Acid Rain :: Free Essay Writer

For years ever since most of the world has been industrialized, the effects of pollution have plagued nations alike. Acid rain is one of the largest contributors to this industrialized form of pollution. Throughout this report an explanation of the devastating effects to the environment caused by acid rain will be given along with what is being done to stop it. Acid rain is made when pollutants arise from the use of coal in the production of electricity, from base- metal smelting and from fuel combustion in vehicles. Once the sulfur and nitrogen oxides from these man made causes are released into the air they are caught by wind currents and are blown hundreds of miles away. The gas pollutants drift along with clouds until the rain eventually converts the sulfuric dioxide into sulfuric acid, and the nitrogen oxide into nitric acid. The newly transformed acid rain, acid snow or fog, falls to the earth where the effects on aquatic habitats, humans, animals, trees, crops, and other forms of plant life are devastating. When acid rain comes in contact with aquatic ecosystems the chemistry of the effects can be extremely complex. If one species or group of species changes or dies out in response to the acid rain, then the whole entire body of water, especially in lakes, is affected through the predator- prey relationship of the food web. In some places where the acid deposition falls, natural substances absorb and neutralize the acid but in most places they build up and the water becomes as sour as lemon juice. In these instances the chance of a food web being disrupted are more likely to happen. When the acidity of the water is around the ph level of 6.0 fish cannot lay eggs. When they can’t reproduce and the acidity level grows then the fish out, and when in lakes are extremely difficult to be replaced. Around this acidity level plants also die out and are poisoned. Insects no longer have a food source and soon they are gone. The water fowl and other birds in the area that fed on fish and insects no longer have a food source and they are the next to go. As the whole entire food web come toppling down the aquatic ecosystems become quiet; quiet as a grave. Acid rain also effects crops and other plant life. Surprisingly though acid rain can actually help out some crops such as strawberries, corn, and tomatoes.

Workplace Violence

Workplace violence is present in every nook and cranny of corporate America, affecting millions of Americans every year. Workplace violence is defined by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, OSHA, as any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site. It ranges from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and even homicide. In 2011, there were over 2 two million reports and claims of workplace violence, with 458 being homicides1. Workplace violence is at the forefront of everyone’s mind when a breaking news story is broadcast on the evening news, such as the recent shootings in Santa Cruz, California by a disgruntled ex-cop, and the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, but workplace violence can strike anywhere and at any time, and is a major concern for employers and employees across America. There are different types of workplace violence, which can be categorized as follows: (1)violence by outsiders or nonemployees, usually in the attempt of a crime, such as robbery or shoplifting, (2)violence by a customer or a client, such as a student or a patient, (3)violence by employees and former employees, and (4)violence by domestic partners, such as boyfriends/girlfriends and husbands/wives. Such categorization can help in coming up with ways to prevent workplace violence since each type of violence requires a different approach to prevention, and certain workplaces and environments may be at higher risk for certain types of violence. Although workplace violence can seem very random, there are certain industries and job categories that are more susceptible to violence than others. According to OSHA, certain factors can increase the risk of violence in the workplace, such as exchanging money with the public, working with unstable people, and working where alcohol is served1. People working in certain establishments, such as retail stores and bars, are at increased risk of violence. Professions in law enforcement, healthcare, public service workers and those who work alone or in small groups are at greatest risk of violence. Manager’s role in identifying and reporting workplace violence. Every employee of an organization is responsible for providing a safe and secure environment to work in, and thus should be knowledgeable about workplace violence and be ready to act in advance to reduce the threat of violent incidents. Managers especially have a big duty to make sure that the work environment of their employees has minimal stress triggers, and that the department culture is one that is friendly and open, ensuring that employee safety is valued. Managers should follow their progressive discipline policy when addressing concerns with employees to prevent violent reactions by employees who feel that they have been treated unfairly. Managers should also treat their employees with respect and decency, especially when disciplining or firing them, as depriving an employee of dignity in front of other employees can trigger violent behavior. Most importantly, managers need to be trained on what clues to look for, and how to handle certain situations when confronted with warning signs of workplace violence by employees. This will allow managers and subordinates to know the warning signs and report them to management accordingly. Sure there are people that suddenly ‘snap’ and go off the deep end, but in most instances of workplace violence, there are certain signs of trouble that are exhibited by the perpetrator. According to Dr. Lynne McClure, an expert in managing high-risk employee behaviors before they escalate to workplace violence, there are always warning signs involving workplace violence2. She puts these eight warning signs in the following categories: †¢Actor behaviors – employees act out their anger by yelling and shouting †¢Fragmentor behaviors – employees take no responsibility for their actions and blames others for their mistakes †¢Me-First behaviors – employees act selfishly without regard to fellow coworkers †¢Mixed-Messenger behaviors – employees talk positively but behave negatively †¢Wooden-Stick behaviors – employees are not receptive to change, and are inflexible and controlling †¢Escape-Artist behaviors – employees compulsively lie and rely on negative stress relievers such as drugs and gambling †¢Shocker behaviors – employees suddenly act in ways that are out of character †¢Stranger behaviors – employees are remote and have poor social skills, and become fixated on an idea and/or an individual. There is no standard ‘profile’ of a person who commits workplace violence, and by no means is someone a threat just because they display one of these traits. Employees that exhibit many of these traits, and with increasing intensity, may be a danger and may need some help. Being able to identify these signs and warning signals, and reporting it to management timely can help prevent a workplace violence incident. HR’s role in managing and preventing workplace violence. Every reasonable employer wants to keep employees safe from workplace violence, but according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, less than 30% of employers have a violence prevention policy in place3. Outlined below are some things that a human resource department can implement to mitigate workplace violence. †¢Violence Prevention Policy – First and foremost, every company should implement a zero-tolerance policy against workplace violence, which clearly defines what workplace violence is, and the company’s position on it. The policy must clearly outline which behaviors and actions are acceptable and which are unacceptable. The policy should state that violence of any kind is not tolerated and is grounds for immediate termination. †¢Training – Training for managers and employees to ensure that they know the warning signs for violence is critical. There are many signs that can point to indications of imminent violent, so training the employees to recognize the warning signs can help stop a violent act by identifying the individual and providing assistance before a violent act is committed. Each and every employee is responsible for creating a safe working environment, and it is HR’s job to help employees get the training necessary to manage a safe workplace. †¢Hiring, retaining and firing – HR plays a critical role in preventing violence in the workplace with its hiring, retention and firing practices. Usually, past behavior can predict future behavior, so it is important that the HR department screen potential new hires carefully. One way to avoid workplace violence is by not hiring people who exhibit violent behavior. Thus, the HR department must conduct thorough background checks on all potential new hires. Companies should make it a general policy to run background checks on all applicants before hiring them. HR departments must make a concerted effort to carefully screen all potential new hires by scrutinizing information on resumes and conducting reference checks. Also, HR can help prevent workplace violence by rooting out trouble-makers early. Retaining employees who have had behavioral issues in the past can expose a company to workplace violence and litigation. The HR department needs to be proactive with helping to identify employees that pose a potential danger thru through analysis of past work records. For example, if an employee has had issues with making threats or getting into confrontations with coworkers in the past, immediate ction may need to be taken before any major incident occurs. Finally, HR plays a big role in creating a peaceful environment when handling employee terminations. When an employee gets terminated, it is a very stressful event for the employee, and ca n push him/her over the edge. In order to ease the stress and alleviate some of the pressures on the employee being terminated, the HR department can help the situation by being compassionate and clearly explaining the reasons for the termination and allowing an opportunity to the employee to discuss any disagreement with the termination. Also, the HR department can provide placement or counseling services. Provide an employee assistance program (EAP) – there are many reasons that someone resorts to violence in the workplace, but some stem from issues outside of the workplace, such as relationship issues, financial troubles, or substance abuse problems. Employing an EAP can provide help to employees before a serious incident manifests itself in the workplace. Through the use of an EAP, employees can help manage their issues by coordinating with an objective, third party. All types of services should be offered, including counseling, anger management classes and rehabilitation services. Financial Impact of Workplace Violence – Calculating the Cost Workplace violence is real, and with it comes real costs. The actual cost of workplace violence is hard to calculate, but per the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, NIOSH, a division of the Center for Disease Control, it is estimated that workplace violence costs American businesses $121 billion a year4. This takes into account many factors, including costs due to lost productivity, loss of sales, increase in insurance premiums, litigation costs, lost time and absenteeism, workers’ compensation claims, medical claims, management distractions, negative PR, and organizational change initiatives. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics5: †¢About 500,000 victims of violent crime in the workplace lose an estimated 1. 8 million workdays each year. This represents a $55 million impact as a result of loss of productivity and increased healthcare expenses †¢Domestic violence costs businesses approximately $6 billion annually in healthcare costs, lost productivity, and missed work time †¢The average out-of-court settlement for ‘negligence’ litigation is approximately $500,000 and the average jury award is around $3 million †¢For 6 to 18 weeks after an incident, there is a 50% decrease in productivity and a 20% to 40% turnover in employees The cost of recovery after a catastrophic, workplace violence incident is astronomical, so it is in every company’s best interest to put in place the necessary preventive measures to avoid such incidents from happening in the first place. Unfortunately, most companies are reactive instead of proactive, so the costs associated with workplace violence may be viewed as the cost of doing business, big business at that. Everyone plays a role in preventing workplace violence. Even with workplace violence receiving increased attention, there is much work that needs to be done to understand the causes and potential solutions. Management, front line employees and the HR department must work together collectively to prevent the next workplace violence incident. The best practices set forth must be implemented and adhered to with perfection. A company can’t guarantee that a violent act will never happen between their four walls, but there are preventive measures that can be taken to improve the chances of avoiding a workplace violence incident.

Essay on Pathophysiology Exam 1 - 5529 Words

NUR 300 Exam #1 1. Which of the following clients is at a high risk for developing dilated cardiomyopathy? a. A 4-year-old child born with cerebral palsy and confined to a wheelchair b. A 44-year-old noncompliant female who forgets to take her hypertensive medications c. A 17-year-old with a diving injury resulting in paraplegia d. A 78-year-old patient with Alzheimer disease who received a third-degree burn following an oven fire 2. A client is experiencing muscle atrophy following 2 weeks in traction after a motor vehicle accident. Which of the following factors has most likely contributed to the atrophy of the clients muscle cells? a. Reduced oxygen consumption and cellular function that ensures muscle cell survival b. A†¦show more content†¦Mast cells e. T lymphocytes 10. A 77-year-old male client with a diagnosis of stomach cancer has been found to have metastases in his liver. The client and his family are surprised at this turn of events, stating that they do not see how he could have developed cancer in his liver. Which of the following facts would underlie the reply that the care team provides? a. Hepatic stromal tissue shares characteristics with cancerous cells, including lack of anchorage dependence. b. The parenchymal tissue of the liver is particularly susceptible to secondary malignancies. c. The proximity of the liver to the stomach allows for direct spread of cancerous cells due to a lack of contact inhibition. d. The portal circulatory system brings venous blood from the GI tract into the liver. 11. A 41-year-old female with a family history of breast cancer has had a baseline mammogram. She states that she performs monthly self-breast exams but really has a hard time evaluating her lumps since she has numerous cysts. At her annual mammogram, the technician views a suspicious area and refers her to the radiologist. 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Syphilis is almost always caused by sexual contact with infected lesions, but can rarely be spread through nonsexual personal contact, infection in-utero, blood transfusion, or organ transplantation. †¢ Incidence/Prevalence: The invention of penicillin has drastically decreased theRead MoreTypes And Types Of Pneumothorax1381 Words   |  6 Pagesprimary spontaneous pneumothorax, secondary traumatic pneumothorax, iatrogenic pneumothorax, and open or tension pneumothorax. Along with the discussion of the pathophysiology, the topics such as diagnostic tests and primary diagnosis, pharmacological interventions, vulnerable groups, and the nursing diagnosis are also examined. Pathophysiology Primary spontaneous pneumothorax, occurs unexpectedly in healthy people, and it is often caused by the rupture of blebs which are blister-like formations, onRead MoreFailure Of Congestive Heart Failure1262 Words   |  6 Pagesfirst understand the risks and causes of this condition. Education plays a key role in order to recognize the clinical manifestations and necessary actions to best treat and prevent congestive heart failure before the patient’s prognosis is poor. Pathophysiology Congestive heart failure occurs when a part of the heart is unable to efficiently keep up a sufficient cardiac output to supply blood to the lungs or the entire body. The heart either becomes too weak or too stiff. Many times, heart failureRead MoreDifferences For General Anxiety Disorders1768 Words   |  8 Pageslimited to ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, caffeine, nicotine; Illicit drug effects including but not limited to alcohol, amphetamines, marijuana, cocaine. (Dunphy, p. 988; table 17.2). 1 points Q U E S T I O N 5 1. Mr. R.L., a 44 year-old Caucasian male presents to your office for a health maintenance physical exam. 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