Statistical Analysis of the Relationship Between the Two Variables

The French Verb Conjugations of Chauffer (to Heat)

The French Verb Conjugations of Chauffer (to Heat) In French,  the verb  chauffer  means  to heat. This can easily be confused with chauffeur as in driver. To keep it straight, think of the verb more like a chaffing dish, meaning a heated food serving platter you often see at buffets or banquets. Conjugating the French Verb  Chauffer​ As with all French verbs, we need to conjugate  chauffer  in order for it to mean heating or heated. The -ing and -ed endings are English conjugations and they are universal to the subject. Yet, in French, we must match the verb with the tense as well as the subject: the endings for we is different than the endings for I. While verb conjugations are challenging  for many French students, those that end in -er  often follow a prescribed pattern.  Chauffer  is one of those because it is a  regular -er verb. We take the stem of  chauff  and add particular endings according to the subject and tense. These same endings are used for similar verbs like  brà »ler  (to burn) and  allumer  (to light), making each a little easier to learn than the first. Using the chart, pair the subject pronoun to the proper tense for your subject. For example, I heat is je chauffe and we will heat is nous chaufferons. Subject Present Future Imperfect je chauffe chaufferai chauffais tu chauffes chaufferas chauffais il chauffe chauffera chauffait nous chauffons chaufferons chauffions vous chauffez chaufferez chauffiez ils chauffent chaufferont chauffaient The Present Participle of  Chauffer The  present participle  of chauffer  is chauffant. For this conjugation, it is as easy as adding -ant  to the verb stem. It is used as a verb and will also work as an adjective, gerund, or noun when needed. The Past Participle and Passà © Composà © A  common way to express the past tense heated in French is to use the  passà © composà ©. To do this, conjugate the  auxiliary, or helping verb  avoir  to the correct subject, then add the  past participle  chauffà ©. For instance, I heated becomes jai chauffà © and we heated is nous avons chauffà ©. You should note that  ai  and  avons  are conjugates of  avoir.  Also, the past participle does not change when the subject does. More Simple  Chauffer  Conjugations to Know At first, students should focus on the present, past, and future forms of  chauffer  as these are used most often. With experience, you may also find a use for the subjunctive or conditional verb forms. Both of these imply some degree of uncertainty to the verb. In rare instances and primarily in literature, you will see the passà © simple and imperfect subjunctive forms of  chauffer. While you may not use or need them yourself, you should at least be able to recognize and associate them with to heat. Subject Subjunctive Conditional Passà © Simple Imperfect Subjunctive je chauffe chaufferais chauffai chauffasse tu chauffes chaufferais chauffas chauffasses il chauffe chaufferait chauffa chauffà ¢t nous chauffions chaufferions chauffà ¢mes chauffassions vous chauffiez chaufferiez chauffà ¢tes chauffassiez ils chauffent chaufferaient chauffà ¨rent chauffassent For short and direct exclamations, use  chauffer  in the imperative form. To do so, theres no need to include the subject pronoun. Rather than saying tu chauffe, you can simply say chauffe. Imperative (tu) chauffe (nous) chauffons (vous) chauffez

Market Risk Analysis on Solar Thermal vs. Solar Photovoltaic System in Essay

Market Risk Analysis on Solar Thermal vs. Solar Photovoltaic System in UK - Essay Example It is a universal knowledge that the burning of oil and natural gas could produce and emit excessive carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide that could trigger global warming. To combat the global climate changes, the UK government decided to gradually shift from the use of non-renewable to renewable energy resources (Committee on Climate Change, 2010). Recently, the Committee on Climate Change announced that the Scottish Government will reduce the carbon gas emission by 3.5% annually between 2020 to 2050 (Committee on Climate Change, 2011). As a result of increasing the use of non-renewable energy resources, the annual emission of carbon dioxide throughout the United Kingdom decreased from 8.95 metric tons per capita in 1995 down to 8.6 metric tons per capita in 2007 (Federal Statistical Office Germany, 2010). Solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal is another form of renewable energy resources that will enable the UK government to generate electricity using the sunlight that falls upon the silicon layer of a solar system (Goodall 2007, p. 268). To enable the reader gain a better understanding of solar PV and solar thermal system, a brief literature review will be conducted concerning the nature and advantages of these two alternative energy resources. Given that existing UK renewable energy industry is focused on the use of biofuels, wind power, and hydroelectricity, this report will conduct a risk management analysis whether or not the UK government should extend its financial and political support in the promotion of either solar photovoltaic or solar thermal as one of the potential renewable energy resources throughout the United Kingdom.

Advertising and Memory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Advertising and Memory - Essay Example This essay "Advertising and Memory" outlines how advertising affects our memory and creates "a false experience effect". A perfect example of how advertising makes use of this effect can be demonstrated using the Nestle advert. The Nestle advert picturing a family happily enjoying Nestle cookies while laughing on a beach or around a fire may make an individual think that the images are true. Additionally, these images may stick on one’s mind; thus, he or she may start picturing the events in the ad as real memories of his or her life. ‘False experience effect’, as well as how people perceive themselves and reality can have profound effects on their purchasing habits. This is because it gives one an impression that the images being displayed in the advert occurred, yet in the real sense; the experience never occurred. The impact of advertising is also influenced by implicit memory. This is a type of memory whereby previous memories assist in task performance without conscious awareness of such experiences. Implicit memory is important to advertisers because of various reasons. Implicit memory concerns itself with how people behave, and not what they recall. On the other hand, advertisers are interested in consumer behavior and not the manner in which advertisements are consciously remembered, because the customer behavior towards an ad will either result to an increase in sales or not. Advertisers have to reconsider the use of implicit memory while placing ads, for they determine the success of the advertising campaign.

DQ1 Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

DQ1 Questions - Assignment Example A bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement needed to work in the advertising industry. A master’s degree opens up many opportunities for professionals in this field. The average salary of a marketing advertising executive is $67,014 (Salary). The global economic crisis of 2008-2009 affected the economy a lot. In the marketing field the impact was devastating. Massive layoffs left thousands of workers in the marketing field out of a job. The downsizing initiatives put a lot of pressure and added workload on the marketing departments of many organizations. Another variable that was affected by the recession was overall marketing spending. Cost cutting initiatives lowered the money available to spend on advertising. Customers affect the products and services provided by companies. The customer taste and preferences are two variables used by marketers in the design process of new products (Kotler). Marketing should become the responsibility of entire work staff. Word of mouth advertising and placing advertising material on employee’s cars are two ways to increase employee involvement in marketing activities. â€Å"Word-of-mouth advertising is important for every business, as each happy customer can steer dozens of ne w ones your way† (Entrepreneur). The customer’s needs and wants can impact advertisers because that input can be use to create products that companies

Research Into Job Satisfaction Among Nurses

Research Into Job Satisfaction Among Nurses Nurses in most healthcare facilities have some of the highest levels of direct patient contact of any employees. Nursing force plays an essential role in achieving organizational goals and providing high quality care to the community. Hospitals are important health care and social system where nurses are the cornerstones for their effectiveness and efficiency. Many of the nurses even take on the responsibilities of the medical supervisors or the doctors in command, and this makes them a very important part of the medical system (International Council for Nurses, 200) Devoid of people, organizations can not reach their goals. (Drucker, 1999). High nurse turnover can impact negatively on an organizations capacity to meet patient needs and provide quality care (Gray and Phillips, 1996; Tai et al., 1998; Shields and Ward, 2001). At the nursing unit level, high turnover affects the morale of nurses and the productivity of those who remain to provide care while new staff members are hired and orientated (Cavanagh and Cof ¬Ã‚ n, 1992; Sofer, 1995). Jones (1990a, b) de ¬Ã‚ ned nursing turnover as the process whereby nursing staff leave or transfer within the hospital setting. This de ¬Ã‚ nition Includes intentional and unintentional, as well as internal and external turnovers. Voluntary and involuntary turnovers are not always distinguished in studies because costs are incurred regardless of whether staffs resign or are requested to leave. According to L.J. Hayes et al(2008) turnover is a product of job satisfaction and commitment and can lead to nursing shortage. Nursing shortage and high rates of nurses turnover has become a prevalent global issue (Kingman, 2001). The nursing shortage has a vital effect on healthcare system because of its negative impact on both preventive and curative care. For example, in developing countries, fewer nurses have been available for providing immunizations and prenatal care. Hospitals in many industrialized and developing countries have been forced to close units when nursing staff has not been available (Oulton, 2006,cited in sianze,Malvarez (2008).Shortages can be a symptom of low job satisfaction, poor management and lack of organizational support (Zurn et al., 2005). Shortages are resulting in heavy workload, which is a precursor to job stress, and burnout, which have also been linked to low job satisfaction. Nurses job satisfaction is an elusive concept, which is defined within its extrinsic and intrinsic values (Cowin, 2002 cited in Masroor A.M., Fakir M. J 2010). Job satisfaction is an essential elemen t that has strong effects on patient safety, productivity, and performance, quality of care, retention and turnover (Cavanagh and Cof ¬Ã‚ n, 1992; Blegen, 1993; Irvine and Evans, 1995, Murrells, T., et al, 2007). Job satisfaction refers to overall positive feelings towards a job. It is defined as, Pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of ones job experiences (Locke, 1976). What in terms of job satisfaction counts the attitude of an employee towards his job? Attitude is a point of view of an individual towards an object. The object may be anything, such as, an organization, a manager, a colleague or a job. What is important about attitude is that: people make decisions based on their attitudes. When employees are satisfied with their job, they tend to stay in their job. On the other hand, people who are not satisfied with their job tend to take a decision of quitting their workplace. Workers with positive attitude are likely to be productive and effective in the organization whereas those with negative attitude have poor performance and ultimately less productive (Abu Ajamieh, A. R, 1996). Satisfied employees tend to be more productive, creative, and committed to their industry, and recent studies have shown a direct relation between staff satisfaction and patient satisfaction in health care organizations (Al-Aameri, 2000). The entire employee wants to be satisfied at their job no matter what activities they are engaged in or have the will to carry out. The significance of job satisfaction arises from the fact that the nurses whom job satisfaction is positive are not only pleased and happy within themselves but also affecting the quantitative and qualitative outcomes of the health organization in a positive way. Quite the opposite, the dissatisfied nurses are not peacefully pleasured resulting in poor performance, increased absenteeism, tardiness, burnout, turnover and qualitative and quantitative negative outcomes for the health care system. Nurses shortage and Job satisfaction should be of primary concerns to the health managers because nurses take the responsibility of many positions in the hospital and their turnover would have great impact on the employers and the patients as well. The shortage of nurses has been well recognized and extended to the long-term care services (Fletcher, 2001; Mark, 2002; Mitchell, 2003) Cited in MH 2008. In response population growth, health care organizations are facing problems in finding and keeping skillful nurses (Gohen Van Nostrand, 1995; Kassner Bertel, 1998). High nurse turnover and vacancy rates are affecting access to health care (Best Thurston, 2004) Cited in MH 2008. Continuously hiring new staff is costly and recurrent turnover influence the morality of nurses and vitiates patient care (Sofie, Belzar, Young, 2003) Cited in MH 2008. The increasing rate of turnover resulted in unfavorable physical and emotional effects on nursing home residents, leading to a greater incide nce of falls, medication errors, fear and anxiety, and feelings of hopelessness (Best Thurston, 2004; Sofie, Belza, Young, 2003). Background and significance: There are five governmental schools of nursing spread overall the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Three of them are called Institutes of Nursing (IONs) governed by the Ministry of Health (MOH). The IONs offer a Diploma degree and cover the Northern Emirates. While the Higher College of Technology and the Institute of Applied Technology which are controlled by the Ministry of Higher Education in both of Abu-Dhabi and Al-Ain graduate nurses holding Bachelors degree of nursing science. The period of study in the IONs is three years. All of the graduates are female Emiratis and expatriates and the number of graduates in the northern emirates is relatively higher that of Abu-Dhabi and Al-Ain cities. Despite all such number of graduates, the UAE like the other countries is in severe shortage of nurses related to high rate of turnover. The UAE is need for 30,000 nurses and midwives, only 23000 are available which means that the shortage is 7000 (Underwood, M, 2010). According to the MOH-secretary of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, low remuneration, low status and limited career development are all factors influencing the shortage. Therefore, the UAE must hire up to 25 to 30 per cent; 7000 nurses to overcome the shortage of nursing staff. Dr. Rifaai (2010), the Head of Federal Nursing Department, referred the shortage of nurses and midwives in the UAE to the perceived low status of the profession. The Emirati nurses account only 4% of the total population (UAE-MOH, cited Underwood, M, 2010) which does not run in parallel with the demographics population of the country. The serious nursing shortage has prompted the MOH-UAE to start a national study to identify the factors that could lead to a better workplace at the governmental hospitals. This study was in response to a previous pilot study funded by the Ministry of Health called Thinking Magnetism which revealed that low wages and Lack of autonomy to make decisions are the primary reason for nurses dissatisfaction (Khaleej Times, 23 November 2009). The outcomes of the study drove the government to start looking carefully after these phenomena particularly when the pilot study, the magnet indicators showed very low scores for ministry hospitals as compared with USA magnet hospitals. The indicators studied: nursing contribution in hospital affairs; nursing foundation of quality of care; ability of nurse manager, leadership; staffing; resources; and nurse-physician relationship. Among the 14 urgent requirements identified, the pilot study recommended: part-time jobs; flexible recruitment; promotion p olicies, and competitive salaries. Involvement in decision-making and encouragement of a healthy nurse-physician relationship was also suggested. Expatriate nurses working in the government hospitals demanded equal treatment with UAE nationals and placements according to qualifications. Suliman, A.B., (2006), stated in his study that staffs perceptions of fairness are largely based on comparison. For instance, employee may compare their payment, working hours, and incentives. If the comparison is positive, they are likely to feel positive toward their organization. Conversely, if the result is negative, they will react negatively toward the system and may challenge and oppose it. Consequently, the employees may intent to quit their job. The finding of this study may help the health care managers and policy makers to develop and institutionalize targeted nurse recruitment and retention strategies by taking into consideration the predictors of nurses dissatisfaction and turnover. The significance of the problem and the absence of related researches and statistical data about the level of nurses satisfaction, and the factors that contribute to turnover give the urge to study these phenomena. Statement of Purpose: The aim of this research is to : Explore the relationship between job dissatisfaction and turnover among registered nurses in the governmental hospitals of UAE. Find relationship between individual/ demographic variables and job satisfaction among the registered nurses in the Governmental hospital in the UAE. Give the nursing managers in the UAE hospitals clear indicators towards improving the nurses job satisfaction, retention and reduction of turnover rates. Research questions: This research is intended to answer the following questions: What is the relation between dissatisfaction factors to turnover? What is the relationship between demographic variables and job satisfaction? Literature Review Theoretical Framework: Job satisfaction is multi-faceted with many definitions and theoretical frames. According to Spector (1997), Job satisfaction is the most important variable that is frequently studied in organizational behavior research. In addition, the fundamental variable in both research and theory of organizational phenomena were ranging from job design to supervision. Moreover, the traditional model of job satisfaction focuses on all the feelings that an individual has about his/her job. Yet, being satisfied or dissatisfied does not rely on the type of the job only but also on the expectations of the individuals from their job. In another definition, Job satisfaction is defined as the degree to which employees enjoy their jobs (McCloskey McCain 1987). Job satisfaction is an enjoyable affecting state resulting from the consideration of ones job (Locke, 1976 cited in Brief, A. P., Weiss, H. M. (2001) cited in Wikipedia), an emotional response to ones job (Cranny, Smith Stone, 1992 cited in Weiss, H. M. (2002) cited in Wikipedia) and an sentiment towards ones job (Brief, 1998 cited in Weiss, H. M. (2002) cited in Wikipedia). Researchers usually relate job satisfaction to motivation. Motivation can be defined as an internal process that activates, guides and maintains behaviour over time (Pintrich 2003; Schunk 2000).There are several theories of motivation .The most important theories are Maslows hierarchy of needs, Hertzbergs dual factor theory, and. Vrooms expectancy theory. Unfortunately, none of these theories have gained adequate support or shown to be valid as job satisfiers. Nevertheless, they are based on satisfying human needs that address motivation. Maslows theory1954: Maslow suggested a hierarchy of needs and links these needs to motivation. Maslow divided human needs into three categories, the deficiency needs (physical and psychological well being) , growth needs(knowing, appreciating, and understanding), and self actualization (ones potential). Maslow pointed out that individuals will not be motivated to the second need until the demands of the first need have been satisfied. Based on Maslows theory, job satisfaction has been approached by some researchers from the perception of need ful ¬Ã‚ llment (Kuhlen, 1963; Worf, 1970; Conrad et al., 1985). The fulfillment of job related needs lead to increase satisfaction as individual moves up in the hierarchy to the highest level. An individual who reaches the self-realization will continue in his job and becomes more efficient and productive, whereas unfulfilled needs will lead to poor performance; less productivity, work related stress and eventually job dissatisfaction which might result in turno ver. Herzberg Motivation-Hygiene theory (1959): Herzberg presented a dual factor theory. He uses the needs satisfaction to explain job satisfaction. He believed that satisfaction and dissatisfaction were separate and unrelated. Intrinsic factors called motivators (i.e. related to the nature and experience of performing work) were found to be job satis ¬Ã‚ ers and included: achievement, recognition, work itself and responsibility and similar to the growth needs of Maslows hierarchy. Extrinsic factors called hygiene factors were found to be job dissatis ¬Ã‚ ers and included: organizational policy, administration, supervision, salary, interpersonal relations and working conditions to the deficiency needs of Maslow. However, the distinction between motivators and hygiene was not supported by many researches (Cronin-1977; Everly and Falcione, 1976; Gangadhraiah, et al.1990; Hutto Davis, 1989; Joiner, Johnson Crokrean, 1981; Koelbel, 1988; Munro, 1983; Simpson, 1985). Cavanagh (1992 cited in Burnard et al., 1999) noted that these theories attempt to specify particular needs that must be met or values that must be attained (p. 705) if an individual is to be satisfied at work. Figure 1: (Maslows and Herzbergs Ideas Compared, cited in Tiffany Jordan, undated) Vrooms Expectancy Theory of Motivation (1964): Vroom predicts that effort lead to increased performance (Expectancy), and performance lead to valued rewards (Instrumentality) and then these values are placed on outcomes (Valence), all three are required for positive motivation. If either of these factors were absent, performance will be altered to zero (Suliman, 2001). However several researches have supported the principles of the theory (Campbell Pritchard, 1976, Hollenback, 1979, Mitchell, 1974). However, questions remain to which extent an employee can increase his/her efforts about the corresponding organizational structure and decision making processes needed to fulfill the expectations of workers. (Expectancy Theory of Motivation (Undated), cited in Arrod, http://www.arrod.co.uk/archive/concept_vroom.php) Definitions of Job Satisfaction based on the theories: Job satisfaction is the affective orientation that an employee has towards his or her work (Price, 2001). Specter (1997) summarized the following facets of job satisfaction: appreciation, communication, co-workers, fringe bene ¬Ã‚ ts, job conditions, nature of the work itself, the nature of the organization itself, an organizations policies and procedures, pay, personal growth, promotion opportunities, recognition, security and supervision. Dentitions Related Theory The individual matching of personal needs to the perceived potential of the occupation for satisfying those needs (Kuhlen, 1963) Maslows human needs theory (Maslow, 1954 Need ful ¬Ã‚ llment, that is, whether or not the job met the employees physical and psychological needs for the things within the work situation (Worf, 1970) A match between what individuals perceive they need and what rewards they perceive they receive from their jobs (Conrad et al., 1985) A function of satisfaction with the different elements of the job (Herzberg 1959) Herzberg motivation-hygiene theory (Herzberg, 1959) All the feelings that an individual has about his job (Gruneberg, 1976) Focus on cognitive process (Spector, 1997) The affective orientation that an employee has towards his or her work (Price, 2001) (Table 1, Dentitions of job satisfaction, Hong Lu, While, A., Barriball, K.,(2004) C. Previous Research Review: C. Previous Research Review: Locke (1976) defined job satisfaction as a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of ones job or job experience. That is, it is the discrepancy between what an employee values and what the situation provides. Job satisfaction is a complex phenomenon. The current global shortage of nurses places of interest the importance of understanding the effect and interrelationships of the factors that contribute to nurses dissatisfaction and consequently turnover so that healthcare organizations may implement strategies that help to retain nurses. Sources of nurses job satisfaction: Satisfaction has been found to be related to performance within the work environment (Landeweerd and Boumans, 1988, cited in Burnard et al., 1999), so it is not amazing that the notion of job satisfaction has gained much attention. Researchers have attempted to identify the different variables of job satisfaction, measure the significance of each variable and examine what effect these variables have on the productivity of the employee (Burnard et al., 1999). A variety of quantitative and qualititative studies have been done on the sources of job satisfaction among nurses and here are the most important findings: Aiken et al. (2001) found in his global study in a sample of 43,329 nurses working in adult acute hospitals that job dissatisfaction among nurses was highest in the United States (41%) followed by Scotland (38%), England (36%), Canada (33%) and Germany (17%). One third of nurses in England and Scotland and more than one  ¬Ã‚ fth in the United States have intent to quit their job within 12 months of data collection. More striking, however, was that 27-54% of nurses less than 30 years of age intended to quit within 12 months of data collection in all countries. Opportunities for the development were the reason behind the satisfaction of the nurses in Germany (61%) while salary was the satisfier for the nurses in USA (57%) and Canada (69%). Similarly, Adamson et al. (1995) found that British nurses were more dissatis ¬Ã‚ ed than Australian nurses. He pointed that the poor insight of professional status, insufficient relationship with hospital management system and improper working environment, were found in British more than Australian nurses. Professional organization and work design, con ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ict between the newly gained experience during training and the available one. Furthermore, lack of communication between nurses and physicians, feeling of being not respected by other related health professionals, hospital managers and physicians were a concern to the British nurses. Nevertheless, the perception of autonomy by the Australian and British nurses was nearly the same. Eventually Tovey and Adams (1999) came up with the main sources of nurses dissatisfaction: working interactions, mainly those with administration, shortage of staff, professional concerns about poor standards of care and external work pressure. Nolan et al. (1998) found that level of job satisfaction had remained stable. They further found in a sample of 518 nurses that 35% of nurses reported reduction in their level of satisfaction and 69% drop in their morality. Price (2002), using the satisfaction scale of Mueller and McCloskeys (1990a, b) in a sample of 141 nurses found that (58%) were generally satis ¬Ã‚ ed with their job. Highest satisfaction was related to co-workers and extrinsic rewards and most dissatisfaction was with the amount of control and responsibility they had and with professional opportunities. Nurses were most satis ¬Ã‚ ed with annual leave, nursing peers and hours worked (79%, 78% and 76% of respondents) and dissatisfied with compensation for working weeke nds and control over work conditions and childcare facilities (55%, 55% and 46% of respondents. Using the same scale, Wang (2002) found that Chinese nurses were mostly dissatis ¬Ã‚ ed with pay and job promotion. Finally, nurses job satisfaction is very essential to organizations as levels of job satisfaction would globally impact the nursing workforce. Sources of job satisfaction are relatively similar, e.g., physical working setting, relations with fellow workers and managers, salary, promotion, job security, responsibility, the recognition from managers and working hours. Effects of job satisfaction of nurses on absenteeism, burnout, turnover and intention to quit: Researchers have generally found that satisfied employees are more productive and committed to their jobs, whereas dissatisfied ones experience absenteeism, grievances and turnover (Smith 1996, cited in Alamri, 2001).Matrunola, (1996) did not find any significant relationship between job satisfaction and abscentism in a small sample of 34 nurses which makes its generalization difficult. Borda and Norman (1997) noted a signi ¬Ã‚ cant positive relationship between job satisfaction and intent to stay and negative relationships between job satisfaction and frequency of 1 day absence and short-term absence. Sius (2002) indicates that job satisfaction was an important predictor of abscentism. Job dissatisfaction is consistently linked to high levels of stress, burn-out or mental and physical exhaustion (Blegen et al. 1993, Adams Bond 2000, Aiken et al. 2002). Keel (1993) cited in Tzeng 2002), indicated that burnout affects mainly nurses, physicians, social workers and teachers. Burnout seems to be caused by stressful working conditions, disproportional-high efforts (time, emotional involvement, and empathy) and dissatisfaction with jobs. For the goals of lowering professional stress and improved satisfaction, social support and improved team cooperation could protect nurses against burnout. There is a vast body of the literature linking job satisfaction in nursing and turnover. Job dissatisfaction has been frequently identi ¬Ã‚ ed as the reason why nurses leave their jobs (Lum et al., 1998; Tzeng, 2002). Tzeng (2002) has also noted that factors such as indirect working environment (hospitals policies, bene ¬Ã‚ ts, leisure activities, housing, parking, and vacation policy), salary and promotion as very important but strongly dissatisfying and indicated that job satisfaction is a predictor of turnover. A study conducted in the United States revealed that dissatisfied nurses were 65% more likely to have intent to quit compared to their satisfied colleagues (Shields Ward, 2001 cited in Masroor A.M., Fakir M. J., 2010). Gray and Philips (1994) Examined turnover rates and relationship to age and length of service in 342,000 employees from nine staff groups in National Health Service (NHS) and explored that annual turnover rate among all NHS staff 13.6%; higher turnover among full-time than part-time; turnover declines with age, are high in  ¬Ã‚ rst year of service, remains high in second year before declining. Leveck and Jones (1996) indicated that experience on unit and professional job satisfaction were predictors of staff nurse retention; job stress and clinical service were predictors of quality of care. The variable contributing the most was management style. While Davidson et al (1997) in a sample of 736 hospital nurses cited that intent to leave predicted by perception of little promotion, high routinization, low decision latitude and poor communication. Lum et al (1998) found among 361 RNs in neonatal and pediatric Intensive Care Unit that Job satisfaction has indirect and organizational c ommitment has direct effect on intent to quit. Boyle et al (1999) recognized that managers position power and in ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uence over work coordination had direct link to intent to stay. Instrumental communication, autonomy, and group cohesion decreased job stress and thus increased job satisfaction. Job satisfaction was directly linked with intent to stay. Furthermore, Hemingway and smith (1999) discovered that high work pressure was predictive of greater role con ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ict and role ambiguity, and of more stress from heavy workload. In addition, poor supervisor support was signi ¬Ã‚ cantly related to greater stress from heavy workload, and lack of autonomy was related to higher role ambiguity. Larabee et al (2003) proposed that major predictor of intent to leave was job dissatisfaction, and the major predictor of job satisfaction was psychological empowerment. Predictors of psychological empowerment were hardiness, transformational leadership style, nurse/ physician collabor ation, and group cohesion. Strachota et al (2003)identified the following reasons: hours worked; better job opportunity; family; poor pay and bene ¬Ã‚ ts; poor staffing; unsupportive management; unacceptable work environment; work stress; no opportunity for advancement. Duffield et al (2004) added the following causes: leaving related to work aspects, structural aspects, professional issues, team support, salary and prestige, employer care, and legal concerns. Turnover has many consequences such as mean cost per RN turnover was $10,198, ranging from $6,886 to $15,152(Jones, 1990b, Waldman et al, 2004)), poor patient satisfaction, risk of infection increased almost 30% and the risk of hospitalization increased more than 80% (Zimmerman et al, 2002). Leiter et al. (1998)cited in Tzeng,2002) concluded that patients, who stayed on wards where nursing staff felt more exhausted or more frequently expressed their intention to quit, were less satis ¬Ã‚ ed with their medical care. This study con ¬Ã‚ rmed the importance of understanding nurses job satisfaction and intention to quit as both concepts, which would contribute to patient outcomes. Moreover, both nurses job satisfaction and patient satisfaction have been identi ¬Ã‚ ed in the Nursing Report Card for Acute Care (American Nurses Association, 1995) as two of the important nursing quality outcome indicators. Lee et al.s (2003) showed that the most common reasons for nurses turnover were work overload, rotating shifts and con ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ict in interpersonal relationships. A total of 24%, 15% and 35% of variance regarding depersonalization, emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment, respectively, was explained by the individual characteristics, job stress and personal resources were explained by the predictor variables. Turning to, Cavanagh (1990) indicated that job satisfaction was the determining factor of turnover which could be predicted by kinship responsibility, promotion, pay and influential communication skills. Wu et al (2000), found a positive and significant relation between the job stress and intention to quit. This was also confirmed in Yin and Yangs (2002) meta-analysis who revealed that the strongest factors for nurse turnover were job satisfaction, autonomy, advancement opportunity, job stress, pay, group cohesion, marital status and educational level. To sum up, researches from various countries indicate that job satisfaction is a signi ¬Ã‚ cant predictor of nursing absenteeism, burnout, turnover and intention to quit the organization and nursing profession. Related factors to job satisfaction of nurses Blegens (1993) meta-analysis found a strong connection between job satisfaction, stress and organizational commitment. Seven variables had strong correlations: communication with supervisor, autonomy, recognition, routinization, communication with peers, fairness and locus of control; and four variables had very weak correlations: age, years of experience, education and professionalism. A causal model of job satisfaction has been tested in the studies of Chu et al.s (2003) among 308 Taiwanese nurses and Seo et al.s (2004) among 353 South Korean nurses, respectively. In this model 11 independent variables included: job involvement, positive affectivity, negative affectivity, autonomy, distributive justice, procedural justice, job stress (role ambiguity, role con ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ict, and workload and resource inadequacy, pay, promotional chances, routinization and social support .Moreover, four of twelve structural variables (workload, supervisory support, routinization, and pay) were found to have signi ¬Ã‚ cant net effects on satisfaction. Chu et al. (2003) found that six variables had significant impact on job satisfaction: routinization, positive affectivity, involvement, negative affectivity, role ambiguity, supervisor support which explain 45% of the variance in satisfaction. Whereas Seo et al. (2004) found seven variables had statistically signi ¬Ã‚ cant effects on job satisfaction: positive affectivity, supervisory support, pay, routinization, negative affectivity, workload and job opportunity and he found reasonable fit between the casual model and data; all the variables explained 53% of the variance. Interestingly, Packard and Motowidlo (1987) correlated job satisfaction with depression, hostility, subjective stress, frequency of stressful events, intensity of stressful events and anxiety. Knoop (1995) indicated that organizational commitment is positively related to job satisfaction among nurses, satisfaction with work, promotion opportunity, supervision, co-workers and pay among Canadian nurses. Organizational commitment refers to identi ¬Ã‚ cation with and loyalty to the organization and its goals (Blau and Boal, 1987) which Mowday et al. (1979). Commitment is characterized by three factors: a strong belief in and an acceptance of the organizations goals and values; a willingness to exert considerable effort on behalf of the organization; and a strong desire to maintain membership in the organization (Blegen, 1993; Al-Aameri, 2000). Fang, (2001) agreed with the studies of (Blegen, 1993; Al-Aameri, 2000) and cited that job satisfaction was significantly and positively relate d to organizational commitment, professional commitment, and negatively related to job stress. Organizational commitment has an incremental effect on a professionals intention to leave the organization (Blau and Lunz, 1998). Enhancing professional commitment in nursing has the potential to produce bene ¬Ã‚ ts for both the individual and their organization (Cohen, 1998; Cohen, 1999). Furthermore, professional commitment is positively related to the job satisfaction of nurses (Lu et al., 2000; Jones, 2000).Lu et al., (2002) indicates that professional commitment is more effective in predicting intention to leave the nursing profession than intention to leave the organization at 9.2 %. Lu et al., (2002) added that Job satisfaction was more effective in predicting intent to leave the organization than intention to leave the nursing profession at 8 %. Moreover, role con ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ict and ambiguity are signi ¬Ã‚ cantly related to job stress, organizational commitment, job satisfacti on and intentions to leave the nursing profession (Rosse and Rosse, 1981).Dailey (1990) found that most signi ¬Ã‚ cant predictor of intention to quit was experienced job induced stress symptoms. However, Mitchells (1994) in United State study found that there was not a signi ¬Ã‚ cant linear association between a nurses job satisfaction and the correlation between work role values and actual work roles. Yet, the  ¬Ã‚ nding that workload has the second largest impact emphasizes the relative importance of job stress in determining levels of nurses job satisfaction. This  ¬Ã‚ nding is consistent with the results obtained in other empirical studies which have shown that the job stress variables have negative impacts on job satisfaction (Mathieu, 1990, 1991

Art and Cultural Study Essay

Art has always been a significant part of any culture and society. Prominent artist are people who make a contribution not only to the world’s cultural heritage, but also make a certain country famous and even a bit special. In my opinion my favorite artist would be Pablo Picasso. Pablo Picasso, known as one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century. I shall say the evolution of a young Pablo Picasso to the experienced genius that had shaped the way we see art today. From his Blue and Rose periods through the birth of Cubism, to the struggles of the experimental thirties. Picasso largely took his subjects from real life, although many of his abstract works look anything but life-like. He was big on portraits, nudes, families and children and scenes from rural life and carnivals. He also featured a lot of still life, including newspapers, vases with flowers, fruit and many instruments, especially the guitar. He inspired a whole movement into Cubism. He revolutionized art in a sense. In the art world he was the first to create works that explored the world a bit differently. With a greater understanding of Picasso and his contribution to art. He started out creating the realistic art that you may be more to consider ‘real art’. Essentially, he mastered it, and then created something entirely new. I just love Pablo’s work because it is very unique and different. He was one of the first people to look at the world and its many creatures in a different way. He didn’t just paint what he wanted to or do anything â€Å"randomly†, but painted life as he truly saw it. Pablo was very charming and he had a lot of passion. Pablo had a new way of doing art that was interesting coupled with his charisma and passion.

Mark Twain’s work, Life on the Mississippi River

Literary critics admittedly point out that there are many themes which run along Mark Twain’s work, Life on the Mississippi River. However, there is always schism as some critics point out that Twain’s works were rife with thematic undertones which were mainly bereft of human ideals such as justice, equality, suffering and tragedy. These critics maintain that given Twain’s leanings towards atheism, he possesses more compunction to delve on moralist ideals. On the other hand, there are critics who point out that Mark Twain’s themes straddle both moralist and non moralist matters, irrespective of his leanings on religious matters. Nevertheless, it is lucid that humanitarian and moralist themes run along his work, Life on the Mississippi River. This paper therefore seeks to establish the veracity of this standpoint. Introduction The book entitled, Life on the Mississippi River is Mark Twain’s memoir that detailed the days he spent as a Mississippi River steamboat pilot in a period anteceding and succeeding the American Civil War. Mark Twain opens the book by giving a short description of the Mississippi River from its point of discovery by Hernando De Soto in 1542. The book continues with Mark Twain’s anecdotes relatable to Twain’s training as a steamboat pilot, according to his own words, the â€Å"cub† of an expert pilot. This book that greatly describes his affections and the science behind navigating the dynamic Mississippi River was initially published in 1876 under the title, the Old Times on the Mississippi. The fact that there are sundry and ominous themes that run deep in this book is portrayed in the fact that the second part, does not constrain itself to describing Twain’s return to travel from St. Louis to New Orleans on a steamboat after many years; but on the contrary, thematic and emotive topics akin to greed, tragedy, gullibility and bad architecture run deep in this work piece. This paper therefore takes to dwell on the themes of tragedy and greed as they run along dominantly in this book, Life in the Mississippi. First off, the theme of tragedy appears in the book’s sample of the authorâ€⠄¢s missive to his sister- in- law, Orion. The book, mentions that five days prior to the composition of this letter, an explosion occurred in a steamboat which had carried Mark Twain’s younger brother, Henry. This development that took place in Pennsylvania left Henry heavily injured. Mark Twain who would have been piloting with his brother, save for some circumstances, was in Memphis, reunited with his brother Henry two days after this explosion, and for six more days, nursed him when he succumbed, being one among the hundreds who perished in the exploitation. According to Fishkin (1998, 121), the theme of tragedy plays strongly, being depicted by the author as that which is inevitable, and as such, no effort can be concocted to avoid it. The inevitable nature of tragedy is clearly brought out by the fact that Mark Twain had a month earlier, already foreseen his brother’s death in a well detailed dream. In almost the same wavelength, the book through the author advises the readers on the way tragedy should be met. The above reality is clearly depicted by the fact that despite the pain of bereavement and guilt that bore heavily on Mark Twain’s mind, he put on a brave face, and continued to work in the river as the river pilot- a feat that was extirpated in 1861 when the American Civil War broke out. This is because the traffic within and along the Mississippi was severed. Similarly, the author depicts the normal nature by which the pain of tragedy is met. Herein, Mark Twain is left subject to intense feeling of guilt and pain, due to the feel that he did not do enough to nip his brother’s death in the bud. It is while in the midst of this emotional turmoil that Mark Twain ventures into the field of parapsychology, deviating from his former involvement in the Society for Physical Research. Kruse (1991, 75) maintains that as the author, Mark Twain does not make a dereliction of the concept and practice slavery. This book presents Missouri as a historical slave state for the South, being represented by in the Federal and Confederate governments at the time of civil war. In a sketchy depiction, Twain intimates of he and his comrades having been volunteers for the Confederacy up to closely two weeks. At the same time, it is this issue of slavery which acts as the hotbed from which the American Civil War springs. Likewise, relatable tragic concepts such as the suffering and the exploitation of the slaves who are mainly blacks comes to the attention of Union, though the South warms up to it as it remains very lucrative; as it is tantamount to free labor. Tragic it is that scarcely did many farmers and small scale industrialists see the need to accord slaves, the African Americans whom they regarded as their mere chattels, with decent domicile, sufficient victuals and proper vestments, leaving alone a pay for any work done. It is by this depiction of the contradictive lifestyle between the slave owners in Missouri and their slaves that Twain presents the tragedy of human avarice that would have human beings exploit their fellows without any remorse. In a cleverly calculated artifice to show his disdain for this exploitation through slavery and his depiction of it as a practice doomed for failure, Twain depicts this as the crux of the antithetical stance that the Unionists and Southerners had towards each other; with a war christened, The American Civil War being the culmination of this affair; the South greatly loosing and the door for the total proscription of slavery being opened (Twain, 2004, 99). Again, in a cleverly packaged stylistic approach, Twain revisits the theme of tragedy and suffering as being caused by war, even the American Civil War. It is no secret that Twain speaks of himself generatively so that in his sufferings, he has the ability to represent the painful experiences of many others. A case in point is Mark Twain’s self depiction of a youthful individual who had grown up along the precincts of the Mississippi River where he also earned his livelihood. Nevertheless, Twain’s life and means of livelihood is interfered with by the war as he is one of the many who are forced to abandon the steamboat pilot career with the advent of the war. It is only after two decades that Twain returns to the Mississippi River, only to be met with wide scale changes that have materialized in the area. At this juncture, apart from the socio- cultural changes that have taken place, the tributaries of the Mississippi River have undergone transformation too. Similarly, Mark Twain like many others returns to find remarkable persons who have all become an integral part of the nation’s forgotten history. The above situation means that forever; lives along the Mississippi River had undergone an irrevocable transformation as families remained severed from their members; while others had their professions and means of earning a living extirpated as the tributaries of the Mississippi totally changed. All these occurrences are attempts by Mark Twain to depict the tragedies that the American Civil War bequeathed the Americans- tragedies which were so pervasive, cutting across all the spheres of life: social, economic and cultural spectra (Pettit 2004, 161). In almost the same vein, the theme of avarice tampered with concepts of tragedy remains rampant in this piece of literature, with the former being seen to be the causative agent of the latter. Watkins (2004) maintains that in a picturesque manner, Twain mentions of the technological developments which were materializing in the US at the time, such as the development of the steamboat, which spurned the boat construction industry. Running concomitant with this development was the radical changes and efforts to ameliorate the railway system. Although all these developments sparked off industrial developments, the unfortunate development that came alongside this was the dingy, shoddy and substandard constrictions which Mark Twain recounts as having caused massive numbers of deaths. Twain depicts the poor and pronto constructions which were hurried through with the need to rake in quick lucre as being the prime reason behind the sad situation. Again, tragedy plays along here, as these poor constructions which were greedily hurried through, collapsed, claiming the lives of many innocent. Conclusion It is therefore clear that the theme of tragedy plays along in Twain’s book with matters akin to anthropocentricity taking the center stage. This is because, beyond the reporting of the practices which directly compromised human rights, the real need behind the writing of the novel was meant at mirroring the society so that ameliorative socio- cultural and economic practices could be welcome. At this juncture, it is therefore easy to see that core matters which are relatable to human ideals such as equality for all claim center stage in Twain’s writings.

Every IB Economics Past Paper Available Free and Official

Every IB Economics Past Paper Available Free and Official SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Taking the IB Economics exam will be nerve-wracking no matter what. However, taking practice tests with past papers beforehand will be a huge advantage since you'll know the test format and be used to the length and style of the test. In this guide, I will familiarize you with the IB Economics test format and let you know where to find past papers, both free and paid. I'll also give you tips on how best to use these IB Economics past papers for your preparation. Where to Find Free IB Economics Past Papers In recent years, the IBO has cracked down on past papers (illegally) uploaded outside of the IBO store, which means a lot of sources for free past papers have disappeared. At the same time, IBO has not uploaded any free sample past Economics papers on its website. (If and when IBO decides to make free IB Economics past paper resources available, we'll be sure to update this article.) We haven’t located any unofficial IB Economics past papers (ones created by people other than the IBO), but if you find any, don’t use them! They will probably be very different from the real IB Economics exam and will not be helpful for your preparation. Similarly, we don't recommend using anything that comes up when you search for IB economics past papers online. Because these resources are not being released directly by IBO, there's no guarantee they are real past papers (illegally uploaded); instead, they could be unofficial past papers that are not clearly labeled as such. Where to Find Paid IB Economics Tests You can find official IB Economics study resources, including practice questions, on the IB Follett online store. It's not the easiest site to navigate, but if you search "economics exam paper" or "economics markscheme" you'll be able to browse the various study resources available. Typically, each exam paper and each markscheme will cost you $3 (the exception is anything from the most recently released exam, which will be $3.99). Purchasing all papers and markschemes for a single test will cost you $18 for an HL test (or $12 for an SL test). Buying all the Economics exam papers and markschemes currently available in the IBO store will run you close to or over $100 (for SL and HL, respectively), so we recommend only purchasing the two most recent complete sets of past papers (currently November 2015 and 2016). In combination with good notes and study guides, two sets of practice papers should be plenty for most students. Do not spend this much! 3 Tips to Use IB Economics Past Papers Effectively Each full IB Economics practice test will take you three hours for SL or four hours for HL, so you need to be making the most out of each test. Some important tips to remember when you're doing the practice tests: Tip 1: Take Papers 1 and 2 (and 3, for HL) on Different Days The IB Economics test takes place over two days- for the most accurate picture of how you'll perform on the real exam, you need to write practice papers the same way. Don’t take all of the papers back to back. Take Paper 1 one day, and Paper(s) 2 (and 3 for HL) another day. Using this real testing schedule will help you feel comfortable and prepared for the real papers. Tip 2: Time Each Paper Exactly It's criticalthat you can handle the timing pressures of this test. The exact time allowed is: IB Economics SL IB Economics SL Paper 1- 1 hour 30 minutes IB Economics SL Paper 2- 1 hour 30 minutes IB Economics HL IB Economics HL Paper 1- 1 hour 30 minutes IB Economics HL Paper 2- 1 hour 30 minutes IB Economics HL Paper 3- 1 hour In this time frame, you need to finish: IB Economics SL SL Paper 1: two parts, Section A: answer one of two questions (each question has multiple parts), Section B: answer one of two questions (each question has multiple parts) SL Paper 2: two parts, Section A: answer one of two questions (each question has multiple parts), Section B: answer one of two questions (each question has multiple parts) IB Economics HL HL Paper 1: answer one of four questions (each question has multiple parts) HL Paper 2: answer three of six questions HL Paper 3: answer three of five questions (each question has multiple parts) Don't give yourself any extra time in your practice. If you give yourself extra time, you will not figure out your pacing. I want to these practice tests to be realistic predictors of your score. Mysid / Wikimedia Tip 3: Check Your Answers! After you finish a full test (end of Paper 2 for SL or end of Paper 3 for HL), review every mistake. If you skip this, you won’t learn from your mistakes, and you'll keep getting the same questions wrong. You should spend at least one hour reviewing scoring for the practice test. This is a bit of time, but you should be emphasizing the quality of practice over the quantity of practice. It's better to take two past papers with detailed review than four past papers with no review. What’s Next? Learn more about IB Economics: The Complete IB Economics Syllabus: SL and HL IB Economics Notes and Study Guide Learn more about the IB course offerings: The Complete List of IB Courses and Classes Which IB Courses Can I Take Online? Can I Get an Online IB Diploma? Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Sex Education in Our Classroom essays

Sex Education in Our Classroom essays Sex education, which is sometimes called sexuality education or sex and relationships education, is the process of acquiring information and forming attitudes and beliefs about sex, sexual identity, relationships and intimacy. It is also about developing young people's skills so that they make informed choices about their behavior, and feel confident and competent about acting on these choices. It is widely accepted that young people have a right to sex education, partly because it is a means by which they are helped to protect themselves against abuse, exploitation, unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS. Sex education seeks both to reduce the risks of potentially negative outcomes from sexual behavior like unwanted or unplanned pregnancies and infection with sexually transmitted diseases, and to enhance the quality of relationships. It is also about developing young people's ability to make decisions over their entire lifetime. Sex education that works, by which I mean that it is effective is sex education that contributes to this overall aim. There are two methods to teaching sex ed in our classrooms. There is the comprehensive approach and the abstinence-based approach. In this paper I intend to discuss both of these approaches, talking about the pros and cons of each. In my conclusion I will discuss my views as to which of these methods I would incorporate into my classroom. Also, I will reflect on why I would choose this particular method. Government funding of abstinence-only programs have existed for the past 20 years. The Adolescent Family Life Act (AFLA) began in 1981 and was designed to prevent teen pregnancy by promoting self-discipline and chastity. The program received $11 million in federal funds that year and $19 million in 2000. In 1996 the federal government added a provision to the welfare-reform law to establish a federal entitlement program for abstinence-only sexual educat...

Hun Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Hun - Essay Example Similarly Ishtar’s lover Tammuz died and this lead Ishtar to visit the underworld during which she removed her attires at the gate and entered while naked. This is the source of many ancient depictions of Ishtar as a naked woman. Her figure, lips, and beauty assert her as the goddess of fertility, sex and love. As the goddess of fertility, Ishtar the Babylonians believed Ishtar controlled the menstrual cycle and birth. This made all humans subject to Ishtar as their mother god. Ishtar gave kings the authority to rule and her prowess is represented by a lioness and a woman holding bow and arrow. Astarte was the love goddess of the Armenians. When Tammuz died, Ishtar descended to the underworld and threatened to break down the doors. Her relationship with Ereshkigal, the queen of the underworld was strenuous and Ishtar was imprisoned and made sick (Bray 15). Since Ishtar was the god of sex, all sexual activity in the world halted during her stay in the underworld, asserting her authority among other gods. Additionally, Ishtar nursed Tammuz which is similar to Isis the Egyptian goddess who nursed Horus. This comparative mythology demonstrates the importance of goddess Ishtar in the ancient religions. Ishtar was part of a secondary astral triad together with Shamash and Sin, the gods of the sun and moon respectively. Ishtar was the protector of prostitutes and her temples featured temple prostitutes. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Ishtar is portrayed as a bad tempered lady who has been spoiled by her father. Ishtar asked Gilgamesh who was the king of Uruk to marry her but he refused since all the lovers Ishtar took ended up dead. Ishtar threatened her father the god Anu after Gilgamesh refused to marry her. This depicts Ishtar as a bully and her need to assert herself above other gods is clear. The goddess Ishtar has influenced modern day religions particularly Christianity. The Jews interacted with

Reading journal APOC Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading journal APOC - Assignment Example At the hospital, they stayed with me and consoled me even as I writhed in pain. My parents arrived later on and thanked my colleagues for standing with me. Indeed the hospital route turned out to be the best remedy to the writer’s problem. She finally withdrew and got the necessary counseling thereafter. It surprises, however, why the writer’s caretakers had not thought of this alternative ever since the problem manifested itself. The delay has made the writer lose much in terms of personal development. The writer was worried how she would put to a halt the whole issue of drinking and using. She seemed quite concerned about the past, recalling how frequent she drank and used. Venita urges her to focus on one day at a time as that is an easier way to adjust. That means the writer should close her eyes to the past and future and instead focus on today. The quote portrays Venita as informative, encouraging, and determined. She wants to see the writer at her best. Challenges and mysteries are part of life. I once realized that no one is born perfect. People fail, but the failures serve as steps towards improvement. I once recorded poor academic performances during my middle classes in primary school. This was caused by my affiliation to jokers. When my parents and teachers counseled me, I turned a blind eye to all that had happened and my results became impressive then onwards. Venita was quite instrumental to the changes that occurred in the writer’s life. From withdrawal from drinking and using to graduating from the university with a special award, the writer has recorded a massive change in life that no one would ever imagine from the start of the novel. It all sounds miraculous, but wherever God is involved, miracles are bound to