Toyota Prius Hybrid Marketing Plan Essay Example for Free

Toyota Prius Hybrid Marketing Plan Essay As Americans become increasingly more concerned about global warming, many are making choices about the vehicles they drive based on fuel economy and tail pipe emissions. Hybrid sales have increased 313% from 84,199 cars in 2004, to 347,102 in 2007. Driving a hybrid might make people feel better for helping the environment, but is it really better for our planet? The answer it seems, is, â€Å"it depends. † It depends on who is doing the evaluating and what the criteria are. When I started this analysis, I expected to find overwhelming evidence in favor of one category or another. Instead what I found was a lot of confusing information. The confusion arose because different groups focused on different aspects. Most analysis focused either on economics, (i. e. how much money the owner would save over time) or consumption, (i. e. how many gallons of fuel the car would consume over its useful life), but in nearly all cases, the analysis was confined to the period of time during which the car would be driven. What went into making the car and what happens to it after it’s been abandoned by its owners was largely ignored, and I suspect it’s ignored because it’s so hard to evaluate. I found this to be a very consistent theme in the rating systems of all products I’ve researched. Even Energy Star, which ranks household appliances, focuses on energy consumption during use, but the energy to produce, estimated useful life and eventual disposal, is largely ignored. This leads to an incomplete and sometimes inconsistent perspective to consumers. One organization that focuses on the full life cycle analysis of automobiles is CNW Marketing in Bandon, Oregon. Founded in 1984, CNW is a for profit market research company that specializes in the automotive industry. In 2001, they pioneered a life cycle analysis of the auto industry in an annual report they called, â€Å"Dust to Dust†. 2 In this report, CNW collected data on the energy consumed to plan, build, sell, drive and eventually dispose of a vehicle. They followed it from initial concept to the junk yard. They even took into consideration small details such as the distance from manufacturing plant to dealership, the average distances between employees’ homes and the factory where the cars were built. They also considered the method of transportation employees take to get to work, (i. e if mass transit was available and utilized). Worth noting is that CNW excluded economics from their analysis. The economic cost to build a car and run and maintain it was completely ignored. Also ignored were the environmental impacts of materials. If one car required less energy to produce but incorporated hazardous substances, it scored better than a car that required more energy but used benign materials. CNW focused strictly on energy consumption. For 2007, 284 cars were evaluated. The average energy rating for all cars was 2. 54 per mile. The car with the highest energy cost was the Mercedes Maybach, with an energy factor of 15.97. The car with the lowest energy cost was the Mercedes Smart Car, with a score of 0. 58. Worth noting was the average for all hybrids was 3. 41, which was significantly worse than the average. The best in the hybrid group was the Toyota Prius which scored 2. 19. According to their analysis, hybrid vehicles cost more in terms of overall energy consumed than conventional cars. One of the reasons hybrids score so poorly is because of their complexity to manufacture, repair, replace, and dispose of batteries and electric motors, (which exists in addition to a conventional engine). Hybrids are also more difficult to recycle. For example, the Honda Accord hybrid scored 4. 23, but the regular non hybrid Accord with a conventional gasoline engine scored a 1. 96. Over the course of its lifetime, the Accord hybrid is expected to consume more than twice the energy of it non-hybrid sibling. The non hybrid has a 2. 4 liter, four cylinder motor rated at 166 horsepower. The hybrid has a 3. 0 liter, six cylinder engine rated at 255 horsepower. The hybrid also has an additional electric motor and batteries. The hybrid achieves 29 miles per gallon in the city and 37 miles per 3 gallon highway as compared to 25 in the city and 35 on the highway for the non hybrid. The hybrid version cost almost $10,000 more than the non-hybrid. Again, economics were not considered in the study, but the price alone should give some indication of the cars increased complexity. In 2008, Honda abandoned manufacture of the Accord Hybrid. The Backlash.. CNW’s automotive research was sold largely to the auto industry executives and companies that supply the auto industry. It wasn’t until 2005, when word got out that CNW’s annual â€Å"Dust to Dust† report listed the Hummer H3 as reportedly â€Å"better for the environment† than the Toyota Prius, that the company gained widespread attention. Environmentalists were outraged. They demanded that the details of the analysis be made public for further scrutiny. CNW is a for-profit organization that charges a fee for their analysis. They believed that publishing their calculations would open them up to competition they would rather avoid. They did disclose some information to the general public and their critics. CNW also pointed out that they never said the Hummer was better for the environment, only that it would consume less energy from a cradle to grave perspective. In fairness to CNW’s critics, the life cycle energy rating is largely dependent on the products useful life. The Hummer was assumed to have a useful life of 200,000 miles, whereas the Prius was assumed to have a useful life of only 109,000 miles. The environmentalists believed that these â€Å"projected life cycle miles† were unsubstantiated and pointed out that a small change in miles can have a huge effect on the overall energy rating. CNW countered that their mileage were real world estimates based on actual driving conditions and interviews with owners. After interviewing many Prius owners, CNW determined that the average miles driven were only 6,700 per year. This equated to a useful life of just over 16 years, which CNW pointed out exceeded Toyota’s life expectancy for the Prius’ batteries, which is between 10 and 15 years. 4 The same criticism was noted for the Honda Accord as well. The hybrid Accord was assumed to have a useful life of 117,000 miles, whereas the non hybrid Accord had a useful life of 209,000 miles. Change the miles and the ratings can change quite dramatically. CNW continues to point out that if what is important to consumers is fuel economy and tail pipe emissions, then hybrids do make sense during their useful life, but taking into consideration the â€Å"bigger picture†, hybrids don’t measure up where most consumers think they should. Many consumers perceive sport utility vehicles as â€Å"bad† because of their lower fuel economy and perceived inefficiency as a method of transportation, but many of these vehicles are easy to produce, have a long useful life and are easy to dissemble / recycle. So, their impact on the environment is not as bad as originally thought. CNW also points out that like many other things, the simplest design is often the best design and the cars that score best on CNW’s list are simple, low technology cars, that have long useful lives. Keep in mind that CNW ignored economics and the environmental impact of materials used. Had CNW incorporated an auto manufacturer’s monetary investment of profits into green technology versus another’s deliberate use of hazardous materials, it would have made the analysis incredibly complicated. If anything, the controversy surrounding CNW’s report illustrates out how difficult it is to assess the overall green nature of any product. Energy Life Cycle Assessment – CNW’s 10 Most Efficient versus Hybrids Top 10 Most Efficient Cars 2007 Models Dust to Dust Per Mile Mercedes SMART 0. 583 Saturn Ion 0. 621 Ford Focus 0. 621 Chevy Cavalier 0. 655 Jeep Wrangler 0. 656 Scion xB 0. 683 Chevy Aveo 0. 693 Scion xA 0. 713 Pontiac Sunfire 0. 732 Toyota Corolla 0. 748 Industry Average All Models 2. 538 All Hybrids 2007 Models Dust to Dust Per Mile Toyota Prius 2. 191 Ford Escape Hybrid 2. 747 Honda Civic Hybrid 2. 943 Toyota Camry Hybrid 3. 042 Toyota Highlander Hybrid 3. 078 Ford Mercury Mariner Hybrid 3. 412 Honda Accord Hybrid 4. 228 Lexus GS450h 4. 365 Lexus RX400h 4. 661 Hybrid Average 3. 407 5 The Electric Movement. In 2010, Chevrolet is expected to introduce the Volt, a car that can be recharged like a cell phone and travel 40 miles on electricity before using any fuel. GM hopes that those with short commutes can use the car solely on battery power. Again, what’s not taken into consideration is the â€Å"bigger picture† of where the electricity comes from. Just because it appears clean when it’s recharging, doesn’t mean that things aren’t getting dirty somewhere else. A study in 2003 by the Institute for Lifecycle of Assessment determined that if an electric vehicle is recharged via a power plant that uses coal as its primary fuel source, than the impact to the environment would be no better than a conventional gasoline engine. According to the US Department of Energy, in 2006, the US derived 49% of its total electrical power from coal. The state of Pennsylvania derived 56% of its electrical power from coal. Again, these are both averages for both the US and the state of Pennsylvania. Energy source may differ by location within a state. I live in Vineland, New Jersey. Vineland has its own power utility. It is 100% coal fired. Choices, Choices Everywhere Gas? Electric? Ethanol? Alcohol? Diesel? Hybrid? With all the choices and incomplete information available to consumers, which choice is best, (and practical), for consumers who are interested in a sustainable energy source that minimizes harm to the planet? Other, 2. 1% Hy dro Electric, 1. 3% Nuclear, 34. 4% Natural Gas, 6. 2% Coal, 56. 0% Pennsylvania Energy by Source Other, 4. 5% Hydro Electric, 7. 1% Nuclear, 19. 4% Natural Gas, 20. 0% Coal, 49. 0% U. S. Energy by Source 6 In my personal opinion, the best energy choice for transportation that is currently available is biodiesel. Biodiesel is a renewable fuel manufactured from vegetable oils, animal fats and recycled cooking oils. It can be burned in any current vehicle with a diesel engine as a replacement to conventional petroleum based diesel fuel. To make biodiesel, (see above), a catalyst, (Sodium Hydroxide), is used to mix methanol and vegetable oil to separate the glycerin. The end result is mainly a mixture of biodiesel and glycerin, with a small amount of methanol and fertilizer. The fertilizer is used in agricultural production. The methanol is returned back to the process input. The glycerin is a byproduct used in the manufacture of soaps and cosmetics. Making biodiesel may seem complicated, but it is not, and can be done by anyone with limited knowledge of chemistry. Vegetable oils can be new or used and purchased from a grocery store or taken for free as waste oil from most restaurants. Methanol is made from methane, a naturally occurring chemical in the atmosphere that is caused when bacteria break down organic compounds. Methanol is also a commonly used racing fuel and can be purchased in bulk from fuel suppliers. The catalyst, Sodium Hydroxide, is the technical name for lye. Lye is also a natural product that is used in the manufacture of soap. It can be purchased as a drain cleaner available in most hardware stores. Those three ingredients and a little bit of heat are all that is needed to make biodiesel. Methanol or Alcohol 12% Process Input Catalyst (Lye) 1% Vegetable Oil 87% Vegetable OilMethanol or AlcoholCatalyst (Lye) Process Output Methanol or Glycerin 9% Alcohol 4% Fertilizer 1% Biodiesel 86% BiodieselGlycerinMethanol or AlcoholFertilizer 7 Biodiesel is significantly better for the environment than conventional diesel because it is made from renewable resources and has lower emissions than petroleum diesel. It is less toxic than household table salt and biodegrades as fast as sugar. Since it can be made in the U. S. from renewable resources such as soybeans, it decreases dependence on foreign oil and helps support local farmers. Green Car. com recently gave the 2009 Green Car of the Year award to the Volkswagen Jetta Diesel, beating both hybrids and ethanol powered cars. Earlier this year, the Jetta TDI set a new Guinness World Record for lowest fuel consumption. It averaged 58. 8 miles per gallon as it traveled through 48 contiguous states. Imagine the environmental impact if the Jetta were powered by biodiesel instead of conventional diesel. The EPA estimates that if advanced diesels such as the one that powers the Jetta were used in one third of all light duty vehicles in the US, it would save almost 60 million gallons of oil per day. When the diesel engine was invented in 1890, its inventor, Rudolf Diesel, designed it to run on peanut oil. However, in the early 1900’s petroleum based fuels were considered easier and cheaper to manufacture and the diesel engine was converted to run on a petroleum based fuel, (that later became his namesake). Diesel engines utilize high compression and are inherently more energy efficient than gasoline engines. A recent analysis by RAND Corporation, a not for profit institution that studies challenges facing society, found that of the most common alternative fuels available, that a conventionally powered diesel car provides the greatest benefit to consumers and to society. They found that advanced diesel engines provide a slight edge over gas-electric hybrids and both diesels and hybrids were significantly better than ethanol, mainly due to the high cost and resource- intensive means of producing and transporting ethanol. 8 The Advantages of Biodiesel. The benefits of bio based fuels are numerous. Most notably, they are significantly less pollutive than petroleum diesel. In a study conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2002, they found biodiesel to have 67% less unburned hydrocarbons, 48% less carbon monoxide, 47% less particulate matter, 100% less sulfates and 50% less ozone smog than conventional petroleum based diesel. They did however; find a 10% increase in NoX, (Nitrous Oxide), emissions. A life cycle study on Green House Gas emissions per mile by Harvard University in 2001 found that cars powered by biodiesel, (BD100), produced the lowest emissions. Another advantage to biodiesel is that it is a renewable and sustainable fuel made from plants and animal fats. So long as there is the ability to grow plants and animals, there is the opportunity to make biodiesel. Studies have also found that biodiesel has better lubricating capabilities than conventional diesel fuel, which contributes to increased engine life. Use of biodiesel reduces our reliance on foreign countries and places greater reliance on American farmers. Lastly, from a practical perspective, there is no expensive infrastructure rollout necessary to make biodiesel work. It will function in any conventional diesel 9 engine that currently uses petroleum based diesel fuel with no problems and can even be blended with petroleum diesel without harm. The Disadvantages of Biodiesel Unfortunately, biodiesel retains some of the physical characteristics of its source material, most problematic being its narrow temperature range. Most plant oils and animal fats gel or coagulate at around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Even after processing out the glycerin, biodiesel will gel at around 32 degrees Fahrenheit, which means it can only be used in warm climates, can only be used in the summer, or if it is to be used year round, it must be blended with kerosene or diesel fuel to retain some of the latter’s cold weather capabilities. Another disadvantage to biodiesel is that it can only be used in a diesel engine. Currently, less than 2% of the cars in the U. S. have diesel engines. The majority of cars and light trucks in the U. S. are powered by gasoline. Until the diesel engine makes a comeback in the U. S passenger car market, its use is limited to large trucks and heavy equipment. Worth noting too, is that biodiesel, though significantly cleaner than petroleum diesel, is still not environmentally perfect. Until a cleaner fuel source, like hydrogen, whose emissions are water and oxygen, become commercially and practically available, this is the best that is currently available. As stated earlier, biodiesel is made from plant oils and animal fats. If farm crops are diverted from human consumption in favor of fuel production, then biodiesel can raise the prices of soy and rapseed in much the same way that ethanol increased the price of corn. However, unlike ethanol, biodiesel can be made from waste oil after it has made its way through the food supply. In this way, (and unlike ethanol), biodiesel can convert a waste product instead of decreasing a food supply. Another weakness to biodiesel is its perception as a commodity. Commodities compete solely on the basis of price. As the price of petroleum based diesel drops, biodiesel makes little to no economic sense. 10 Biodiesel is not free. Even in instances where it is made from food waste or byproducts, there is still a conversion cost and that cost often exceeds the price of petroleum diesel. At best, on a commercial scale, biodiesel is a â€Å"break even† business, which is of little interest to the investment community. Biodiesel production centers exist largely though financial assistance from the government. For this reason, almost all large scale biodiesel production centers are not-for- profit oriented, or exist solely to service municipal vehicles. Making it Personal The most successful application of biodiesel appears to come from â€Å"home brewers† – people like me who have crafted processors in their garages and basements and make biodiesel from waste vegetable oil collected from the dumpsters behind restaurants and schools. For this group, biodiesel is largely a hobby, supported by a grass roots community who are frugal, environmentally conscious, interested in renewable energy, and making a political statement. They make biodiesel in much the same way that people home brew wine or beer for personal consumption. Ironically, the only obstacle to this group seems to be the U. S. government. Uncle Sam has â€Å"green† ideas of his own. In the US, Federal and State fuel taxes combined can make up as much as 15% to 20% of the total fuel price paid at the pump. When a home brewer makes biodiesel, no road taxes are paid. There have been numerous instances of â€Å"biodieselers† being threatened by the government with fines and imprisonment. Legislation surrounding biodiesel production for home consumption is still unclear. In Conclusion Biodiesel production has increased dramatically in the past 5 years, with annual production rising from 5 million gallons in 2001 to an estimated 500 million gallons in 2007. However, this is not even a drop in the bucket when compared to the 840 million gallons of oil the U. S. consumes PER DAY! There are simply not enough plant oils and animal fats on earth to sustain the U. S. ’s 11 current level of demand. A long term solution must include some way to decrease consumption. References: †¢United States Environmental Protection Agency, A Comprehensive Analysis of Biodiesel Impacts on Exhaust Emissions, October 2002 †¢CNW Marketing Research Inc, 2007 Dust to Dust – The Energy Cost of New Vehicles from Concept to Disposal. www. cnwmr. com †¢Wall Street Journal, Volkswagen’s 2009 Jetta TDI Awarded Green Car of the Year, November 20, 2008 †¢The Rand Corporation – The Benefits and Costs of New Fuels and Engines for Cars and Light Trucks, Ryan Keefe, Jay Griffin and John Graham, November 2007, www.rand. org. †¢The Green Motorist. com, Jetta sets Guinness Record, September 29, 2008 †¢Harvard. edu, Report on Bus Alternatives, July 31, 2001 †¢The Pacific Institute – Hummer versus Prius – Dr. Peter H. Gleick, May 2007 †¢Effects of Biodiesel Blends on Vehicle Emissions, R. L. McCormick, A. Williams, J. Ireland, M. Brimhall, R. R. Hayes, October 2006 †¢Energy Information Administration – Official Energy Statistics from the US Government www. eia. doe. gov †¢www. factsonfuel. org – Gasoline Index 12.

How to Plan an Essay

How to Plan an Essay Writing the Draft Building Confidence The most important thing, when one starts writing the first draft is to start it with the confidence that it is not a difficult task. In order to start writing the good opening of the paper should not be an issue because these drafts have to be revised later and one can develop a better opening of paper. Writing the first draft of a paper, one should think that no grammar, perfect words or the structure of the writing matters and should only concentrate on presenting ideas only. It is important for writer to remember that the first draft that one writes is only for himself and nobody is going to read it, therefore, they should remain confident and should focus on the fact that the main purpose of the writing is to jot down the ideas. Drafting on Computer After doing the first draft on the computer, one should turn the computer off and again organize the thoughts and ideas on the paper and should think about the possible changes that they can make in the paper. After this task is finished, the writer should edit the first draft in accordance with it, but, should save all the revisions separately, to see later and to get encouragement that how far they have come and improved his writing skill. Multiple drafts should be saved with the name (like assignment 1 version 1, assignment 1 version 2 etc.) so that it becomes easier in future to access them easily and it is also important to highlight the changes that a writer has made in each draft. It becomes a reference for the future ad can assist the writer in improving it, although, before restarting the work, the last revised draft should be read, so that the writer gets the understanding that now which improvements their needs. Writing Rough Draft Before you start writing a rough draft, choose a quiet place where you have all the necessary equipment and material, this can help you in increasing your concentration. The writing seems easier, when we start with the easiest section and become successful in completing it because it can give the confidence that we have the ability to do this task efficiently. A good writing is one that engages maximum number of people and this can be done by using simple words and direct style. Imagining that we are talking to the reader can help the writer to write effectively and while giving instructions, one should visualize them performing in accordance with the instructions, this can help the writer to write instructions more clearly. It is important to keep on writing, until one section is complete because it helps in developing coherence and continuity in the section. Later the finished should be revised to make any possible changes. Keeping your Audience in Mind Writing from the reader’s perspective, keeping in mind the type of audience and using language in accordance with it, the level of understanding of the audience, diversity of audience and perspective of the audience are then important factors. We will discuss one by one, the factors that can help in writing a catering with the audience in an effective manner. Writing From the Audience’s Point of View No matter what the audience is, everyone wants to read the writing from his own perspective. When we write for a targeted audience; whether our colleagues, boss or the international community, we should keep in mind that we are choosing the point of view in accordance with it. If we are writing something for our boss, then we should keep in mind that we are explaining the problem and providing the information to the boss from his perspective. This thing can increase the affectivity of the writing and will assist in registering our point. It is important to know about the background of the reader because this can help to get the idea that which style can help in convincing the reader or providing the information to the reader in an efficient manner. If we have to write a report about a technical; part in manufacturing process and know about the level of expertise of the reader, we can use technical language in accordance with it. Accommodating Multiple Audiences When we write from multiple audiences, everyone has different background and this factor makes it difficult to adjust the writing in accordance with it. Since, audience with multiple background demands that all the people should be kept in mind and the level of the readers should be considered. For example, while writing instruction manual, one should write from the starters’ perspective because there are lot of people out there who might be using that particular equipment for the first time. Moreover, the diagrams can help the reader to grasp the point more easily and can make the writing reader friendly. Writing for international Audience While writing for the wide audience, one should keep in mind that there should not be culture bias and the style of the writing used is acceptable by lost of the people i.e. the writing style should not represent a specific region. Making the language simple and common can help the audience to relate with it and grasp the concept easily. Since there are different dialects of English in different region, then the writer should make his expression as common as possible. Persuading Your Audience If the writer has to persuade a targeted audience like management of the company; regarding flexibility in office hours, increasing bonuses for the staff; then one should enlist the advantages of taking that step and should mention the effects that it should have on the morale of the staff moreover, if the targeted audience is different than it is important to start the writing by initially explaining the benefits regarding the topic under discussion and later, writer should give examples from different fields and lastly the reference of the rules of the business. In precaution process, the mentioning of the rules of the business should be done in most soft manner because mentioning it in direct manner puts negative impression on audience. The ethics requires that the cons of the side that you have chosen should also be mentioned because the reader may not get any difficulty in ignorance and if all the process fails the blame might not fall on you. Establish Your Role and Voice as the Writer While writing, one should decide which role they have to take in order to be read and followed in a better way. It against depends on the type of the audience. The friendly writing style is always effective, but, a task is very critical and has to be done in time then the writer should explain the importance of the task and at the end should take an authoritative tone and order hat it needs o be completed in time. Sometimes, it is more effective if the subject of the writing adopts the authoritative tone and tells about the sensitivity of the situation. In normal circumstance, there is always audience which never reads a document, but, still wants to get that task done; in that situation it is important to give a title that can explain that hoe reading that document can help the audience. Development Strategies The strategies that are used to develop the ideas and the concept at the work place include: Explaining a Process Process of explaining deal with the idea of explaining to the reader working of an equipment, how a event or process took place or how to perform it. All these types demand a lot of concentration of the writer because, when explained in a proper sequence they can make it easier for reader to understand. While explaining the process, understanding the level of the audience is imortant. In the opening of the writing t is better to tell the importance of the process and then give the summary. Later when it is explained in detailed, it should be told how it is relevant or associated to a larger process. For example, if one explains the process of developing air brake system to the worker, then it should e done in detail and it should be mentioned that how much important it is for the working of the truck and how it will ensure safety in driving. This tells the reader about the sensitivity of the task and they try to do their job in a better way. Describing Information Describing the information means telling about the features and the appearance of the concepts and the objects that are to be used during the process. But, the description of the information varies from one field to another. In engineering terms it is important to give the specifications of the equipment in the technical term, to marketing professional it is important to tell about the significance and the usability of the product for the customers, most important features of a good description o that it is always clear and specific and covers all the issues in details. The length of the description may depend on the complexity of the process, but, no matter what the length of the writing is information should be described in a manner that it is understandable to the audience and is complete in all terms. In complex concepts, it is better explain stepwise. Defining Terms and Concepts Process of defining the terms is critical because it can give the actual concept of the term to the people related to your field and that of the other fields. Formal definition of the term, that has technical terms in it, can help the people of the related field to understand it more accurately, for example, torque is the cross product of distance vector and force vector. Informal definition that has both technical and simple forms makes it understandable to the people related to other fields for example torque is the cross product of distance vector (distance from knob to hinges) and force vector (force applied to open the door), whereas, extended definition comprises of multiple sentences to explain multiple concepts of the definition. For example torque is the cross product of distance vector and force vector. It means that if the knob is at the greater distance from the pivot (hinges), then greater torque will be produced and it will be easier to open the door. If the definite ar e assisted with figure, the written material become easier to understand. Explaining Cause and Effect It assists in providing information about why a thing happens and what consequences does it have. For example when we do not maintain our vehicle (cause) accidents might happen (effect) and due to these accidents we can have to bear the loss of finance or the life. it is better to provide evidence of your statement and that evidence should be relevant to the audience, has the power to persuade and can be explained by giving demonstrations. Writing an Opening The opening of the draft is really important to get the attention of the reader. The first sentence should be written in a way that it immediately attract reader to itself. Like on topic accidents due to drunk driving an effective sentence could be, do you know that 10,000 people lost their lives, his year in United States, due to drunk driving. The opening of the writing should have three features in it. Firstly, it should introduce the title effectively, secondly, should give some information about the writing and thirdly should focus the attention of the reader. Writing a Closing The closing of the paper or a draft should consider and should mention all the main points of the paper. No new concept should be introduced in the closing paragraph because it may confuse the reader. It is better to give information like email address at the end of the paper so that the reader may contact you if needed. It gives the impression that writer is responsible.

Use Of Water In Labour Health And Social Care Essay

Use Of Water In Labour Health And Social Care Essay A report was published in 1992 in The House of Commons regarding the provision of maternity services; it stated that all hospitals make it their policy to make provision wherever possible for women to choose the position which they prefer for labour and birth with the option of a birthing pool where is practicable (House of Commons Health Committee 1992). Water immersion was officially accepted in the UK in 1993 following the publication of the Changing Childbirth report (Department of Heath 1993). This report recommended that a pool facility should be available in all UK maternity units; professional recognition came about when the Royal College of Midwives (RCM, 1994) and the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Heath Visiting (UKCC 1994) published statements in 1994 which integrated the immersion in water during labour into the midwifes role. Water immersion is now incorporated in the UK Midwifery Rules and Standards (2004). The current guidelines for labouring in water in Forth Valley are that the woman should be in established labour, determined as cervical dilation of a minimum of 4cm, be at least 37 weeks gestation, the presentation of the fetus should be cephalic and the fetal heart should be within normal parameters of 110 160 beats per minute, any liquor draining should be clear and no opiates should have been administered in the 4 hours proceeding entry to the pool (Paterson Hamilton, 2009). The water temperature should be 37 degrees; this should be checked hourly together with the temperature of the woman to ensure that she is not pyrexial (NICE, 2007). The woman must also have an uncomplicated obstetric history. At present the facility to labour in water is present in Stirling Royal Infirmary however there is currently only 1 labour room with a pool. This means that only 1 woman can labour or give birth in water at a time. All woman are offered the option of a water birth at their booking vis it however whether or not they will be able to labour or give birth in water will be dependant on the pool being vacant when they present in labour. The benefits of labouring in water are plentiful and is recommended in the NICE Guidelines for Intrapartum Care (2007); the buoyancy afforded by water allows the labouring woman to adopt comfortable positions easily and the water also provides a relaxing environment which assists pain relief due to the release of natural endorphins (Medforth et all, 2007). When a woman feels relaxed oxytocin is released which is required for successful contraction of the uterus and progress in labour; the reduction in feelings of stress will inhibit the production of adrenaline which if produced will hinder oxytocin production therefore slowing the progress of labour. Evidence suggests that the use of water in the first stage of labour empowers woman with an increased feeling of control over the situation she is experiencing (Hall Holloway, 1998) it also shown that as the womens perception of pain is reduced the need for epidural analgesia is lessened (Eberhard et all, 2005) as is the need for augme ntation by syntocinon (Cluett et all, 2004). Studies have shown that woman who give birth in the water have a reduced incidence of perineal trauma (Garland and Jones, 2000). This has been further supported by a clinical audit carried out in Corbar birth Centre, Baxter (2006) found that of 229 pool births 38% of woman had an intact perineum, 32% had a first degree tear, 29% sustained a second degree tear and only 1 woman suffered a third degree tear however this was the result of an accelerated second stage labour and the birth of a baby weighing in excess of 4.5 kg. The audit also showed that women who laboured in the pool but did not give birth had a reduced incidence of perineal trauma. Of the 75 woman 32% had a first degree tear, 31% had a second degree tear and again 1 woman suffered a third degree tear however 31% did require an episiotomy. It has been suggested that it is the atmosphere achieved that results in the positive experiences and outcomes for the woman who choose to use the pool through the continuous one to one care of the midwife, the woman centred approach to childbirth thus normalising the birthing experience. The student will now reflect on her experience of a water birth using Gibbs reflective cycle. I came onto an early shift on the 27 February and my mentor and I were allocated the care of a woman in established labour who had decided to labour in water. We entered the room where we were introduced to Sarah and her partner John. Sarah was a primigravida with an uncomplicated obstetric history and had been well throughout her pregnancy, her body mass index of 22 was within normal parameters. The staff midwife we were taking over from gave a handover, detailing what had happened since Sarah had arrived in the ward; Sarahs labour had commenced spontaneously at home at 41 weeks and 8 days gestation, at 2am that morning she had arrived in maternity triage for assessment; at 5am she had been transferred to the labour ward, at this time she was 3cm dilated and struggling to cope with the pain. Sarah wasnt keen to use pain relief other than entonox and the midwife providing her care had read i n her maternity notes that in the past few weeks that she had been considering labouring in water, therefore she suggested Sarah could try using the pool for pain relief; both the advantages and disadvantages were fully explained to Sarah and she was advised that if her own or the fetal condition deteriorated then she would be asked to leave the pool. Before going into the water Sarahs membranes had been ruptured artificially and following the procedure she was 5cm dilated at 6am, therefore she was in active labour and suitable for labouring in water. Upon taking over Sarahs care a set of baseline observations were carried out by myself, including a blood pressure, temperature, pulse and urinalysis. The fetal heart was heard regularly at 120 130 beats per minute (NICE, 2007). I also checked the water temperature which was 37 degrees. All observations were satisfactory; these were noted both on the partogram as well as the labour notes. Observations of temperature and pulse were carried out hourly, the water temperature was checked regularly and Sarahs blood pressure would be checked 4 hourly. The fetal heart was auscultated intermittently using a waterproof Doppler ultrasound. Sarah was using the entonox in the pool and although she was still finding the contractions painful she was coping well. Encouragement was given to Sarah during this time, reassuring her that she was doing fantastically and guidance on using the entonox effectively. The atmosphere in the room was relaxed and calm, John was also giving encouragement. At arou nd 8.30 am, 1 hour after taking over Sarahs care, she said reported that she was experiencing a burning sensation and was feeling the urge to push. The staff midwife put a mirror into the pool and the vertex was found to be visible at this stage. As per the protocol (2009) Sarah was advised to push when she felt the urge but to remember not to raise her bottom out of the water. Encouragement was given to Sarah when she was pushing, but no direction was given as directed pushing is not recommended for birth in water (Baston Hall, 2009). The babys head was delivered approximated 20 minutes later however the babys chin had not been seen as yet. The staff midwife put a hand into the pool to ensure that the chin was free and it was. A live female was delivered with the next contraction and was guided through Sarahs legs as she was in a kneeling position and brought up to her chest. The third stage of labour, the delivery of the placenta, was carried out on a Bradbury mattress as the protocol states that the placenta cannot be delivered in the pool (Paterson Hamilton, 2009). This is due the difficulty in assessing the estimated blood loss in water. Syntometrine was administered intra muscularly by the staff midwife and the placenta was delivered by controlled cord traction approximately 30 minutes after the birth of the baby. Sarah had advised that she would like the cord to stop pulsating before it was cut and clamped therefore Sarah had remained in the water until this had occurred. Sarah had a 2nd degree tear following the delivery and although it was not actively bleeding it was sutured by the staff midwife approximated 1 hour post delivery as is recommended in the guidelines (NHS QIS, 2008). The labour and birth were a beautiful and memorable experience as although it was evident that Sarah was in pain during the labour she was focused on birthing her baby. I felt very satisfied with the delivery as I felt Sarah had received the support and encouragement to have the experience of birth that she had strived for. The delivery underwater is amazing, I felt completely overwhelmed with how natural giving birth in water is as I had never experienced a water birth first hand. When reflecting on the experience I realised that upon taking over Sarahs care I had felt slightly nervous about how hands off a water birth is. The midwife is expected to basically observe both the labour and birth with the exception of carrying out the routine observations, checking and maintaining the temperature of the water and keeping the water as clear as possible with the use of a sieve. Since this experience I feel that the next time I am caring for a woman labouring or birthing in water I will fe el more confident as this is a natural and therapeutic method which increases the focus on normality in childbirth. The use of hydrotherapy has been encouraged as a method of analgesia for many years as a natural alternative to pharmacological pain relief (Jessiman Bryer, 2000). Water provides a dual benefit, heat alleviates muscle spasm and as a result of this pain is reduced and weightlessness lessens the effects of gravity therefore relieving the strain on the pelvis. Sarah was able to adapt her position easily whilst in the pool and spent the majority of her labour in a kneeling position thus facilitating the decent of the fetus (Fraser Cooper, 2009). The NMC (2007:3) states that You must recognise and the respect the contribution that people make to their own care and well being therefore if a woman wishes to labour and give birth in water it is the midwives duty to support her in this choice. Sarah had all the information in order to make an informed choice and felt that she had contributed to the care she received thus enhancing her satisfaction with her experience of labour. Eckert et al l (2001:84) concluded their randomised controlled trial with the outcome that woman who labour and give birth in water appeared more satisfied with their experience as was the case with Sarah. As a midwife advocacy is an important element of the role and it is important that midwives are advocates for the woman in their care in that they empower them with the knowledge to make informed choices regarding the care they receive (Garland, 2000). Although the use of water has been attributed to reduced perception of pain (Baxter, 2006) there is still insufficient evidence to support the use of water and studies have shown that there is no significant difference in the length of labour, blood loss or Apgar scores at birth (Cluett Burns, 2009). There have also been concerns surrounding the conditions of the neonate born in water; yet as stated there has been no evidence found to support this. In fact Thoni and Moroder (2004:47) have stated that a water birth presented no risk to the adaption of the neonate to extra-uterine life. It is however vital that the woman is removed from the water should the maternal or fetal condition become compromised (Geissbuehler et all, 2004). There was also the question of maternal and fetal hyperthermia; the suggestion that the woman should decide the temperature of the water (Anderson, 2004) was rejected when NICE (2007) advised that the water temperature should be below 37.5 degrees. It has h owever been shown that entry into the pool in the latent first phase of labour can be detrimental to progress, Eriksson (1997) found that woman who entered the pool at this stage had increased augmentation of labour as well as increased requirement for epidural analgesia, hence the protocol in Forth Valley that woman should be in established labour prior to entering the pool (Paterson Hamilton, 2009). In conclusion, it appears that there is currently insufficient evidence to support the positive effects of hydrotherapy in labour and birth; its use has been proven to have a relaxing effect on labouring woman who have reported feeling more satisfied with their experience. Evidence suggests that labouring in water does not make a significant difference to the length of labour; however the fact that the women who choose this method of pain relief report increased fulfilment should not be over looked. Further research would provide an evidence base for best practice. At present only women with an uncomplicated obstetric history are permitted entry to a birthing pool and further research is required to enable women with a variety of obstetric backgrounds to utilise a pool confidently. The question of the environment attained through hydrotherapy has arisen; do women feel increased satisfaction due to the woman centred, one to one approach to care received? It seems that this is a signif icant factor, and one which great emphasis should be placed upon. The role of the midwife is to be with women; this requires the midwife to be an advocate for the women in her care, it also requires her to provide the women with information to make informed choices regarding their care and to treat every woman as an individual, with individual concerns and needs. If hydrotherapy provides a platform for a natural approach to childbirth then it is one that should be encouraged.

Young Goodman Brown :: Literary Analysis, Hawthorne

In the story "Young Goodman Brown", Nathaniel Hawthorne uses a dream to illustrate a young man’s loss of innocence, understanding of religion and his community. Through this dream, the main character Young Goodman realizes that the people that he surrounds himself with are not who he believes them to be. The story of â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† focuses on the unconscious mind. The characters in this short-story are able to represent the struggle of Young Goodman’s superego, ego, and id. Representing the superego is Young Goodman’s wife Faith. Her name becomes a multi-layered metaphor. Hawthorne writes, "And Faith, as the wife was aptly named, thrust her own pretty head into the street, letting the wind play with the pink ribbons on her caps while she called to Goodman Brown" (Kelly, 190). This statement suggests that Brown's wife’s name is symbolic. Faith is condensed to represent innocence, the Puritan religion and Brown’s consciousness. Since, young girls are often equated with pink. The pink ribbons in her hair serve to symbolize her innocence. When Brown meets the man in the woods he says, "Faith kept me back awhile" (Kelly, 191). In this case Faith represents the Puritan religion. The next character is Young Goodman Brown himself. His name also becomes a multilayered metaphor. Being known as â€Å"young† represents Goodman Browns innocence and virtue. He is also condensed to represent his own consciousness. But, by leaving his wife, Faith, Young Goodman Brown is giving into the unconscious. "He had taken a dreary road, darkened by all the gloomiest trees of the forest, which barely stood aside to let the narrow path creep through, and closed immediately behind" (Kelly, 191). Taking this path that closes behind him represents Young Goodman’s decent into the unconscious and his loss of innocence. On this journey he soon meets a man who is a condensation of several different factors. The man represents the devil, as well as Brown unconscious mind. The next character is the man who Brown meets up with in the woods. This man is described as, "one who knew the world, and who would not have felt abashed at the governor's dinner table or in King William's court" (Kelly, 191). This man can be seen as the devil. He possesses features that illustrate him as the devil. For example his walking staff is described as having "the likeness of a great black snake, so curiously wrought that it might almost be seen to twist and wriggle itself like a living serpent" (Kelly, 191-192).

Parking on Campus :: essays research papers

Parking on campus needs improving. Students entering the university are allowed to have a car on campus. With every new freshmen class entering parking posses a problem on campus. The campus is already limited in its parking on campus and since freshmen are allowed to have cars, the students before them are faced with the dilemma of how many new freshmen will be bringing a car to school.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Parking by the dormitories is almost impossible. Students who live at particular dorms find themselves faced with the problem of having to park on the other side of campus. Those who live in Brown Hall, which is behind the Thompson center, have the most parking problems on campus. This is because the Thompson center is a very large building housing various departments on campus. Therefore it receives a lot of traffic all day. Visitors to the campus are taking over the parking lots around the Thompson center, which is forcing students to park other places on campus and some students chose to disregard the signs posted for reserved parking.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There needs to be additional parking on campus made for those visiting the campus and also for students, faculty already has reserved parking; however the limited amount of parking on campus is forcing students and visitors to reserved faculty lots. Our school is limited in funding for certain projects such adding additional parking to solve the parking problem on campus. The student body should take responsibility for the raising of these funds to build additional parking on campus. The rising sophomore class should organize fund raising events to build additional parking on campus.

Essay --

TASK 1 P7 INTRODUCTION I have to describe the Health & Safety and Welfare associated with each of the different types of building surveys. This should include the use of appropriate PPE. Completion of measured surveys: Measured surveys involve taking measurements of sites or buildings in order to produce accurate data represented at a reduced scale. They are usually specified to an agreed level of detail, to acceptable accuracy tolerances, scale, delivery times and costs. Each elevation would be sketched free-hand, dimensions are taken for later reproducing. This can be done manually or with CAD. This process involves simply visiting the proposed property and then drawing a free hand outline and all elevations, dimensions and heights are taken whether by manually or digitally. Condition Survey: A condition survey looks at all parts of a building to assess the condition and state of repair and plan for immediate and future works. This involves many aspects to be looked and noted down which are looking at the average of people living in each house, looking at which type of house it is, how many have central heating, how many have kitchen, which type of fuel is used to heat each house, the age of housing stock, the costs of repair per unit, what the average fitness standard of each house, the health and safety of the houses and what the energy efficiency ratings are. Overall this survey looks at the condition of a building and this can be noted down or organized with photographical evidence and the date (if time) is recorded when taking each photo. This is not like a detailed report neither does it involve any structural nor investigation works. Dilapidation survey: A dilapidation survey which is also called a ‘structural surve... ...lure to complete the work. Similarly, if the surveyor is not paid for doing work, then they in turn can take a client to court for the debt due. This is called getting sued for damages. Reports must be written with care to avoid getting sued. Indemnity Insurance: This is to protect Surveyors against legal proceedings for damages of omission or negligence. Often to be paid for the life of the Surveyor. Nowadays anyone who gives advice or who provides a professional service should consider investing in adequate personal cover. It covers you against compensation sought by a client if they claim you have made a mistake or have been negligent in your professional service. Bankrupt: If the client or surveyor goes bankrupt, then an official receiver would undertake the winding up of the company and establish the liability of the debtors and sums to be paid to creditors.

“Everyday Use” by Alice Walker Essay

In the short story â€Å"Everyday Use† by Alice Walker, she introduces a rural black family who struggle with the meaning of heritage. To Mama, the narrator, and Maggie, the youngest daughter, heritage is whom they are, where they come from, and the everyday use of the things around them. Dee, the oldest daughter, has rejected her heritage from the beginning. She wants the better things in life and goes off to college to find them. On her return, she seems to have a newfound sense of heritage. Through a confrontation about family quilts, Mama realizes that Dee’s view of heritage is that of artistic and aesthetic value: not the everyday use of the objects that hold significant meaning in Mama and Maggie’s lives. Walker portrays one meaning of heritage in her descriptions of Mama and Maggie. Mama says she is a big boned woman with man-working hands. She wears flannel nightgowns, overalls, and has â€Å"fat to keep me [Mama] warm in zero weather† (Walker 655). She can also kill and clean a hog as well as any man. Mama is even proud of the fact that she sweeps the dirt yard so clean that is like an â€Å"extended living room† (654). Likewise, Maggie is not a beautiful girl. She has burn scars on her arm and legs and does everything she can to hide them. She is uneducated, as is Mama, and shuffles her feet like a â€Å"lame animal† (655). Maggie is affected greatly as the first house burns to the ground. Mama states â€Å"her [Maggie] eyes seemed stretched open, blazed open by the flames†Ã‚ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  (655). Maggie understands the connection to her heritage is burning with the house. Maggie knows how to quilt because Grandma Dee and Big Dee taught her, as they have taught Mama. Through these descriptions, Walker gives a sense of poverty, but also shows that the lessons taught to Mama and Maggie by their ancestors are what keep them alive. They can feed themselves, cloth themselves, and are self-sufficient, even if they do not have money. Mama and Maggie are proud of where they come from and the fact that they are keeping the traditions alive through their everyday lives. Dee, on the other hand, has rejected her heritage from the beginning. Dee always wants nice things, remarks Mama. She wants black shoe for a green outfit and a yellow dress to wear to her graduation: even though these  things are hard for the family to come by. When the first house burns to the ground, Dee just stands by the tree with a look of â€Å"concentration on her face† (655). Dee feels no connection to the house as part of her heritage and is glad to watch it burn. Dee also rejects her heritage by rejecting who her mother is. Mama explains that Dee wants a mother who is a hundred pounds lighter and glamorous. Dee does not appreciate the knowledge of her past that is living within and through her mother. At the first chance Dee gets, she runs off to college to distance her self from her family and the poor life she is leading. Ironically, the money to send Dee to college is raised through one of the oldest traditions, her mother’s church. Dee does not realize the significance of this act as part of her heritage, nor does she care. Dee has finally accomplished her goal, getting away from the family and the traditions she despises. Upon Dee’s return home, she seems to have a newfound sense of heritage. She takes pictures of Mama, Maggie, the house, and a cow that wanders by. The house that she despises has now become a focal point to her. At dinner, Dee is excited about the food Mama prepares and Mama comments, â€Å"everything delights her† (658). Dee is intensely interested in the benches her father has built and the origins of an old dasher and turn top. It is Maggie who tells Dee the origins of the items by commenting the â€Å"Aunt Dee’s first husband whittled the dash†¦they called him Stash† (658). Dee now seems to embrace the heritage she so quickly distances herself from in the beginning. She gives a sense of appreciation for the things she once found to be vile and an appreciation for her mother and sister. Even though Dee is interested in her heritage, Mama realizes that Dee is still distancing herself from the family and the true meaning of her heritage. When Dee first returns home, she informs Mama and Maggie that she has changed her name to Wangero because she could not stand â€Å"being named after the people who oppress   her (657). Mama informs her that the name Dee can be traced back through the family tree to the Civil war and even before that. Dee dismisses this explanation. Through the changing of her name, Dee feels that she has connected with her African roots. However, she is truly disconnecting herself from the roots of her family. Dee’s interest in Mama’s  everyday items of the dasher and turn top is purely atheistic. She tells Mama she will do artistic things with the item. All Dee can see in the items is the value they hold as art objects. The final confrontation occurs when Dee goes to the foot of Mama’s bed and takes family quilts from the trunk. Mama tells Dee she has promised the quilts to Maggie and Dee flies into a rage. She tells Mama that Maggie does not understand the value of the quilts and that Maggie would be â€Å"backward† enough to put them to everyday use (659). Mama tells Dee she hopes Maggie will use the quilts because that is what they were made for. When Mama asks Dee what will she do with the quilts, Dee responds that she will hang them on the wall. By hanging the quilts on the wall, Dee is further distancing herself from her heritage: turning it into a piece of artwork. Mama has a revelation as Maggie walks into the room. She tells Mama Dee can have the quilts because she â€Å"can â€Å"ËÅ"member Grandma Dee without the quilts† (659). Mama realizes that Maggie is the one that has a real meaning of their heritage. Maggie knows how to quilt because her ancestors taught her. Maggie knows the stories behind all of the things in the house that she and Mama put to everyday use. Maggie is the one that understand that heritage is the knowledge and memories that are inside her, not tangible objects. Mama rips the quilts from â€Å"Miss Wangero’s† hands and places them in Maggie’s lap (659). At this, Dee venomously tells her mother and Maggie that they do not understand their heritage. The irony is that it is Dee that does not understand her heritage. As she leaves, Dee places a large pair of sunglasses on her face that hide everything â€Å"above the tip of her nose and her chin† (660). Dee is once again hiding who she truly is behind a false faÃÆ' §ade that she has created: a creation that springs from the rejecting and perverting of her true heritage. Through Mama, Maggie, and Dee, Alice Walker gives a true definition of the word heritage. Heritage is what is inside Mama and Maggie, the memories and the skills they have inherited from their kindred. True heritage comes from the everyday use of the memories and skills that are passed down from generation to generation. Dee personifies what heritage is not. Heritage is not hung on a wall, admired for its beauty, and then forgotten. Heritage is  a living entity to be built upon by future generations. Mama realizes this in the end and sees that Maggie is the future of their heritage.