Controlling Quality Design Using BIM Technology

Question: Discuss about the Controlling Quality Design Using BIM Technology A case Study of UTS. Answer: Introduction Construction industry and projects have become more involved; noble ideas can be put into play to resolve the complexity, to come up with this ideas, it requires one to have proper communication channels. Quality design is a major point when putting up buildings. UTS has taken into considerations the quality of structures that they construct. They have adopted the BIM, which uses modern technology. In the present days, people or constructing and communicating designs have evolved from paper-based arts to three- dimensional Building Information Model, which facilitates the high-quality design and faster decision making in the construction industry. BIM enhances potential productivity and more efficient work in the building and construction industry in Australia. The construction industry is moving from improving efficiency by lowering cost and time towards the issue of high quality design. With the high demand for controlled quality design, Information Technology has come into play to support human construction plans and implemented a solution to the problem using advanced BIM technology (Azhar, Khalfan, Maqsood, 2015). IT give room for contractors to examine if design solutions are in line with the expected requirements and satisfy management quality requisitions. In a study done by Wix, it showed that 85% of architects and engineers had an interest in controlled quality design using advanced BIM technology. The advanced BIM-based quality design has become one of the major topics of BIM technology research in the IT construction field as it embraces controlled quality design in building as it is seenin UTS. In many cases, BIM quality checking is carried out using the software itself to enable satisfaction of building codes, legislation and other requirements (Jianxin, 2010). Quality checking design constitutes to improved quality design trough detection of faults and any other bits that could be left out in the building plans whereas, during the construction phase, quality checking improves the feasibility of the building's construction design by detection of issues between systems or building elements. The importance of advanced BIM technology has been recognized since it gives room for fast decision making with an organization and guarantees high-quality buildings in construction projects. Advanced BIM quality design and control BIM quality checking and oversight is the quality activities that take place in managing a project at each construction phase of the project. Project management incorporates a procedural manner to that ensures that a project being undertaken will meet the required expectations. The activities that examine the objectives, quality policy, and responsibilities and puts them into action by means such as quality control are part of project management (Eadie, Browne, Odeyinka, McKeown, McNiff, 2013). Under this research, advanced BMI quality control can be referred as making sure that buildings quality requirements are ensured by the use of automated evaluation and inspection. The quality of BIM models is altered by designer's skills and the techniques employed. Quality control in necessary as it reduces errors and time that could have been taken if the process is done manually (Jupp, 2013, July). Of late, automated BIM quality control has been implemented as a project design quality impr ovement tool (Smith, 2014). Frank Gehry adopted the idea of using BIM to put up the Dr. Chau Wing Building in UTS after a visit to see the old dairy firm in a place known as Ultimo. His single development by use of the BIM technology saw Californian headquarters modeled in a three-dimensional design (Yan, Culp, Graf, 2011). It also helped architects who were struggling with budgets as with BIM it is possible to control the costs that one is likely to occur during the construction phase (Smith, 2014). This research aims at creating awareness to Austrian people to adopt controlled quality design in their buildings using the Frank Gehry's idea that is the advanced BIM technology. BIM- Supported teaching and learning at UTS. Literature Review BIM Implementation Trends BIM Development Generally BIM concepts can be followed all the way back to earliest computing times of 1960, and 1970's when solid modeling started to develop. Most people as the source of BIM view ArchiCAD software that was developed in 1982 in Hungary, and Revit software program development constituted to BIM implementation (Motawa Messener, 2008). There has been a great increase in momentum in the last five years as technology, and implementation issues have improved, the industry has realized great merits from the technology (RICS, 2013). A range of research has come into play to address implementation issues in the industry (Arayici, Coates, Koskela, Kagioglou, Usher O'reilly, 2011). A survey in 2013 that constituted of 727 contractors in the world largest markets was undertaken to determine the trends of BIM technology in these countries and found that BIM was being adopted in most of these countries at a high rate (Jng Joo, 2011). According to the survey, countries like US, UK, Germany, France and C anada were rapidly adopting BIM technology. Australia In Australia, advance BIM technology used in the construction industry is not much spread because the government lacks the mandate to legalize BIM projects. In about past five years, BIM interest has become popular as a great number of initiatives participate in creating awareness, inform project stakeholders about the potential outputs, and profit advantage that they could have on embracing advanced BIM technology (Macdonald Mills, 2011). These initiatives include the National BIM Guide by National Specification, the BIM- MEPAUS models and guidelines and the National Modelling by research center for construction innovation (Manning, Messner, 2008). The building organization is still at the front line in playing the role in BIM development and implementation in Australia that through an alliance with software vendors to lift the concept of open advanced BIM technology. Though adopting controlled quality design through BIM technology is low in Australia, UTS has witnessed great and quality services from Frank Gherys invention. The UTS construction accommodates many students and staff as its safety has been guaranteed all through since it was put up. Research Methodology It is evident that many countries are adopting advanced BIM technology as it is witnessed in the literature review above. The research methodology to be adopted for the next phase of the study was to analyze key factors in Australia that facilitated successful BIM implementation at UTS. The research designs to be adopted in this study will be descriptive survey and time series model. This two will facilitate complete analysis and updated information that controlled quality design through BIM technology takes at UTS building. The reason for this was to find out the best innovations and practices used in the world that can be utilized by all people in Australia. The outcomes of the study showed that controlled quality design through advanced BIM technology had advantages in the following sectors; 1.Competitive advantage and Business cases 2.Integrated project delivery Quality of the beam model 1.Legal contracts and BIM protocols 2.Industry leadership and government References Azhar, S., Khalfan, M., Maqsood, T. (2015). Building information modeling (BIM): now and beyond. Construction Economics and Building, 12(4), 15-28) Eadie, R., Browne, M., Odeyinka, H., McKeown, C. McNiff, S. (2013). BIM implementation throughout UK construction project lifecycle: An analysis. Automation in Construction, 36, 145-151. Jianxin, Z. (2010). Study on Barriers to implementing BIM in engineering design industry in China [J]. Journal of Engineering Management, 24(4), 387-392. Jung, Y., Joo, M. (2011). Building information modeling (BIM) framework for practical implementation. Automation in Construction, 20(2), 126-133. Jupp, J. (2013, July). Incomplete BIM implementation: Exploring challenges and the role of product lifecycle management functions. In10th Product Lifecycle Management for Society (PLM)(pp. 630-640). Springer. Manning, R., Messner, J. I. (2008). A case study in BIM implementation for programming of healthcare facilities. Journal of Information Technology in Construction (ITcon), 13(18), 246-257. Macdonald, J. A., Mills, J. E. (2011). The potential of BIM to facilitate collaborative AEC education. InAmerican Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference.American Society of Engineering Education. Motawa, I., Almarshad, A. (2013). A knowledge-based BIM system for building maintenance. Automation in Construction, 29, 173-182. Sabol, L. (2013). BIM technology for FM. BIM for Facility Managers, 1st Edition, New Jersey: John Wiley Sons, 17-45. Smith, P. (2014). BIM the 5D project cost manager. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 119, 475-484. Yan, W., Culp, C., Graf, R. (2011). Integrating BIM and gaming for real-time interactive architectural visualization. Automation in Construction, 20(4), 446-458.

Anne Sexton Essay Example

Anne Sexton Essay Anne Sexton’s use of language in her poem Her Kind illustrates a kindred link to other women.   The final line of the first stanza’s illustrates this point, â€Å"I have been her kind† (Sexton line 7).   This relates back to the previous lines in which Sexton is making reference to a witch.   In this case perhaps Sexton does not mean a literal witch, but rather another definition of the word which could be stretched to mean an entity of evil.   In this, Sexton states, â€Å"†¦a possessed with/ haunting the black air†¦dreaming evil†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Sexton, lines 1-3).   It seems also that there is a literal translation in the word choice.   The witch trials which plagues 17th century America are a black mark in history, and the target audience in these ‘shows’ were women.   Thus, Sexton is relating herself to the history of her gender, by labeling herself in the first line a witch.This same stanza however presents the reader wit h an interesting subtle use of words, â€Å"A woman like that is not a woman, quite† (Sexton line 6).   Here, Sexton is suggesting that this fairy tale person manifested in the flesh is not entirely a woman.   This brings forth a fantastical air to the poem in revealing to the readers the fact that although the shape and symbol of the witch is a woman, she is not embodying a woman to the fullest extant.   Thus, the figure of the witch is lacking something which has become a staple trait of femininity.   Perhaps this is where Sexton is telling the reader that the traits that are in design attributed to women such as docility, propriety, and passiveness are not found in the personality shift of the witch.   Instead a witch is arrogant, forthright, and active, the opposite of what a woman is supposed to be in society.   The witch trials singled out women in a village or town who were independent, widowed, and self-sufficient, which meant they did not succumb to such standards of womanhood.   Sexton in the poem then is preserving the thought that a woman who is not categorized into a format of society’s wishes is not considered to be feminine and thus the line, â€Å"not a woman quite† (Sexton line 6).In stanza two Sexton reveals to the audience a setting.   In this setting natural elements are significant such as the woods, caves, and there is a juxtaposition between manmade items and items found in nature.   The development of this second stanza is presenting the reader with elements of a fairy tale.   This is found in her word usage such as, â€Å"fixed the suppers for the worms and the elves† (Sexton line 4).   The further extrapolation of the idea of an independent woman.   The idea of this woman in the second stanza is found in the setting Sexton sets for her reader.   The independence and the distance from society which Sexton reveals is found in the lines, â€Å"I have found the warm caves in the woods †Ã‚   (Sexton line 8).In this cave, in order to bring humanity to the woman whom Sexton described as not being a woman, the reader finds â€Å"skillets, carvings, shelves, closets, silks, innumerable goods† (Sexton lines 9-10).   In revealing these everyday items, these mundane trinkets of the common lives of people, Sexton is leading the reader into the common life of a woman.   Although society has labeled her as a witch, because of her independence and break from society she is an extreme introvert and that’s dangerous for society since they as a collective don’t understand how a person could willingly want to be alone.   In the items listed that the woman is holding in her cave it seems that Sexton is not denying the woman her femininity, as she places in the items she is holding in the cave, â€Å"silks† (Sexton line 10).   With the idea of silk, something soft and entirely woman-centered is conjured up in the reader’s mind.   Sexton goes on to explain the situation of the woman in the woods, how close to nature she is, how far from the buzz of the village and the religious rites and concepts as the woman in the woods is cooking supper for the â€Å"worms and elves† (Sexton line 11).   Sexton goes on to state quite plainly that, â€Å"A woman like that is misunderstood† (Sexton line 13).Stanza three is the quintessential stanza of Sexton’s poem.   In this stanza Sexton is relating the woman in the cave, the witch to the mundane activities of the world.   In this stanza Sexton is saying that even with the woman in the woods there are other women around the town, around the state, and the country the world even that have the disposition to be a witch, to be out of the ordinary in regards to the definitions of society.   Sexton reveals the hidden woman in society who has been a constant figure but whose life has been in accordance to her own ideas, and out of society’s sha dow, she has lived, as Sexton writes, â€Å"I have ridden in your cart, driver, waved my nude arms at villages going by, learning the last bright routes, survivor where your flames still bite my thigh† (Sexton lines 15-18).   Sexton is speaking about he depreciating value of the woman in regards to this time in history, this time of witch trials and backwards thinking in which a woman who was considered independent cannot be a normal function of society but instead is the symbol of evil.This reflection of Sexton’s language and her choice of time period is reflective of The Scarlet Letter in which the main character’s daughter Pearl was considered possessed by the devil because of the way she thought and her mother was considered possessed as well because she was a widow, attractive, and independent from society (Hawthorne Scarlet Letter 2004).   The time period Sexton choose was one in America in which many woman were wrongfully accused of torturing, and kil ling off people in a village.   They were hung, burned at the stake, drowned, and tortured for these accusations that were proven not by fact but through religion and false testimony.   The Salem witch trials proved to be a disparaging moment in history.   However, Sexton gives these women back their identity and brave nature by stating, â€Å"A woman like that is not ashamed to die.† (Sexton line 20).   Sexton ends the poem with, â€Å"I have been her kind† (Sexton line 21) stating that their memory, their way of living drives forth into new generations of independent women.

Overseas Territories of the United Kingdom

Overseas Territories of the United Kingdom The United Kingdom (UK) is an island nation located in Western Europe. It has a long history of worldwide exploration and it is known for its historic colonies around the world. The UKs mainland consists of the island of Great Britain (England, Scotland,  and Wales) and Northern Ireland. In addition, there are 14 overseas territories of Britain that are remnants of former British colonies. These territories are not officially a part of the UK, as most are self-governing (but they do remain under its jurisdiction). List of British Territories The following is a list of the 14 British Overseas Territories arranged by land area. For reference, their populations and capital cities have also been included. 1. British Antarctic Territory Area: 660,000 square miles (1,709,400 sq km) Population: No permanent population Capital: Rothera 2. Falkland Islands Area: 4,700 square miles (12,173 sq km) Population: 2,955 (2006 estimate) Capital: Stanley 3. South Sandwich and the South Georgia Islands Area: 1,570 square miles (4,066 sq km) Population: 30 (2006 estimate) Capital: King Edward Point 4. Turks and Caicos Islands Area: 166 square miles (430 sq km) Population: 32,000 (2006 estimate) Capital: Cockburn Town 5. Saint Helena, Saint Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha Area: 162 square miles (420 sq km) Population: 5,661 (2008 estimate) Capital: Jamestown 6. Cayman Islands Area: 100 square miles (259 sq km) Population: 54,878 (2010 estimate) Capital: George Town 7. Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Area: 98 square miles (255 sq km) Population: 14,000 (date unknown) Capital: Episkopi Cantonment 8. The British Virgin Islands Area: 59 square miles (153 sq km) Population: 27,000 (2005 estimate) Capital: Road Town 9. Anguilla Area: 56.4 square miles (146 sq km) Population: 13,600 (2006 estimate) Capital: The Valley 10. Montserrat Area: 39 square miles (101 sq km) Population: 4,655 (2006 estimate) Capital: Plymouth (abandoned); Brades (center of government today) 11. Bermuda Area: 20.8 square miles (54 sq km) Population: 64,000 (2007 estimate) Capital: Hamilton 12. British Indian Ocean Territory Area: 18 square miles (46 sq km) Population: 4,000 (date unknown) Capital: Diego Garcia 13. Pitcairn Islands Area: 17 square miles (45 sq km) Population: 51 (2008 estimate) Capital: Adamstown 14. Gibraltar Area: 2.5 square miles (6.5 sq km) Population: 28,800 (2005 estimate) Capital: Gibraltar

Leadership and ethics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Leadership and ethics - Assignment Example There is no doubt therefore that any leader who takes an ethical approach will enjoy the support of employees and easily lead them in sharing the common organisational goals both short and long term. Today’s business leaders have no option other than embracing ethics in their leadership styles so as to appeal to the employees, investors and even the general public. The first pillars of ethical leadership or more related to the moral person element of leadership requiring that leaders should poses traits like trustworthiness and fairness which are desirable. The other pillar focuses on the moral manager aspect thus requiring ethical leaders to foster normative behaviour at the expense of what is unethical among followers through transactional efforts that clearly communicating ethics and rendering their support for ethical behaviours (Brown &Trevino 2006). It is imperative therefore ethical leaders stress the importance having a two-way communication; apart from airing their ideas and opinions they must also listen to their followers (Brown et al, 2005). The two-way communication is particularly crucial in ensuring information flow in the organisation.The leaders inspire norms on how to handle colleagues and this greatly influences team relations in the affirmative (Mayer et al, 2012). Ethical leadership therefore not only motivates employees b ut also saves the company of financial issues and helps grow the organisations reputation outside. Additionally, ethical leadership has immense power of eliminating tensions, personal attacks and resolving conflicts in the place of work (Mayer et al, 2012). It encourages freedom of expression and respect for diverse opinions. Thus rendering employees free and ready to listen & respect what colleagues have to air. Ethical leaders are role models in the organisations are they are capable of commanding

The Role of the Leader in Evaluating Data to Improve Quality and Assignment

The Role of the Leader in Evaluating Data to Improve Quality and Safety Paper - Assignment Example Despite the increased attention within the healthcare industry to facilitate reimbursement to the best available intentions for managing patient falls, the rates continue to escalate, which puts the patients and their caregivers at risk. The facts as depicted in the core of this study indicate the alarming rates, which falls and other critical developments in the care facilities continue to influence the role of the nursing leaders. The facts as presented remain undeniably high compared to the rates of the manageable cases within this case as the report indicates. The telemetry unit in this case is observing an increasing rate of falls of patients. For instance, compared to the average age, which is at 72.4 years, this rate of falls is quite difficult to note the cause. Secondly, the majority of the cases of the patient falls as depicted in the case apply to the patients with diuretics. The patients depict aspects of confusion and disorientation, constituting 12% of the patients with such secondary diagnostics. This establishment is vital to the establishment of workable plan. Additionally, it is also observable that most of the cases of the patient falls occur during the early morning hours. The patient reports indicate that a significant majority of the patients experiencing falls occurs from 3:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Moreover, it is also notable that the minimum number of patient falls occurs in the afternoon hours. These observations indicate the need to evaluate the causative factors contributing to this trend in within the unit. From observing the developments in the fall rates, it is also notable that the average falls is on the rise for each of the days within the hours described. The nurses that recall the incidents when the patient fell indicate that the patient fall rates increase with increase in age. This observation means that the plan to address the cases of patient falls need to consider the vulnerability and co-morbidities

Occupational Theory And Well Being

Occupational Theory And Well Being This discussion will be looking at the health needs of an individual and impact these have on health, illness and well-being, in relation to occupational therapy. Firstly it will look at the individual, identifying key aspects of their health and wellbeing. Then it will focus on Occupational therapy, looking at the impact occupational therapy can have on health and well-being. There are 2 appendices attached to enhance the readers knowledge but are not essential to the discussion. It will be set out as an assignment with clear headings. Nathan Como This discussion will be focusing on a 45 year old man called Nathan. He is a first generation British National; his parents were born in Trinidad. In 1984 Nathan married and had a baby. Nathans wife left him, and the baby, when they baby was one. Nathan was unable to cope, went to his doctor and was given antipsychotic medication. He was later diagnosed with schizophrenia (see appendix 1). A few years later, Nathan noticed he was struggling to breathe so went to his general practitioner (GP) who diagnosed him with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (see appendix 2). Nathan is an active smoker and has been since he was young. Nathan has not had a steady job since young but does work to support his family. Nathan was never a particularly social man but did begin to take part in the community when his son was young and his neighbors were regular babysitters. This discussion will focus on the impacts of changes to ones health needs and the effect this has on their occupational balance. Occupational Therapy There are various versions on the definition of occupational therapy. The world federation of occupational therapists (WFOT, 2004) defines occupational therapy as a profession concerned with promoting health and wellbeing through occupation. An occupational therapist views the participation in occupations as stimulating for an individuals health and wellbeing (Wilcock, 1993). It is important to remember that although occupations are often assumed to be healthy or productive this is not always the case as: binge drinking, smoking and risky sports, can all be described as occupations; these could all have a detrimental effect on ones health and wellbeing. It can be concluded that without the ability to complete occupations it can then be assumed that a person will not lead a healthy or productive life. Occupational therapists aim to identify an individuals occupational identity. This can be described as who the individual sees themselves as and who they would like to aim to be (Duncan, 2006). People all have a different view of who they are and how they see themselves within a community. This is important for occupational therapists to establish as each client they meet with will have a different occupational identity (another reference). Additionally it is core to an occupational therapist to establish the individuals occupational performance. This has been defined as some kind of purposeful and goal directed activity (Crabtree, 2003) or Duncan (2006) defines occupational performance as what his or her (the individual) physical, cognitive and social abilities are. Crabtrees (2003) definition of occupational performance includes the words purposeful activity. There is a great debate among occupational therapists as to the meaning behind purposeful activity (and if this indeed the r ight word to be used in a definition). A purposeful activity to one person may not be the same to someone else. For Nathan, carrying out simple everyday tasks may be difficult due to his breathing, so a purposeful task may be to have a shower independently. For others a shower may just be seen as a basic human need and not purposeful at all. It is all based upon the individual and what it means to them. When a person develops an illness there occupational balance can be disturbed and they need to re-adjust their lives to ensure they continue to have an occupational balance. Occupational balance can be defined as a combination of self-care, play, work and rest (Wilcock et al, 1997) or self-care, productivity and leisure (Le Boutillier and Croucher, 2010). Additionally that it is through occupations that a healthy physical and mental wellbeing is obtained (Wilcock et al, 1997). The college of occupational therapy (COT), 2006 suggests that individuals have a built in drive and need to be active and to partake in occupations. Occupation is central to the existence of individuals, groups and communities COT, 2006. Without occupations people would never reach the potentials within themselves or the world, (Wilcock, 1993). The COT report that if people are deprived of activity or have limited access to a wide variety of occupations both their physical and psychological health will suffer. Children take part in occupations largely to learn and develop whereas adults complete occupations to contribute to the community and to be rewarded for their contribution. It can be very important to some that they establish a role for themselves. For Nathan his roles within his life have developed and changed. He was a husband for a short time, a father to Saul, but this was partially shared with his neighbours. It is reported by the COT, 2006 that the older generation use occupations to support their independence and to give them a role within a community or society. Maintaining a routine of occupations, that, have meaning to an individual, can provide a structure and sense of purpose and direction to life to an individual. Irrelevant of disability/disease an individual can carry out a routine which can provide fee lings of identity, normality and wellbeing. Therefore any disruption to the routine thanks to illness, injury or environmental challenges can lead to dissatisfaction, disorientation and distress for the individual. Occupation is, therefore, essential for good mental health and wellbeing COT, 2006. When a person is unable to engage in occupation, whether due to personal, social or environmental factors, the occupational therapist works with her or him to develop skills, challenge inequalities and promote social inclusion COT, 2006. Occupational therapists believe that occupational competency (another reference) in everyday activities depends on the interaction between the individual; their occupations (the things they do) and the individuals environment. It has been reported that an individuals wellbeing is directly related to the quality of this interaction. Duncan (2006) reports that when an individual is temporarily or permanently unable to relate or engage in the roles, relationships and certain occupations expected of someone of a similar age and sex; within a particular culture, it can be assumed the individual has an occupational dysfunction. Kielhofner, 2009, states that occupational dysfunction occurs when an individual does not have the capacity to choose, perform or organise occupations or the ability to choose a pattern of occupational behavior that facilitates a quality of life. How would an Occupational Therapist Assess and choose interventions for Nathan? Reed and Sanderson (1999) report that there are 7 key reasons why occupational therapists should use models and the advantages of a model based practice. Models provide a link between theory and practice, define and focus the area of interest for the OT, provide a framework for assessment, intervention and evaluation, contribute to a sound philosophical basis, use of common vocabulary to communicate ideas, provides a professional unity and the use of common themes throughout all models; such as concern for the individual, the value of human occupation and looking at an individual holistically. Although models give a good grounding and starting point for occupational therapists, it is important to remember they are just that; a starting point. They do not include details on every aspect or outcome that may occur and they assume a basic knowledge of the key attributes expected of an occupational therapist. Models are used to guide practice but not to dictate. Models are sometimes used as the boundaries of the occupational therapy intervention, as practitioners come across new patients with varying conditions and they may not fit neatly into an existing model. It is important for an occupational therapist to note that models are inclusive not exclusive and in these cases the practitioner should be experienced enough to notice the need to perhaps adapt a model or develop a new one. An occupational therapist should also be mindful of models become out of date as practice is evolving all the time so using an old model may result in out of date practice (Feaver and Creek, 1993). Kielhofner (2009) discusses the Model of Human Occupation, within which he reports that volition (what values an individual has, the interests an individual finds satisfying and how an individual is able to interact within the world) leads to the choice of occupational activities (functional and dysfunctional occupations). If an individual has a mental health problem it may contribute to the i ndividual being unable to assess their personal interaction within the world and may result in a change in how a person interacts within the world (Crist et al, 2000); resulting in a change in their occupations. Nathan has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, as a result his views and how he is viewed within society has changed. There is a lot of stigma and stereotypes related to schizophrenia, a study by Angermeyer and Matschinger (2004) looked at the stereotypes a person with schizophrenia experiences. They concluded that the most common are people believing they are incompetent, unpredictable and also dangerous. As a result individuals with mental health illnesses find themselves socially excluded, with no one to turn to. For an individual such as Nathan who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia but has been receiving successful treatment for a number of years, this could be extremely frustrating. Morgan (2007) reports that people with mental health illnesses are the most excluded population. This statement is also supported by Le Boutillier and Croucher (2010). The definition of social inclusion is a debated one, it is highly inconsistent and comes with ambiguity. A report by Le Boutillier and Croucher (2010) argues that social inclusion is more than just engaging in community activity within the physical presence, as this doesnt necessarily imply that the individual feels included. Nathan began to attend community activities when his son was younger thanks to a family who would regularly babysit for him. They encouraged him to attend the local church and also become more involved within the community. It can be argued that although Nathan was actively involved in the community for a short while did he really feel included? The media portray schizophrenia in a bad light only highlighting the bad symptoms (mentioned earlier being incompetent, unpredictable and also dangerous) and not addressing the positive ones or identifying that it is a manageable illness. As a result it is often recorded that not only is it a stereotype of the individual s who do not suffer from a mental health illness but also it is often the individuals with the illness who feel they are incapable to socialising with others and being involved for fear of how they may react. Individuals feel fear and rejection, as a result of their mental illness, and lack a sense of connection and belonging. Le Boutillier and Croucher (2010) also identify that individuals who are not socially active within their community still may feel socially included, again emphasising the fact that it is not just physically attending community activities which can cause an individual to feel included. Other authors report social inclusion as being the ability of an individual to fit into a community by conforming to its traditional values of housing, education and employment (Lloyd et al 2006). Others refer to social inclusion including the social, psychological and physical components but emphasising the individuals sense of belonging and the importance of a support network (Labonte, 2004). However Le Boutillier and Croucher (2010) report that feeling socially included must also include personal meaning, an individual should feel involved and feel connected to the community, not just simply an individual physically engaging within the community. Therefore all these views indicate that how the individual perceives themselves within a community will determine whether they view themselves as socially included; it is highly individual. From this information it would be hard to conclude as to whether Nathan was feeling socially excluded as it is an individual view. An occupational therapist would need to conclude with their service user what their view of social inclusion means to their specific environment. A study by Le Boutillier and Croucher (2010) report that the occupational aspects associated with social inclusion are; self care, leisure, productivity, occupational deprivation, occupational alienation, occupational balance, habits, roles routines an d occupational performance. It states that all these aspects help an individual to feel more socially included or may cause them to feel isolated depending. For occupational therapists, the three main occupational performance areas are self-care, leisure and productivity (work). A study completed by Moyer (2000) looked at the impact of work for individuals with mental health illnesses. He looked at work as a means of integrating into a community, not just as an income as work can be voluntary or within home management. He identified that work helps to develop a persons confidence, identity and self-esteem. It also establishes a role for the person within a community. Nathan has not had a stable job since he left school but has been working constantly. The reasons behind his nomadic style are not clear but could be due to his schizophrenia and the social exclusion he receives when colleagues, employers or customers discover his illness. It has also been recently discussed by Sweetsur, 2009 that many individuals with a mental health illness are seen to be critically ill and are not seen as people who are able to carry out work when well. S weetsur, 2009 also suggests that mental health institutions are not promoting people back to work or encouraging them to better themselves. If the people working with and for individuals with mental health illnesses are not promoting work then it is not surprising that society has the view that people with mental health problems are incapable of working. If an individual is not working they will not be fulfilling the productivity aspect to ensure they have occupational balance. Conclusion From the above information it is clear to conclude that one key trend throughout this discussion is the prominence of client centred practice. The fact that every individual is different and there is no clear definition, model or practice that will fit two clients. Using this information it is very hard to establish Nathans particular health needs as the information provided is limited. Assumptions would need to be made in all aspects of his life. It is clear from the above that occupational therapists believe to ensure an individual is healthy they should partake in occupations which are purposeful and meaningful to the individual. When an individual becomes injured, has a disability or something affects their environment resulting in them no longer being able to partake in occupations it causes an occupational dysfunction. Occupational therapists use models to help asses and implement plans for the individual although it is essential that the practitioner understands the limitations of models. References Angermeyer M and Matschinger H (2004) The Stereotype of Schizophrenia and Its impact on Discrimination Against People With Schizophrenia: Results From a Representative Survey in Germany. Schizophrenia Bulletin 30(4) 1049-1061. Accessed 03.11.10 via http://schizophreniabulletin.oxfordjournals.org/content/30/4/1049.full.pdf Boyer G, Hachey R and Mercier, C (2000) Perceptions of Occupational Performance and Subjective Quality of Life in Persons with Severe Mental Illness. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health,15(2)1-15. Accessed 02.11.10 via http://0eb.ebscohost.com.serlib0.essex.ac.uk/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5hid=105sid=89328e11-b7d8-4de4-97ad-93b4e1890459%40sessionmgr104 Cao V, Chung C, Ferreira A, Nelken J, Brooks D and Cott C (2010) Changes in Activities of Wives Caring for Their Husbands Following Stroke. Physiotherapy Canada, 62 (1) 35-43. Accessed 02.11.10 via http://0-web.ebscohost.com.serlib0.essex.ac.uk/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=10hid=109sid=416f83bf-4f0b-4fbf-8f04-2db73ffdc44c%40sessionmgr111 College of Occupational Therapists (2006) Recovering ordinary lives: the strategy for occupational therapy in mental health services 2007-2017. London: COT. Accessed 01.11.10 via http://www.cot.co.uk/MainWebSite/Resources/Document/ROL_Vision_2010.pdf Crabtree J (2003) Occupational Performance. Occupational Therapy in Health Care, 17(2), 1-18 Creek J (2010) The core concepts of occupational therapy: A dynamic Framework for practice. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers Crist P, Davis, C and Coffin, P (2000) The Effects of Employment and Mental Health Status on the Balance of Work, Play/Leisure, Self-Care, and Rest. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 15(1), 27-42 Duncan E (2002) Foundations for Practice in Occupational Therapy. Elsevier Ltd, London. Feaver S and Creek J (1993) Models for practice in occupational therapy. British Journal of Occupational Therapy 56(2) 59-62. Gronkiewicz C and Borkgren-Okonek M (2004) Acute exacerbation of COPD: nursing application of evidence-based guidelines. Critical Care Nursing Quarterly, 27(4), 336-352. Honey A (1999) Empowerment versus power: Consumer participation in mental health services. Occupational Therapy International, 6(4), 257-276 Kielhofner, G (2009) Conceptual Foundations of Occupational Therapy Practice. F.A. Davis Company. Philadelphia, USA Labonte R (2004) Social inclusion/exclusion: dancing the dialectic. Health Promotion International, 19(9), 115-21. Accessed 02.11.10 via http://heapro.oxfordjournals.org/content/19/1/115.full Le Boutillier, C. Croucher, A. (2010) Social Inclusion and Mental Health, British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 73(3) pp.136 139 Lloyd C, Tse S, Deane FP (2006) Community participation and social inclusion: how practitioners can make a difference. Australian e-journal for the Advancement of Mental Health, 5(3) Accessed 02.11.10 via http://www.qldalliance.org.au/resources/items/2009/09/294410-upload-00001.pdf Lloyd C, Waghorn G, Williams PL (2008) Conceptualising recovery in mental health rehabilitation. British Journal of Occupational Therapy,71(8), 321-28 Molineux M (2004) Occupation for Occupational Therapists. Blackwell Publishing Ltd, Oxford. http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=enlr=id=-UeXMIL3B0Coi=fndpg=PR9dq=Molineux+social+exclusionots=-HzrxHwTFmsig=C1vzJYcR7HY6IcdicghK5D5aQAI#v=onepageq=Molineux%20social%20exclusionf=false Morgan C, Burns T, Fitzpatrick M, Pinfold V and Priebe S (2007) Social exclusion and mental health Conceptual and methodological review. British Journal of Psychiatry, 191, 477-483. Retrieved 01.11.10 from http://bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/reprint/191/6/477 Petty T (2000) COPD: interventions for smoking cessation and improved ventilatory function. Geriatrics, 55(12), 30. Reed K and Sanderson S (1999) Concepts of Occupational therapy (4th Ed). Lippincott Williams Wilkins. Maryland, Usa. Accessed 02.11.10 via http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=enlr=id=1ZE47g_IRTwCoi=fndpg=PR7dq=occupational+therapy+modelsots=sJkzgUie_Psig=6z3WRZ5AlTAfifSKZqPkkkO_n68#v=onepageq=occupational%20therapy%20modelsf=false Reilly M (1962) Occupational Therapy Can Be One Of the Great Ideas of 20th Century Medicine. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 16 (1) 87-105. Accessed 16.10.11 via http://moodle.essex.ac.uk/file.php/1640/future_OT.pdf Schermer T, Weel C, Barten F et al. (2008). Prevention and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in primary care: position paper of the European Forum for Primary Care. Quality in Primary Care. 16 (5), p363-377. Sweetsur D (2009) Schizophrenia and the work ethic: is it time to stop thinking and start doing? Mental Health Occupational Therapy, 14 (3) 106-107 WFOT (2004) What is OT? Retrieved 13-10-2010 from: http://www.wfot.org/information.asp Wilcock A (1993) A theory of the human need for occupation. Occupational Science: Austrialia, 1 (1) 17-24 Wilcock A, Chelin M, Hall M, Hamley N, Morrison B, Scrivener L, Townsend M and Treen K (1997) The relationship between occupational balance and health: A pilot study Occupational Therapy International, 4(1), 17-30. Accessed 02.11.10 via http://0-web.ebscohost.com.serlib0.essex.ac.uk/ehost/detail?vid=11hid=109sid=416f83bf-4f0b-4fbf-8f04-2db73ffdc44c%40sessionmgr111 Yuil C, Crinson I and Duncan E (2010) Key Concepts in Health Studies. SAGE Publications Ltd. London. Accessed 04.10.10 via http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/13029/49397/49397.pdf Appendix 1 Schizophrenia When someone believes untrue things about their cultural society and has considered to have lost touch with reality they are generally diagnosed with a form of psychosis such as schizophrenia (Morrison et al 2008). Psychosis itself is a persons belief in events in reality that are imaginary or unreal (NHS, 2010). Individuals who develop schizophrenia are will never be the same as another schizophrenic as they all bring their own individual experiences and symptoms (NICE,2010).Other mental illness involve psychosis, but what separates schizophrenia from bipolar disorder (a.k.a manic depression) for instance, is that the patients problems are not centred exclusively around their mood (Morrison et al 2008). Schizophrenics may also, believe that they have great powers and abilities (Morrison et al 2008), have strange changes in behaviour or find it difficult to concentrate even on everyday tasks (NHS, 2010). It is quite possible that Nathan could be further diagnosed as having paranoid s chizophrenia as his symptoms largely relate to this form of psychosis. Negative symptoms for the illness also exist such as low mood and being social withdrawn (NHS, 2010). There is some confliction within literature as it seems that personal and professional ideas differ with regards to recovery from schizophrenia (Rethink 2010). Professionals may view recovery as completely overcoming the symptoms of the illness, most patients, carers and some organisations try to view recovery in terms of achieving personal goals and targets such as returning to work or having an active social life (Rethink 2010 Morrison et al 2008). While some research suggests that some patients do make a full recovery (but often over very long periods of time), there is still variation between individuals and it is not the case for everyone (Morriosn et al 2008). For these individuals, finding ways of managing their illness through medication and therapy in order to rebuild their lives to a level that they can cope with, gives them and their carers their own personal sense of recovery (Morrison et al 2008). NICE, 2010 report that inequalities in mental health services are common and especially for clients from Afro-Caribbean origins to access UK services.

Deception Point Page 17

Rachel could only stare. I traveled three thousand miles for this kind of hospitality? This guy was no Martha Stewart. â€Å"With all due respect,† she fired back, â€Å"I am also under presidential orders. I have not been told my purpose here. I made this trip on good faith.† â€Å"Fine,† Ekstrom said. â€Å"Then I will speak bluntly.† â€Å"You've made a damn good start.† Rachel's tough response seemed to jolt the administrator. His stride slowed a moment, his eyes clearing as he studied her. Then, like a snake uncoiling, he heaved a long sigh and picked up the pace. â€Å"Understand,† Ekstrom began, â€Å"that you are here on a classified NASA project against my better judgment. Not only are you a representative of the NRO, whose director enjoys dishonoring NASA personnel as loose-lipped children, but you are the daughter of the man who has made it his personal mission to destroy my agency. This should be NASA's hour in the sun; my men and women have endured a lot of criticism lately and deserve this moment of glory. However, due to a torrent of skepticism spearheaded by your father, NASA finds itself in a political situation where my hardworking personnel are forced to share the spotlight with a handful of random civilian scientists and the daughter of the man who is trying to destroy us.† I am not my father, Rachel wanted to shout, but this was hardly the moment to debate politics with the head of NASA. â€Å"I did not come here for the spotlight, sir.† Ekstrom glared. â€Å"You may find you have no alternative.† The comment took her by surprise. Although President Herney had said nothing specific about her assisting him in any sort of â€Å"public† way, William Pickering had certainly aired his suspicions that Rachel might become a political pawn. â€Å"I'd like to know what I'm doing here,† Rachel demanded. â€Å"You and me both. I do not have that information.† â€Å"I'm sorry?† â€Å"The President asked me to brief you fully on our discovery the moment you arrived. Whatever role he wants you to play in this circus is between you and him.† â€Å"He told me your Earth Observation System had made a discovery.† Ekstrom glanced sidelong at her. â€Å"How familiar are you with the EOS project?† â€Å"EOS is a constellation of five NASA satellites which scrutinize the earth in different ways-ocean mapping, geologic fault analyses, polar ice-melt observation, location of fossil fuel reserves-â€Å" â€Å"Fine,† Ekstrom said, sounding unimpressed. â€Å"So you're aware of the newest addition to the EOS constellation? It's called PODS.† Rachel nodded. The Polar Orbiting Density Scanner (PODS) was designed to help measure the effects of global warming. â€Å"As I understand it, PODS measures the thickness and hardness of the polar ice cap?† â€Å"In effect, yes. It uses spectral band technology to take composite density scans of large regions and find softness anomalies in the ice-slush spots, internal melting, large fissures-indicators of global warming.† Rachel was familiar with composite density scanning. It was like a subterranean ultrasound. NRO satellites had used similar technology to search for subsurface density variants in Eastern Europe and locate mass burial sites, which confirmed for the President that ethnic cleansing was indeed going on. â€Å"Two weeks ago,† Ekstrom said, â€Å"PODS passed over this ice shelf and spotted a density anomaly that looked nothing like anything we'd expected to see. Two hundred feet beneath the surface, perfectly embedded in a matrix of solid ice, PODS saw what looked like an amorphous globule about ten feet in diameter.† â€Å"A water pocket?† Rachel asked. â€Å"No. Not liquid. Strangely, this anomaly was harder than the ice surrounding it.† Rachel paused. â€Å"So†¦ it's a boulder or something?† Ekstrom nodded. â€Å"Essentially.† Rachel waited for the punch line. It never came. I'm here because NASA found a big rock in the ice? â€Å"Not until PODS calculated the density of this rock did we get excited. We immediately flew a team up here to analyze it. As it turns out, the rock in the ice beneath us is significantly more dense than any type of rock found here on Ellesmere Island. More dense, in fact, than any type of rock found within a four-hundred-mile radius.† Rachel gazed down at the ice beneath her feet, picturing the huge rock down there somewhere. â€Å"You're saying someone moved it here?† Ekstrom looked vaguely amused. â€Å"The stone weighs more than eight tons. It is embedded under two hundred feet of solid ice, meaning it has been there untouched for over three hundred years.† Rachel felt tired as she followed the administrator into the mouth of a long, narrow corridor, passing between two armed NASA workers who stood guard. Rachel glanced at Ekstrom. â€Å"I assume there's a logical explanation for the stone's presence here†¦ and for all this secrecy?† â€Å"There most certainly is,† Ekstrom said, deadpan. â€Å"The rock PODS found is a meteorite.† Rachel stopped dead in the passageway and stared at the administrator. â€Å"A meteorite?† A surge of disappointment washed over her. A meteorite seemed utterly anti-climactic after the President's big buildup. This discovery will single-handedly justify all of NASA's past expenditures and blunders? What was Herney thinking? Meteorites were admittedly one of the rarest rocks on earth, but NASA discovered meteorites all the time. â€Å"This meteorite is one of the largest ever found,† Ekstrom said, standing rigid before her. â€Å"We believe it is a fragment of a larger meteorite documented to have hit the Arctic Ocean in the seventeen hundreds. Most likely, this rock was thrown as ejecta from that ocean impact, landed on the Milne Glacier, and was slowly buried by snow over the past three hundred years.† Rachel scowled. This discovery changed nothing. She felt a growing suspicion that she was witnessing an overblown publicity stunt by a desperate NASA and White House-two struggling entities attempting to elevate a propitious find to the level of earth-shattering NASA victory. â€Å"You don't look too impressed,† Ekstrom said. â€Å"I guess I was just expecting something†¦ else.† Ekstrom's eyes narrowed. â€Å"A meteorite of this size is a very rare find, Ms. Sexton. There are only a few larger in the world.† â€Å"I realize-â€Å" â€Å"But the size of the meteorite is not what excites us.† Rachel glanced up. â€Å"If you would permit me to finish,† Ekstrom said, â€Å"you will learn that this meteorite displays some rather astonishing characteristics never before seen in any meteorite. Large or small.† He motioned down the passageway. â€Å"Now, if you would follow me, I'll introduce you to someone more qualified than I am to discuss this find.† Rachel was confused. â€Å"Someone more qualified than the administrator of NASA?† Ekstrom's Nordic eyes locked in on hers. â€Å"More qualified, Ms. Sexton, insofar as he is a civilian. I had assumed because you are a professional data analyst that you would prefer to get your data from an unbiased source.† Touche. Rachel backed off. She followed the administrator down the narrow corridor, where they dead-ended at a heavy, black drapery. Beyond the drape, Rachel could hear the reverberant murmur of a crowd of voices rumbling on the other side, echoing as if in a giant open space. Without a word, the administrator reached up and pulled aside the curtain. Rachel was blinded by a dazzling brightness. Hesitant, she stepped forward, squinting into the glistening space. As her eyes adjusted, she gazed out at the massive room before her and drew an awestruck breath.