News Media, Money and Infotainment Essay -- Television Media TV Essays

News Media, Money and Infotainment In the past few years the media has grown into more than just the facts. The goal of the media is not just to inform us but to entertain. This new media style is known as "Infotainment". The media's goals are ratings based. They use shows like Jerry Springer, Entertainment Tonight, and Hard Copy to bring in these ratings. The media of today has grown into a profit-based industry that tries to entertain us with the news and with tabloid television shows. In the late 1980s and early 1990s the three big television stations, of ABC, CBS, and NBC, changed to provide more infotainment. Networks lost ratings to the heavy competition of cable and home video. The diminishing audience caused the big three to just break even or make a tiny profit. This led to the news having topics such as issues in the entertainment world and art related stories produce a rating increase. The industry was no longer news based. Their goal over those few years had changed from reporting the news into shows that report what bring in a profit. What brought in the biggest audience was what was shown on the networks. When the rating for these shows were being taken there was an increase in the reporting of sex and violence to increase the viewers. This in tern increased the ratings (Cook 4-5). The new form of news was shaped based on how to bring in the biggest audience and make the most money whatever the cost. This new form of infotainment led to the development of Tabloid television shows. These shows, also known as "Trash TV", have more entertainment than news. Thought there is a difference between good and bad trash. With shows like Sally Jesse Raphael, Geraldo Rivera, and Jerry Springer that in many cases exploi... ...ed media world is set up to be infotaining. These shows attracting viewers with tabloid shows and putting more entertaining information in the news. The networks are trying to make the biggest profit possible and with shows that exploit people they seem to be doing it. It doesn't mater who it hurts or what the consequences are. It's no longer just reporting the news, but reporting what will bring in the biggest profit. WORKS CITED Cook, Philip S., Douglass Gomery, and Lawrence W. Lichty, ed. The Future of News. Washington: The Woodrow Wilson Center Press, 1992. Olster, Marjorie. "Raunchy radio host Stern to get late-night TV show." Infobeat. Online. Electronic Text Center. Internet. 31 Mar. 1998. Available http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2553562895-d94 Talked To Death. Videocassette. Home Box Office. Parco Productions, Inc., 1996. VHS. 60min

The Timeout Process

The implementation of the timeout processes could well be the most important procedure to be introduced to the operating theatre in recent times. This seemingly small change has had a dramatic impact on patient outcome, staff cohesion and cost reduction in medical institutions. However, there are still issues that are obstructing the effectiveness of the timeout, namely poor compliance by some team members who believe that the fast turnover of cases does not allow for the timeout, that they have never had a problem in the past or that the timeout is questioning their competence.This essay will look at the positive outcome that the timeout process has had in the operating theatre, why it is working and how to ensure that it remains a priority. The writer will also address the problem of poor compliance by some members, why they are resistant to the timeout process and what can be done to ensure their co-operation thereby creating a positive outcome for more patients. In order to place the checklist process in a proper perspective the following historical event is provided: In aviation, pilots have been using checklist since 1935.It was formulated after the crash of the new Boeing Model 299 on its test flight, which killed two of the five crew members. One of the fatalities was Major Ployer P. Hill the Air Corps’ Chief of Flight Testing. The ensuing investigation ruled that the accident was pilot error and not mechanical failure. As the result of this ruling a group of test pilots took it upon themselves to investigate the reason for the pilot error.They concluded that the new technology had a lot more sequential steps for the pilot to follow than the older aircrafts, which made it easier for Major Ployer P. Hill, a highly experienced pilot, to have missed a crucial step. The solution they formulated to rectify this dilemma was a simple checklist. By following this checklist the Model 299 was flown for 1. 8 million miles without an accident. Gawande (2010, p. 32 – 34). Likewise, the nursing profession has been using checklists in various forms, from the implementation of routine recording of vital signs to medication charts.However, it was only in 2001 that a critical care specialist, Peter Pranovost, decided to formulate a simple checklist to try and reduce central line infections in the ICU at the John Hopkins Hospital, where he was working at the time. Peter Pranovost and his colleagues monitored the results of their idea for a year. In that time the ten-day line infection rate went from 11 percent to zero. They proceeded to test other checklists with equally impressive results. (Gawande 2010, p. 7- 39) Several studies were done on surgical outcomes that showed that about half of the complications experienced could have been prevented through the use of this checklist. In these studies it was shown â€Å"that in industrial countries major complications occur in 3% to 16% of inpatient surgical procedures, and permanent disa bility or death rates are about 0. 4% to 0. 8%. In developing countries, studies suggest death rates of 5% to 10 % during major operations.Mortality from general anaesthesia alone is reported to be as high as one in 150 in parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Infections and other postoperative complications are also a serious concern around the world. † WHO (2007). In 2007 the World Health Organization (WHO) decided that something must be done to improve the situation A team of experts, led by Dr Atule Gawande, was brought together to find a solution. They formulated the surgical checklist and challenged the world to use it. The group investigated the impact of the WHO checklist in eight hospitals worldwide, four in high-income settings and four in low and middle-income settings. Data on in-hospital complications occurring within the first 30 days after surgery were collected prospectively from consecutively enrolled adult patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery, 3733 before and 3955 after the implementation of the checklist. The overall death rate was reduced from 1. 5% to 0. 8% (P= 0. 003) and in-patient complications from 11. 0% to 7% (P< 0. 001)†. Haynes (2009) What does this surgical checklist entail?As stated by WHO â€Å"The checklist identifies three phases of an operation, each corresponding to a specific period in the normal flow of work: Before the induction of anaesthesia (â€Å"sign in†), before the incision of the skin (â€Å"time out†) and before the patient leaves the operating room (â€Å"sign out†). In each phase, a checklist coordinator must confirm that the surgery team has completed the listed tasks before it proceeds with the operation†. Many institutions worldwide have adopted the surgical timeout; they have changed a few points of the WHO checklist to better meet their needs, with impressive results.A study following 8000 surgical procedures, found that the implementation of the timeout resulted in a 30% reduction in the rate of surgical complications and deaths (Hayes 2009). Not only has patient mortality and expenditure decreased but its application showed an increase in staff cohesion. The surgical checklist has helped to increase communication by ensuring that all members as a team take the time to check and discuss potential problems and expected outcomes for the patient.This enhanced interaction between the multidisciplinary team lends itself to the staff’s increase awareness of potential problems and adverse conditions, which contributes to improved patient outcomes. Taylor (2010) surveyed operating room staff and found a perceived improvement in communication, teamwork, respect and patient safety related to the use of the timeout. Improved patient outcome following the implementation of the surgical checklist has been clearly demonstrated within Veterans Affairs (Neily et al 2010) as well as in the Netherlands (deVries et al 2010) and Iran (Askarian et al 2011).In the Netherlands study by deVries, it was found that most postoperative complications declined and that this decline could be credited to improved communication. An interesting outcome was that rates of bleeding and anastomotic leaks also declined as well as technical problems which occur primarily at the surgeons hands. The findings of this study suggest that the indirect effects of implementing checklists may be much more important than their specific content. (Birkmeyer 2010) Improved communication leads to respect for each team member and trust in each other.To maintain a high degree of efficacy all staff members should be provided with continuous education and evaluation of their performance. All members should therefore be informed and have access to the data that shows the benefits of using the surgical checklist. This will prevent the staff from becoming complacent. However, complacency is not the only obstacle preventing the success of the surgical checklist, poor or even non c ompliance is of greater concern. There are a number of reasons for this. A checklist implies that mistakes can and do happen.In a study which investigated medical professionals’ attitude to the safety systems 30% of nurses and doctors stated that they ‘did not make errors’. (Sexton 2000; p745-9) A great number of medical personnel have this misconception that they do not make mistakes or they feel that admitting to mistakes, no matter how minor, will lead to their colleagues loosing respect for them and some fear being punished as the medical profession as a whole has a low tolerance for errors. These feelings can cause staff members not to report minor incidences; unfortunately many minor incidences can lead to major problems.The hierarchy system that exists in the theatre environment also leads to poor compliance with regards to the surgical timeout. Although nursing in theory is now deemed to be a profession that works alongside doctors, not for them or subser vient to them, in practise this is not always the case. When there is resistance from the surgeon or anaesthetist toward the checklist this resistance is expressed verbally in an active ridiculing manner, or non-verbally by just ignoring the process (Valen, Waehle et al 2012, p 4).When this type of attitude is displayed the theatre nurses’ main objective becomes self-preservation and the maintenance of peace, which makes the nurse rush the checklist and omitted points that may cause the surgeon or anaesthetist to become more displeased. If the surgeon and anaesthetist are supportive of the checklist, it is more likely that it will be done correctly. (Mahajan 2011, p161-8) One often finds that staff feel that doing the surgical checklist will cause delays in patient turnover, they also feel that the current system is working for them and their team so why fix what is not broken.The 2010 report by Patient Safety First showed that while most trusts reported that the checklist le d to improved safety and teamwork the most common challenges to its implementation were negative clinician attitudes. (Allard, 2011, p711-17) In the operating theatre setting there are three professions involved, namely, nursing, surgery and anaesthesia and all three are working towards a common result and yet each profession is accustomed to doing this to achieve individual goals.All three are faced with staff shortages, educational duties and economic pressures. (Lingard et al 2006, p 471-83) These pressures lead to the inconsistent use of the checklist. When the checklist process is started all staff are meant to stop what they are doing, thereby giving their full attention to the checklist. However, this is not always the case as team members may be reluctant to alter their work routine and feel that what they are doing is more important, or that if people of the team knew what they were doing the checklist would not be necessary. Amalberti et al 2005, p756-64) If there is no cl ear decision made as to who is responsible for the completion of the surgical checklist, points may not be addressed or in the rush the checklist may just be ticked so that it is complete when it is audited. Vats et al( 2010, p340) discovered that there was confusion over who’s responsibility it was to do the sign-out checks which were frequently missed due to it being at the most time pressured part of the process and also found some checklists to be incomplete, hurried, dismissed or completed without key members participation.As can be seen from the above observations there are a number of factors that lead to poor compliance and this presents a challenge in finding ways to remedy this. It is hard for junior or more timid members of the team to implement the checklist if the more senior or assertive members are not compliant. Paull et al (2009, p 675-78) states that leadership support was deemed the strongest single predictor of successful checklist implementation among six ty four Veterans Health Administration Facilities.When studying the implementation efforts of five hospitals Conley et al (2011, p873 – 79) found that having the department chiefs as members of the implementation team and actively promoting the checklist was a big factor in its success. The senior staff need to lead by example and should be seen actively supporting and participating in this process, which in turn will ensure compliance by the rest of the staff. A team approach is recommended, with the team being made up of respected members of physicians, anaesthetists and nurses.Having all disciplines represented in these teams is important as they are likely to positively influence their peers. (Reinertsen et al. 2007) This team approach removes the need for a nurse to approach a doctor or anaesthetist, which would prove difficult and they would more inclined to ignore the advice given. To ensure the surgical checklist is adopted completely by the multidisciplinary team, it should be first introduced on a small scale, to one team or theatre.This allows for more comprehensive training in the correct way to complete the surgical checklist (Taylor 2010), Positive feedback will filter from the team doing the checklist to the teams not involved, so when they have to start using the check list they will have a positive attitude towards it. This is when changes should be made to the list which will customize it to the institution. The success of the surgical checklist will filter to the other surgical teams, thereby causing wider acceptance and compliance. Langley 2009) Modifying the original WHO checklist will ensure equal participation from all team members and, therefore, creates a checklist that is inherently â€Å"team led†. A feeling of ownership will be cultivated. The WHO published a comprehensive implementation manual (WHO, 2008) to accompany the introduction of the WHO checklist that encouraged modification to fit with local practice, cautio ning against making the checklist overly complex. The Multidisciplinary team members need to receive comprehensive training with regards to how the surgical checklist is to be presented to the other staff members.They need to have clear guidelines as to who will take ownership of the checklist, in many cases it is the circulating nurse. The checklist should ideally not be recited from memory; it should be read from the list. All activity should stop when the checklist is being presented. To maintain the interest and compliance of all staff, regular feedback should be given, namely real-time feedback. As Ursprung et al (2005) cited in their discussion on improving safety, providing real-time feedback is critical for early detection and remediation of problems that may arise.Data should be collected on a regular basis and be correlated, as to provide solid evidence that will provide proof of the goals the staff have achieved and evidence of what still needs to be addressed. Thereby, m aintaining their interest in the checklists importance. The surgical checklist when approached in the proper manner is a simple tool that has the potential to improve patient outcomes expediential. Various studies by A. B Haynes (2009), J. Neily (2010), C.Hayes (2009) just to name a few have shown marked improvement with regards to patient complications and mortality rates. To prevent poor compliance by members there are a number of strategies that can be adopted. Senior members should be seen to actively participate in the checklist process so that the rest of the staff will take ownership of their checklists. To assure the success of the checklist, a small team should be formed comprising of respected members of the three disciplines involved, this will allow for peer interaction.Introducing the checklist on a small scale allows for more comprehensive education and positive feedback to the members not involved. The culture in theatre needs to change, the theory that doctors and nu rses are both professionals in their own rights and neither are boss over the other, needs to be put into practise. The multidisciplinary team in theatre needs to become a team, forget their individual agendas and make the positive outcome for their patients their priority.The surgical checklist will help, as it creates the opportunity for open communication between the multidisciplinary team, which leads to greater respect and trust between the members. With the ever increasing number of surgeries performed each year, the need for quicker turnover times will become greater, therefore without the surgical checklist, surgical complications and mortality rates will increase. It is the opinion of the writer based on the evidence gathered, that the implementation of a comprehensive surgical checklist, should be mandatory for every medical facility in the world.

Essay on Biracial Adoption - 1623 Words

Interracial Adoption Adoption is the complete and permanent transfer of parental rights and obligations, usually from one set of legal parents to adoptive parents(Ademec 27). Not until the late 19th century did the U.S. legislative body grant legal status to adoptive parents. This is when children and parents started to gain rights and support from the government. Through the years new laws have been passed and amended to keep the system fair to all adoptive parents. In 1994, Congress passed the Multiethnic Placement Act, making it illegal to delay the placement a child to find a racially matching family. In 1996 the Multiethnic Placement Act was amended to say, â€Å"One can not use race as a routine consideration in child placement†(Lewin†¦show more content†¦Ethnic identity is the major reason why many African Americans do not approve of interracial adoption. Adopting a child outside of your race is interracial adoption(Godwin 258). The National Association of Black Social Workers (NAB SW) are strongly against interracial adoption. They think that only black people can give the children a positive racial identity. Also that only black parents can help the children develop skills for coping in a racist society. This statement is proven to be wrong in the Grow/Shapiro study in 1974(Bender/Leone 198). The study consisted of 125 white families who all adopted black children. Seventy-seven percent of the adoptions went smoothly without any problems at all. They found that the tests of the transracially adopted children verses those of white adopted children matched very closely (Bender/Leone 200). The tests compared the problems that the white and black children face like racism. The numbers show that the child’s age, not transracial adoption, has the most impact on adjustment and racial identity(Bender/Leone 202). The longer the child is in an orphanage or foster home, the more problems the child will have with an adoptive family. Because the child has no paren t, it often becomes confused. The child does not know who to call mom or dad. The children wait two to five years in a foster home or orphanage before being adopted. There are not enough adoptive blackShow MoreRelatedThe Origin Of International Or Intercontinental Adoption805 Words   |  4 PagesThis paper sees the sights the origin of international or intercontinental adoption in U.S. martial intercession, mainly the Korean War and its consequences. Keeping focus on the concealed practice in Korean adoption research, the prostitute and her biracial kid, this article tends to recast armed camp town in Southern Korea as the original situate of communal casualty, a very important situation that causes to be biracial children homeless and their respective Korean mothers attenuate mothers forRead MoreThe Genesis Of International And Intercontinental Adoption785 Words   |  4 PagesThis paper sees the sights the genesis of international or intercontinental adoption in U.S. martial in tercession, predominantly the Korean War and its consequences. Keeping focus on the concealed statistics in Korean adoption research, the prostitute and her biracial kid, this article tends to recast armed camp-town in Southern Korea as the original situate of communal casualty, an essential situation that causes to be biracial children homeless and their respective Korean mothers attenuate mothersRead MoreInterracial Adoption Is A Controversial Issue For Decades Now1741 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"transracial adoption†, is a white family bringing an African American baby into their home. However, that is not always the case. Transracial adoption means the joining together of racially diverse parents and children together into an adopted family. Many families have had the life changing opportunity of adopting a child into their home, whether the child is African American, Chinese, or Vietnamese, that has shaped the family into something even stronger. 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Randall Kennedy, Harvard professor and author of Interracial Intimacies: Sex, Marriage, Identity, and Adoption, says that in 1913 â€Å"Wyoming became the last state to impose a statutory impediment to marital miscegenation, [and] forty-one others had already enacted similar laws†¦ Every state whose Black population reached or exceeded 5 percent of the total eventuallyRead More A Comparison of Outsiders in Their Eyes Were Watching God and Legal Alien1394 Words   |  6 PagesOutsiders in Their Eyes Were Watching God and Legal Alien In Pat Moras poem, Legal Alien, the author describes her biracial character as being viewed by Anglos as perhaps exotic, / perhaps inferior, definitely different, / viewed by Mexicans as alien, a description which highlights the situation encountered by people who strive to be prestigious individuals by floating between cultures and who consequently fail to be a part of any particular group (Mora 9-11). 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