demographics and condition/illness. An evaluation of physiological symptoms, history, risk factors, and treatment procedures must be considered visvis biological targets. His current moods, feelings about the illness/mental problem, support network, amongst others, constitute the patient’s affective targets. Crucial to his comprehensive evaluation is an assessment of his behavioral targets, which include self-care, functional capabilities, and occupational/recreational abilities (Freeman 2 005). All of these must be embodied in the assessment made on Janet. Critical Application of Legal, Ethical and Socio-Political Factors to the Practice of Assessment The use of assessment and clinical procedures involve some ethical issues. Ethical dilemmas may occur when diagnosis is performed in such situations, whereby diagnosing a person arbitrarily is often entailed. However, health care personnel have the clinical, ethical, and legal obligation to screen patients for life-threatening problems such as bipolar disorder, suicidal depression, and the like. It is necessary to point out that exclusive reliance on standardised treatments for certain problems may invite ethical concerns because of the questionable nature of the reliability and validity of these empirically-based strategies. Along with this is the fact that human change is complex and that measuring beyond a simplistic level is a difficult task, thereby making the change meaningless (Corey 2013). Thorough reflections on ethical considerations relative to health technologies are involved in the assessment for health technologies and value-based decisions. Since methods of retrieving information for effectiveness assessment are not appropriate to retrieving information on ethical issues, it is important to adopt a specific methodological approach (Scholarly Editions 2012). In addition, ethical principles such as autonomy, fidelity, and justice, amongst others, are involved in the provision of mental nursing care. National professional organisations set the standards for professional nurses’ ethical behaviours (Boyd 2008). Likewise, the healthcare organisation must ascertain its training needs and design structures to enable its healthcare personnel to understand ethical values and principles and hence integrate them into daily practice. With the provision of training, ethical values might not be recognised by several staff personnel whenever they occur, and thus they might impair their ability to recognise a suitable course of action. A formal assessment process is viable in enhancing an ethical framework within the healthcare organisation (Corey 2013). A point to consider is that the mental health care system faces certain magnified legal issues. The legal aspects of the assessment process in the practice of assessment involve such example where the nurse is held responsible for her judgments as well as the safety and well-being of the person-in-care. Every nurse must be aware of the three legal concepts that might affect their practice of care: negligence, malpractice, and liability (Davies and Janosik, 1991). Negligence occurs when a person (e.g. nurse) has become careless or has failed to act prudently, or has acted in such a way that is contrary to the conduct of a reasonable person. Malpractice takes place when a person commits professional misconduct, or has discharged his professional duties improperly, or fails to meet the standard of care as a professional, thereby resulting in harm to another. Liability, on the other hand, occurs as an obligation for having failed to act on something (Davies and Janosik, 1991). Mental health care is also influenced by sociopolitical factors, whereby the power of social justice is emphasised in the rectification of socio-cultural insensitivities (James and O’Donohue 2009). Mental health issues necessitate increased understanding of the sociopolitical context. This would include increased emigration in various parts of the world, which presents greater attention to the manner in which mental health issues may be effectively addressed within a broader global context. Studies involving culturally diverse samples would enable researchers to assess the generalisability of the diagnostic classification of mental problems across cultures and would likewise determine culturally specific events that might be influential to prevalence rates. Not being able to recognise the significant cultural differences amongst peoples impliedly promotes the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach that is often criticised in the current diagnostic system for mental problems .   It has been emphasised that cultural and sociopolitical factors could indeed influence the assessment of certain mental illnesses, thereby enabling mental clinicians to consider cultural issues as necessary aspects of the assessment and diagnostic process (Chang 2012). Culturally able mental health care involves suitable treatments that take into account the client’s culture and social setting. The literature indicates that the primary objectives of mental health are to return to function, contribute to society, and maintain relationships (Markowitz and Weissman 2012). 4. Application to Practice How the Role and Function of the Nursing Profession Relates to the Theory and Practice of Assessment All mental health practitioners are responsible for developing certain strategies that allow people to maintain and build relationships, social roles, activities, etc. that are vital to social inclusion (Harrison, Howard and Mitchell 2004). The provision of high-quality mental health disqualifies biases and instead understands these biases at a range of levels, such as practitioner level, community level, and practice programme (Shieves 2008). It is recognised in this work that such biases can lead to social exclusion in the domain, which is not desired. Pondering on the provision of mental health care would necessitate its interpretation by psychodynamic theories, which looks at interpersonal concepts and examines the development of the mind within a lifetime (Dillion 2007). Behavioural theories provide emphasis on normal behaviour rather than the causes of mental problems/disorders. The objective is to effect behavioural change by means of conditioning, positive reinforcement, and so on (Dillion 2007). Meanwhile, cognitive theories involve understanding by focusing on behaviour and the individual’s cognition, including the way he processes his thoughts. The value of cognitive theory is seen in patient-therapist collaboration and the client’s active involvement in the occurrence of change (Dillion 2007). This is contrary to the situation where the client has learning disability and hence would find it difficult to pursue all these. Social Theories, on the other hand, involve socio-cultural perspectives and family dynamics, to name two, and convey that the development of a care plan for the patient necessitates certain socio-cultural aspects (Dillion 2007). This is suggestive of an inclusive care plan (Harrison et al., 2004). The importance of these theories to practice is that learning disabilities and mental problems as well as their causes can be more increasingly understood through their aid, thereby providing treatment to the patient with a consideration of their behaviour, cognition, socio-cultural context, and so on.   These theories also aid in pursuing further the concept of inclusion in health care and in understanding further the relevance of the assessment process. Through theories that aid practice, mental illness can be more accurately understood using integrative approaches. The conceptual framework of psychiatric domain involves various theoretical perspectives, with the absence of a single best explanatory model explaining mental illness. As this conceptual framework takes its development towards an increasingly integrative viewpoint, more effective and efficient integrative assessments will be the result of an understanding of complex relationships amongst various processes associated with normal human functioning and mental illness (Lake 2007). The Effectiveness and Efficiency of Assessment Strategies within the Current Practice and Overall Service The extent of effectiveness and efficiency of assessment within the current practice of the mental health nurse are seen in the impact of assessment as a life-changing experience for many persons-in-care. The rapport that the mental health nurse is able to establish with the client with a learning disability/mental problem as a result of the ‘therapeutic alliance’ provides the client a holistic approach to care. It confirms the need for a multi-disciplinary and team approach to the mental health service provision. Through an assessment, the mental health nurse becomes aware of the need for a supportive environment whilst collecting necessary data. The assessment also enables the mental health nurse to liaise with appropriate professionals, such as in Jane’s case where her GP and psychiatric consultant submitted a referral to the mental health hospital in order to aid in her diagnosis. Various tools, such as Life Skills Questionnaire, are used to gather additional information, which assist in developing a relationship with the service user (Acquah 2012).   The mental health nurse pays attention to the person’s feelings, thoughts, and behaviour, which are ways in which humans respond to life problems. If a person experiences increased detachment from one’s surroundings and the people in it, alongside the presence of distorted thought processes, the person can thus become problematic with satisfying to live a meaningful existence. The role of the nurse in this context is to identify how those behavioural changes hold back the person’s ability to pursue his own life and then design a specific care that will aid the person to address them. The utmost goal is certainly to help the person return to his usual normal activities and contribute to society. Through the nurse’s task to identify the effects of behavioural changes on the individual and to carry out a specific plan of care, the nurse thus considers the conseque nces of the learning difficulty/problem the basis of intervention. Further consideration of the client’s needs and interests is the principal value embodied in the establishment and execution of nursing services. This value must be implied in a nursing approach for the care of patients having been diagnosed for learning disability/mental illness. Along with this claim, the notion of a disease in the mental care must be given up as the center of mental health care and instead look at the patient as a person (Barker, 2004). In general, information about the nature and the extent of the patient’s problems are considered in a nursing assessment; hence, the nurse finds out the problem of the patient and how big it is. These questions must be asked in the most detailed manner possible, especially if the focus is to evaluate the impact of various forms of care. However, the means through which such information is gathered usually depends on the problem involved, in which even the personality of the person-in-care can even influence such means of information collection. The things that the nurse must consider are accurate information about the biophysical needs of the person needing mental care; the reflection of the need for precision and reliability for the adopted method; and the influence of the attitude or mood of the person conducting the assessment (Barker 2004). There are similar aims for most assessments; however, the manner in which they are carried out can vary greatly. These differences are very important and can have enormous influences on the value of information being produced. The means through which an assessment is conducted can spell a worthwhile exercise or otherwise.   The key differences between methods of assessment convey the way in which information is gathered (Barker 2004). Upon the assessment process, the nurse explains to the person-in-care such process and its contents, providing feedback for his collaboration with clients and healthcare team members to collect holistic assessments. Such assessments are conducted through interviews, observations, and examinations whilst being aware of confidential issues and relevant legal policies (Videbeck 2011). Additionally, policies and legal issues must be integrated in relation to ensuring the protection of other persons-in-care. Improvements in secondary care teams (e.g. mental health, learning disability, etc.) are necessary to ensure a consistent approach to care (Woods and Kettles 2009). The Nurse’s Role in the Assessment Process It must be noted that the mental health nurse takes the role of a coordinator as he/she interacts with other disciplines in the care delivery. A patient always receives a nursing care plan, but other disciplines are necessarily involved in such plan or individualised treatment plan (Boyd 2008). Further, the mental health nurse plays an important role in the assessment process where data are collected and organised, leading to the identification of diagnoses in which data are as well analysed. This would then lead to the planning phase, whereby prioritisation of problems is highlighted, along with identification of goals, selection of nursing intervention, and care plan documentation. The implementation features the nursing orders being carried out whilst documenting the nursing care and client responses. This leads to the evaluation phase, which involves monitoring the client outcomes and resolving, maintaining, and/or revising the current care plan (Timby 2009). Indeed, the mental h ealth nurse demonstrates a range of roles in the entire nursing process, as much as in the assessment practice. His/her performance in the assessment process determines the delivery of the next stage of the nursing process; hence it is required that such assessment is both precise and correct. For the nurse’s own future learning and development, there are perceived tremendous developments in his role, which are expected to take place within the managed care environment vis-a-vis his professional knowledge, skills, and attitude. Those who have carried out strong assessment and patient teaching abilities would be considered to have the most marketability. The nurse’s role in mental health assessment has radically evolved from merely using the client’s five senses to assessing his overall condition. Today, nurses use communication and physical assessment methods to come up with a clinical judgment relating to the client’s mental state. Additionally, technological advancements have developed the role of assessment, which correspondingly allowed managed care to develop the need for assessment skills (Weber and Kelley 2009). For example, the most broadly functioning measures used for people with learning disability/ mental problems are the Global Asse ssment Scale (GAS) and the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF), which is a modification of the GAS. The GAS is aimed for clinicians to decide on mental health along a single dimension on a scale of 100 points. The lowest functioning level of the individual during the previous week is the basis of GAS ratings (Thornicroft and Tansella, 2010). Furthermore, assessment helps the mental health nurse to decide the extent that the patient can do independently alongside the extent of help they need and the type of intervention necessary. A patient with a mental health problem for example, may need more encouragement for their hygiene needs, which means that their therapeutic care plan may include this aspect (Spouse, Cook and Cox 2008). This can be further considered in Jane’s case. Reflecting on Policy on Mental Health Capacity Implementation of mental health policy is an intricate process, including a number of different financial, technical, and political issues.   Teaching programmes for mental health policy usually intend to develop the knowledge of the public on health professionals and other people playing a significant role in the development of mental health policy.   Some programmes are specifically focused on issues of policy and service development; in particular, tackling the needs of those who are directly involved in the accomplishment of mental health policy, as well as in the development of research capacity (Patel, Minas, Cohen et al. 2013). Recommendations Recommendations for the nurse’s speciality include the following: Provide specialist skills and special therapeutic orientation to mental health nurses. This will train them to deliver research-based care and treatment to service users with learning disability/mental problems. Identify the need for the mental health nurse to develop skills in psychotherapy, which is resonant to interpersonal relations perspective to mental health nursing. This will highlight the nurse’s central role in mental health, which is his personal relationship with the patient (Norman and Ryrie 2013). Develop electronic health record systems for assessment. This will prepare professionals of health information management assess their situation in a more realistic manner. These record systems are necessary because of their use in storing patient data over time, such as test result data, diagnoses, problem lists, and so on. The client’s clinical information is necessarily retrieved by practitioners through their work station. Standard coding systems defining data consistently are suggested, specifying the capacity to pursue the outcomes of the health care process (Harman, 2001). How the Nurse Can Contribute to Best Practice and Actively Justify and Promote Quality Care The nurse can contribute to best practice by establishing an active participation in the mental health process via the integration of appropriate technology that can speed up the assessment process. Through evidence-based and person-centred intervention, the nurse will be able to help tackle several mental health needs, which can benefit clients like Jane. Evidence-based practice is now a current adoption in mental health care, which involves selecting the best interventions with a specific client and promoting specific interventions for definite problems/illness based on treatments that are supported empirically. Such evidence-based practice includes a consideration of the patient’s characteristics, preferences, and culture (Corey 2013), which the mental health nurse must take account of. These aspects had been mentioned in Jane’s case but needed further highlights to become more viable to the assessment process. The concept of social inclusion in mental health presents best practice to the mental health nurse, who has the primary role in conducting an inclusive assessment process. With the promotion of social inclusion, the mental health nurse becomes culturally competent in providing a service that harmonises with the client’s cultural and social background and value system. This is an area of best practice for the mental health nurse’s task in the assessment process. Further, looking at the cultural and social context of the patient needing care rather than merely focusing on his demographics as well as the historical development of the mental illness provide evidence-based considerations for future practice. Racial and ethnic differences in mental health care had been documented to demonstrate this point. Such factors as gaps in access, disputed diagnostic procedures, and limited specifications of competent treatments are reflective of what needs to be further emphasised in mental health care. In conclusion, the assessment process within the mental health care for patients with learning disabilities and mental problems needs procedures and strategies that are aligned to social inclusion and considers ethical, social, and political aspects of the process. Hence, a specialist assessment may be carried out in order to evaluate the patient’s strengths and difficulties alongside their current distress and potential replicable support. References Acquah, F. (2012) Utilising Untouched Mental Health Nursing Skills in Private Practice. Australian College of Mental Health Nurses: Mental Health Nursing in Primary Care: Putting the Pieces Together. Canberra. Barker, P. J. (2004) Assessment in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing: In Search of the Whole Person. Second Edition. 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