Social Science Study Guide

Study Guide: Intro to Social Sciences Anthropology: * How culture contributes to the make-up of humanity * Science of people (origin, classification, distribution, races, physical character, culture) * Emphasis on cultural relativity, in-depth examination of context and cross-cultural comparisons * Anthropologists: Ruth Benedict, Margaret Mead * Both quantitative and qualitative methods of research * Fields: Biological/physical anthropology, Sociocultural anthropology, archaeology, anthropological linguistics Sociology: Studies the actions of members within a specific society * How people organize themselves in groups, institutions and associations * Fields: Demography, criminology, gender studies, social stratification * Sociologists: Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, Talcott Parsons, George H. Mead * Both quantitative and qualitative research methods Psychology: * Science of mental processes of a group/individual * Used in counselling to business * Fields: Developmental psychology, abnorm al psychology, clinical psychology, social psychology, organization psychology, cognitive psychology, personality, neuroscience. Psychologists: Sigmund Freud, Ivan Pavlov, B. F. Skinner, Albert Bandura, John B Watson Sociology * One area of society affects another directly or indirectly * Ideology of society influences marriage, economics, love, freedom, politics * Sociologists seek to make sense of the beliefs and values of the personalities interacting within the complex society that is continually being recreated. KARL MARX (1818-1883) * Study society using a scientific method to try to predict social outcomes (Marxist theory) * Production is essential for the advancement of society A few individuals will control the majority of the resources and production * Conflict in his theory: division of social class one person’s status is elevated while other workers are forced to make money. * Labour Theory of Value: human productive power will be exploited in order to maximize pr ofits for the bourgeois. * Proletariat produces goods valued at more than they are being paid rich getting richer. * Money is the driving force in our society * Businesses are exploiters, cannot see positive nature of the bourgeois TALCOTT PARSONS (Structural Functionalism) * As much as things change they stay the same Believed society will create structures within itself that will help with its basic functioning requirements * Our society will work to achieve a homeostasis where equilibrium is achieved * Every aspect of society contributes to the successful function of another aspect. (Relies on each other) * When a system breaks down, it is necessary for other components in society to take over or assist the malfunctioning social structure. * Ex: Legal system * Structural functionalism: Does NOT look at social change; deals with the maintenance of a society (seeks normality, equilibrium).GEORGE H. MEAD (Symbolic Interactionism) * Symbolic interactionism: Focuses on how humans inte rpret (define) each other’s actions. Their response is based on the meaning which they attach to such actions (not the actions directly). * Individuals learn and react from interactions within a society. * People influence their surroundings and shape the development of a society. * Society shapes the individual as he/she is shaping the society. * Analyses from the â€Å"standpoint of communication as essential to the social order†, not individual psychology. FEMINISM Liberal Feminists: Examine social institutions, equal access to increase women’s influence on society. * Radical Feminists: Focus on the exploitation of women. Seek to change the patriarchal social structure through complete structural changes. * Marxist Feminists: Focus on women’s labour being underpaid. * Social Feminists: Focus on the overthrow of the capitalism; believe it is the root problem of inequality of sexes. Fields Demography * Demography is the scientific study of human populati ons-their size, composition and distribution across an area. * Fertility, mortality, and migration.These three processes influence how people inhabit the earth, form nations and societies, and how they develop culture. Criminology * Criminology is the study of the criminal justice system and the law enforcement from a social and individual perspective. * Focuses on the behaviour which may have caused the criminal to violate a law, and seeks its influences, whether it is psychological, social or cultural. Gender Studies * Gender studies seeks to analyse gender identity and gendered representation in the fields of psychology, political science, sociology, media studies, human development etc. Gender studies investigates the physical and biological gender differences between sexes, nationality etc. Psychology * Study of human behaviour. * Examines actions, responses, how someone reacts under specific conditions, how this individual affects society. SIGMUND FREUD * Creator of psychoanal ysis * Human behaviour is driven by desires and the suppression of these desires. * Mind has three areas: Conscious, Preconscious, Unconscious * Personality is motived by drives= Id (part of the unconscious mind) * Superego= socially conscious of all decisions Ego= mediator between Id and Superego * Too much Id= not worry about social responsibilities; engage in dangers, breaking social rules. * Too much Superego= too uptight, too worried about social expectations and rules * Freud view human development as progressing through stages of development where the main conflict deals with an erogenous zone of the body. * Human development is understood in terms of changing focuses of sexual desire. B. F SKINNER (Operant Conditioning) * Interested in outward behaviour; believed that our personality develops because of external events. He used a rat experiment to show the idea of positive reinforcement; praise for good behaviour has the highest chance for producing long-term behaviour chang e. * Humans develop their behaviours due to a set of rewards that promote activities being repeated and reinforced. * Skinner believes that Operant Conditioning is good tool to promote an individual to make changes in their behaviour. IVAN PAVLOV (Classical Conditioning) * He wanted to see how the mind could be conditioned to make the body respond to the possibility of an event occurring. * Ex: Salivation reaction of a dog to a meat powder ERIK ERIKSON (development stages table) Believed that at a certain stage of someone’s life there are tasks (milestones) to achieve in order to have a healthy development. * Unlike Freud, he believed that a person can pass through a stage and not get â€Å"stuck† at a certain level of psychological development. Fields Developmental psychology: Developmental psychology is the science of studying developmental growth in humans over the course of their life span-from conception until death. Neuroscience: Neuroscience psychology is an int erdisciplinary field which applies the knowledge and study of the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord and networks of sensory nerve cells.Abnormal psychology (deviance): Abnormal psychology is the branch of psychology that studies deviant (unusual) behaviour, emotion and thought. Personality psychology: Personality psychology is a branch of psychology that strives to determine how different personality traits and tendencies influence our thoughts, behaviour and actions and makes each human unique. Clinical psychology: Clinical psychology is a branch of psychology which applies scientific, theoretic and clinical knowledge in order to assess, prevent, predict and to treat abnormal behaviour, ysfunction or mental disorders in order to improve the individual’s well-being and personal growth. Social psychology: Social psychology is the study of individuals’ thoughts, feelings and behaviour and how they perceive and influence others. Organizational psychology: O rganizational psychology is the scientific study of employees, workplaces and businesses. Cognitive psychology: Cognitive psychology is a branch of psychology which studies the mental processes including how people learn, remember, think, perceive and solve problems. Anthropology * Science of studying people and their culture. Anthropologists pose important questions concerning the continuation of poverty, racism, violence, and social inequality around the world. FUNCTIONALISM (Margaret Mead) * Understanding how social institutions fill social needs. * Every custom or practice in society provides a form of stability for the entire system. * All aspects of a society—institutions, roles, norms, etc. —serve a purpose and that all are indispensable for the long-term survival of the society. * Having established laws, customs, and agreed upon practices provides a sense of predictability and stability within a society. In order to understand a society, researchers must under stand the function of social institutions and their respective contributions to the stability to their society. * A critique of functionalism is that all institutions are considered to provide stability, when this is not the case. * Ex: The presence of family violence produces instability in the culture with a difference in power among the different sexes. STRUCTURALISM * Reinforcement of a norm or a value increases the acceptance of the practice within a given society. * Cultures, viewed as systems, are analyzed in terms of the structural relations among their elements. Structuralists believe that meaning is produced and reproduced within a culture through activities and various practices that show their significance. * For example, North American society values the concept of romantic love and close friendship. This social idea is reinforced through media and national celebrations. Ex Valentine’s Day. * Different societies' institutions reinforce different values. Fields Bi ological/physical anthropology: Biological anthropologists seek to understand how humans have evolved and what affect that has had on our behaviour.Sociocultural anthropology: Sociocultural anthropology examines social patterns and practices by studying and comparing human societies across the world. Archaeology: Archaeology is the study of past people, cultures, and civilizations through the analysis of material remain, ranging from artefacts and evidence of past environments to architecture. Linguistic Anthropology: Linguistics is the study of languages; how they are formed, evolved, and how it has interacted and contributed to a culture.

Dementia Essay

I work in a mix residential home for the elderly, some of the clients, Dementia range from mild to severe. The clients are raised in a very different way to how I was raised and it is important that I must remember this and respect their this as we all have personal beliefs and preferences based on our background and upbringing. I have been brought as a Muslim where religious education was compulsory, however we still studied various other religions and were taught to respect all people and there beliefs. Prayers were a daily thing at the end of each assembly and whether or not I wanted to pat attention to the prayer time again I had to respect the people that did. Religion may affect people in many different ways, mainly because we all come from different backgrounds and are taught differently. However, it is important to respect how people honor their religion. I am an atheist however I still make time to talk to my clients about their religion even though my own beliefs it is not some thing that I choose to do as I know it makes the client happy it makes me happy to do this as I know it is some thing that they feel so strongly in and it is amazing at how much I really now look forward talking about it. It is part and parcel of the work that I do and part of showing the clients that we care about what makes them happy and respect their beliefs even if ours are different. It is important to remember that my own personal preferences are different to others and I can’t expect others to think, act and feel the same way as I do. For example I like to shower daily and some times twice daily, some of my clients do not like water and some really do not like showers or baths I have to respect there decision if they prefer not to have one and explain if possible that it is in, religion to smell nice and clean if they ignore this is in religion only but what they have to understand its nature to try and stay clean.

Discussion Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

Discussion - Movie Review Example Salvador painting represents surrealism painted in 1931 with significant representation of Dreamscapes that depicts the aforementioned logical attack (Smarthistory 1:23). A view of the painting creates a feeling and thought of desert-scape that inherently gives the sense of safety and satisfaction of being within the landscape generated by the art. The painting depicts an unbearable moment of quietness with significantly no observable movements amongst the elements. The environment created by the art displays absurd nature with seemingly dead tree and unrealistic clocks. The ants that seem to eat from a metal piece rather than rotten flesh further explains the irrational nature depicted in the art (Smarthistory 2:26). Besides the impossibilities and absurdity represented by the art, historians argue that the cliff in the background represents those of Catalonian coast that exist within Northern Spain. In addition, historians argue that the strange figure within the art represents a profile face with nose, tongue and eyelashes (Smarthistory 3:40). The art remains authoritative in explaining the conflict between rational and irrational ideas in humanity thoughts, feelings, and ideas.  Inherent elements of the art, including the strange figure, clock, cliff, and the dead tree explains how the human mind and thinking remain wired in reality. Salvador art represents objectivity of reality with the idealistic question over the existence of particular natural objects such as a clock. Ann Temkin explains the inherent era of artists that dominated by abstract expressionism that occurred between the 1940s and 1950s in New York. The event of abstract expressionism that brought several artists together had the urgency to explore self-creativity in artistry. Most importantly, abstract expressionism aimed at expressing the post-war occurrences. The event had great originality and creativity about the

Technology Management in Education Annotated Bibliography

Technology Management in Education - Annotated Bibliography Example This paper was important to my study of management of technology in education as it enabled me to have a clear picture of the concerns that accompany its use and the types of technological tools that can presently be found in many classrooms. I also found it useful to learn the extent to which teachers are familiar with technology. This particular study examined the present trends of technology and the way that the concerns of teachers have developed over time. The research was carried out over a four year period and looked at two hundred teachers who were assessed over aspects such as awareness, the amount of information they have concerning the use of technology in education and how exactly they manage this technology. This study looked at the concerns that teachers have over several levels of their professional development. In using this paper for my research, I was able to have a better understanding of the concerns of teachers and especially the feelings that they have over the implementation of technology and more importantly, the tools that they use in order to effectively manage this technology. this paper was especially important since it looks at the implementation across a number of international environments which I believe enabled my paper to be more comprehensive. In this particular study, the author presents a report on the research that she has done on schools and how teaching has evolved in the 21st century. She examines the impact that technology has had on the field of education and examines how education has moved from instances where teachers stood in front of the classroom to one which focuses more on collaboration and centered on the student. This paper was critical to my research since it enabled me to learn how technology has enabled students become global citizens and some of the core characteristics of school curriculums in the 21st century. The paper also enabled me to have an understanding of the strategies that are needed in

Discharged for Off-Duty Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discharged for Off-Duty Behavior - Essay Example resources department has the responsibility to evoke such employees of the existence of such rules and make them available once needed by the employees. This paper discusses an example of an off-duty behavior of an employee of AEM company called John. Given the facts of this case, John did not receive a fair treatment. The HR manager was able to mention the existing code of conduct that stated that employee’s off-duty behavior should not affect the company, its employees, or sales of its educational materials. Existence of this code of conduct does not explicitly indicate that John knew about it. The code is quite extensive and has not narrowed in to what behaviors that would amount to breaching off-duty performance by an employee. According to Bohlander and Snell (2009), rules should be widely disseminated, widely known by all employees, reviewed periodically, and reasons for the rules explained. John is right that what he did in his personal life was â€Å"no obligation of the company† if the rules were not stipulated properly and explicitly explained to him not to handle pornographic materials. Besides, he explains the reason for the purchase of materials. It was not at will. Discharging an employee as a disciplinary measure is usually the last resort. From this case, John has no indiscipline records in his personal record for the last twelve years. We do not hear of any warnings prior to this scenario. According to Bohlander and Snell, the employee must know the rule, be notified of his breach of the rules, and be given reasonable warning before dismissal (Bohlander & Snell, 2009). Sales representatives of AEM can be held to a higher level of personal conduct than sales representatives of other companies. Despite the global employment laws that regulate businesses, organizations reviews their codes and guidelines yearly to suite their demands. This happens mostly in private companies where rules of conduct are given and explained to the sales

Write a Dance Performance Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Write a Dance Performance Critique - Essay Example Black and white was the theme of the dance. The aim was to create the classical aspect of the dance. The dancers utilized this theme and created systematic movement that resembled the classical belle and tango dancers. The amateur completion offered more than expected. The diverse nature of the dancers created a connection between the classical music and dance and the modern aspects of dances. Most of the dancers fused these two themes to create a masterpiece much to the delight of the audience. The color background and music fused well with the dance routine hence creating the classical illusion. The focus was on the young pair with black and white Leotards. The pair represented the classical theme through their basic dance routines. The young pair was effective with the legs and hand movement hence creating a unique chemistry. The themes where accompanied by music and costumes. The music failed to represent the main theme. The tango routines where interrupted by quick music provide for by the event organizers. The time allocated to each dance routine was long hence did not match the length of the songs being played. The lack of life performance meant that the dancers depended on recorded music in their routines. The Black and white theme was effective and dancers had to adhere to the costumes recommended by event organizers. The uniformity of costume meant that constants were to be judged based on their abilities rather that overall appearance. Ability in this case meant finding a pair that understands the theme and their knowledge in presenting a masterpiece. The efforts by the dancers were exceptional given the conditions provided for by the event organizers. However, most of the dancers failed to acknowledge diversity in their dance routines. In conclusion, the dance competitions offered diversity in the manner in which

Discussion questions Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion questions - Research Paper Example Consumers’ desire for attractively designed and portable computer has forced companies to concentrate on the production of notebooks and laptops. Furthermore, price cuts, extended battery life, integrated wireless networking, and prevalence of home-offices have resulted escalation of laptop sales (Yeung, 2011). Consumers can be categorized as satisfied switchers, dissatisfied switchers, and stayers based on price and payment conditions. Dissatisfied switchers are the consumers that give less importance to the price of the computer; rather they are obsessed with the technical features and specifications. 2) A complete and successful marketing activity implies that appropriate price, appropriate product, appropriate promotional means, as well as services and enterprise products are devoted to a particular market. According to the theory of marketing, the following market strategies will be appropriate to handle the target market of Lenovo. Currently Lenovo puts into consideration various factors when selecting a market target. Strong brand awareness to cater for city clients who have advanced conception in the information technology. In the laptop market, the consequence of Lenovo brand is comparative advantage, so selecting such market targets can accommodate the requirements of such customers (Pan, 2005). The company should seek to persuade its customers than it offers products that are far superior in comparison to what its competitors are offering. The main benefit that Lenovo stands to gain when products are successfully differentiated include, premium prices for its products, above average profits, an elastic demand for its products, and creates a barrier to entry of new competitors to the market. Lenovo sustainable development is consistent with a correct and unified guiding ideology. It is with an appropriate strategic plan for use and guide of its own attributes with

SSDD Forensics Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

SSDD Forensics Issues - Essay Example The logical acquisition approach is based on acquiring a logical bit-by-bit copy of the directories and various types of files (address files) found within the iPhone file system. But, Physical acquisition implies a bit-by-bit copy of an entire physical store (e.g., a memory chip). Logical backups are considered a rich source of data files that can help build evidence. They can also provide proof of the pairing relationship between the computers that have been previously synced with the iPhone device if that computer was seized as part of the investigation. A physical acquisition has the advantage of allowing deleted files and data remnants to be examined. Physical extraction acquires information from the device by direct access to the flash memories. Generally, this is harder to achieve because the device vendors need to secure against the arbitrary reading of memory so that a device may be locked to a certain operator. The name of the backed-up folder is a long combination of forty hexadecimal numbers and characters (0-9 and a-f) and represents a unique identifier for the device from where the backup was obtained. This unique identifier appears to be a hashed value since it was the same unique name given to the backed-up folder by iTunes on both Mac and Windows operating systems. Within this folder reside hundreds of backup files with long hashed filenames consisting of forty numbers and characters. These filenames signify a unique identifier for each set of data or information copied from the iPhone memory. Backed-up data is stored in three file formats, plist files which stores data in plaintext format, mddata files which stores data in a raw binary format and info files which store encoded metadata of the corresponding binary mddata files. Figure 3 shows the Backup folder containing the backed-up files. Generally, the iPhone file system stores data in binary

Joe Gransden Jazz Jam Essay Example for Free

Joe Gransden Jazz Jam Essay In the recent course of music, it is evident that changes and development are present. The variety of genres had expanded which led to the arrival of brand new breed of artist that is able to represent various entities and cultures. Moreover one of the genres which are developing is Jazz. For many years, different jazz musicians are present. In the current state of music, it is clear that music is flowing. Due to such realization it is needed as a researcher to see a jazz performer to fully see the development of music as well as the instrumentation of the band. More so, the researcher shall provide details to which different kinds of observation during the performance of Joe Gransden Quartet Jazz Jam. The Joe Gransden Quartet Jazz Jam is a group which is composed of different individuals who are actively performing different types of instrumentations. The most important instrument is the trumpet which is usually utilized in every song of the band. The band is greatly utilizing instruments rather than a vocal instrument. There is a satisfying sound of the base and drums and the cello which highlighted by the shallow sound by different instruments with a lighter sound. More so, the whole set which was played by the band were all complete with different instruments which add drama and emotions with the songs. Definitely the whole band is very great for they are able to present their craft and attain a response from the audience. For the band is jazz, the audience is calm and very appreciative of the music. Due to the excellence o the band, it is inevitable that the audience will be entertained and amused on how individuals could utilize music as a form of emotional and artistic perspective. On the other hand, attending such concert is similar to drinking a cold glass of water. Such kind of band is refreshing to the ears and to the soul. The music of the band and their musicality is unquestionable. Moreover, the excellence of each member in their instruments does not need any improvement. The association of each instrument is in line with each other. Upon this, the researcher sees that the Joe Gransden Quartet Jazz Jam is a unique band which does not present that jazz is a genre which is unlike any other. The presentation is highly classical in the perspective of the researcher. The instruments and the notes are learning to the classical music which is usually done in operas. More so, the instrument was playing a huge role in its own unique way. All the instruments were complementing each other. Therefore, the instruments are all highlighted in their own way. Looking at the perspective of the solo acts, it is slightly evident that each of the musicians has their own flare in providing a different style in playing the instrument. In addition to this, the lead of the band –Joe Gransden is an important player in the band. For he leads the whole group towards his visions, he is allowed the most pristine individual in the group. Although most of the musicians in the group is great in their on instruments, it is through the vision and knowledge of Joe Gransden that the group have gone to the levels and acknowledgement of the press and the audience. Moreover, the whole band was a breath of fresh air for the audiences who are interested

The Patient Safety Movement Essay Example for Free

The Patient Safety Movement Essay According to patientsafetymovement.org (2013), over 200,000 patients die each year due to preventable causes. This is more than the number of deaths from lung, breast and prostate cancer combined. With such a high number of patients at risk of preventable death, the idea of patient safety moved to the forefront of medical discussions in the early 1990’s with the release of the Institute of Medicine’s report To Err is Human. The report brought to light the issues of patient safety and the errors occurring every day in medical facilities across the country. Patient safety as defined by the Institute of Medicine is simply stated as having â€Å"freedom from accidental injury† (ahrq.gov). Patient safety is now considered a healthcare discipline concerned with reporting, preventing and analyzing adverse events in an effort to reduce or eliminate errors leading to undesirable patient outcomes. Some of the most common medical errors affecting patient safety are wrong site surgery, medication errors, and health care acquired infections. Other causes of medical errors are not directly related to â€Å"touching† the patient. These errors include hand-off communications, illegible handwriting, and poor coordination of care. Wrong site surgeries include operating on the wrong part of the body, performing the wrong operation, or operating on the wrong patient. While wrong site surgery is rare, (from 1995-2010, the Joint Commission received reports of 956 wrong site surgeries), it is probably one of the most preventable injuries affecting patient safety (National Patient Safety Foundation, 2014). Medication errors occur if a patient receives the wrong medication or if the patient receives the right medication in the wrong dose or wrong form. One of the most common errors facing the patient safety movement today, the Institute of Medicine estimates medication errors affect over 1.5 million Americans each year (NPSF, 2014). Health care acquired infections are infections occurring in patients while being treated for other medical conditions. These infections can be acquired while being treated in or out  of a hospital setting. Each year in the United States, approximately 1 in 20 patients contract a health care acquired infection. Errors in patient hand-off communications account for an estimated 80 percent of serious medical errors (patientsafetymovement.org, 2014). A lack of effective communication is responsible for these avoidable adverse events. Illegible handwriting leads to the misinterpretation of physician orders and has led to medication and treatment errors. Patients are at risk for error whenever more than one healthcare provider is involved in their care. Not all providers may have had access to the same information and this lack of coordination of care can result in medical error. In order to develop a patient safety culture in healthcare institutions across the country, several groups were created or formed to outline new patient safety initiatives as well as define the actions both providers and patients can take to prevent medical injuries due to preventable errors. One such group, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, (AHRQ), â€Å"is a home to research centers that specialize in major areas of healthcare research such as quality improvement and patient safety . . . and delivery systems (Pozgar, 2012, p. 541). The AHRQ is charged with the following initiatives: 1. Identify the causes of preventable health care errors and patient injury in health care delivery. 2. Develop, demonstrate, and evaluate strategies for reducing errors and improving patient safety. 3. Disseminate such effective strategies throughout the health care industry. As the AHRQ works to meet its initiatives, other groups such as the National Patient Safety Foundation establish action plans to address the challenge of eliminating medical errors. For example, in 2013, the foundation addressed nine areas in which patient safety errors occur and how these errors could be eliminated by following a well-developed plan. Included in those nine areas were medication errors, hand-off communication errors, and healthcare associated infections (patientsafetymovement.org). Other results of the patient safety movement include the way patients are identified. For example, two patient identifiers are used prior to providing patient care. These identifiers may include a patient’s name or date of birth. These identifiers are then matched to the patient record thereby ensuring treatment is provided to the right person. Many providers and facilities  have strict infection control guidelines including the use of hand washing and proper use of PPE (personal protective equipment), such as gowns, gloves, and masks. Other changes relate to the elimination of medication errors. For example, look alike or sound alike drugs are kept separated or repackaged in pharmacies to prevent giving a patient incorrect medications. In order to prevent wrong site surgeries, both the physician and the patient are involved in clearly marking the site prior to surgery as well as verbal communication between physician and patient as to the surgical site and what type of surgery the patient is about to undergo. Other safety actions include the members of the surgical team taking a â€Å"time-out† prior to surgery to confirm the correct patient, correct site, and correct procedure (Pozgar, 2012). Another initiative began in 2005, when Dr. Donald Berwick and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, (IHI) created a ca mpaign to save 100,000 lives (Levin, 2005, p. 94). â€Å"The campaign aims to enlist at least 1,500 hospitals across the United States to commit to six key evidence-based, safety and quality improvements that have the potential to save 100,000 lives over the next 18 months—and beyond† (Levin, 2005, p. 95). The six key-evidenced based improvements are 1. Rapid Response Teams. 2. Prevention of Central Line associated bloodstream infections. 3. Prevention of surgical site infections. 4. Prevention of adverse drug events. 5. Improved care for acute MI. 6. Prevention of ventilator associated pneumonia. Dr. Berwick and the IHI believed that this initiative could be successful at preventing patient medical errors and result in an unknown number of saved lives. The overall goal of all groups involved in the patient safety movement is to improve the quality of patient care through system improvement, education, and shared experiences to reduce the risk of medical error. Unfortunately, the goals of the patient safety movement and the current tort system do not go hand in hand. While the patient safety movement encourages open communication regarding patient medical errors, the risk of litigation causes many healthcare providers and institutions to remain silent regarding patient medical errors. In order to avoid lawsuits, many physicians practice â€Å"defensive medicine,† which can actually increase the risk of patient medical errors resulting in malpractice lawsuits. Some tort reforms have shown to be somewhat successful in reducing the overall cost of liability by keeping insurance premiums lower, keeping physicians in  practice, and capping the amount of damages paid to patients. However, while these reforms may have reduced the financial burden on healthcare providers, they do little to support the patient safety movement. The most widely cited concerns about the medical liability system relate to the systems impact on costs and access to liability coverage, its impact on patients safety, and the administrative burden of litigation. According to AHRQ, in order to address these concerns, the following reforms have been discussed: Full disclosure/early offer programs. Certificate of merit programs. Caps on damage awards, periodic interim payment rules, joint and several liability reforms, collateral source rule reform, and the abolishing of punitive damages. Pre-trial screening panels. Health courts Patient safety is one of the primary goals of reform efforts that focus on programs that promote full disclosure, early offers, and the collection and analyses of the root causes of medical errors (AHRQ, 2010). As with all movements, the patient safety movement is not without its critics. One criticism of the movement deals with physician burnout. The patient safety movement includes many new initiatives aimed at improving patient safety. Each of these new initiatives takes time to understand and implement in order to have the desired outcome. Unfortunately, many providers are faced with learning these initiatives on top of an already full day of patient care. Most facilities have not built in the time required to learn, understand, and implement new initiatives. At the time the IOM published the To Err is Human report, many in the healthcare field questioned the numbers revealed in the study as well as contending that the information in the report would focus undue attention on accidental deaths and prevent limited resources from being directed at other important quality improvement initiatives. Other critics do not agree with the focus on involving patients in their own care, believing that if a patient is already sick and in the hospital, the patient should not have the additional burden of making sure they are receiving the right medicine at the right time, etc. Whether a supporter or critic of the patient safety movement, everyone can agree that human errors do occur in the treatment of patients. In order to improve  patient safety, healthcare providers and facilities must continue to find ways to implement new initiatives that improve the overall quality and safety of the care provided to patients. References AHRQ. (2008). What Exactly Is Patient Safety? Retrieved from http://ahrq.gov Institute of Medicine. (2014). Retrieved from http://iom.edu/ Levin, A. A. (2005). Patient Safety- Rejecting the Status Quo. NC Med J March/April 2005, Volume 66, Number 2. Retrieved from http://ww.ncmedicaljournal.com National Patient Safety Foundation. (2014). Key Facts About Patient Safety. Retrieved from http://www.npsf.org/for-patients-for-consumers Pozgar, G.D. (2012). Legal Aspects of Health Care Administration (11th ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones Bartlett Learning, LLC The Patient Safety Movement. (2013). Challenges Solutions. Retrieved from http://patientsafetymovement.org/challenges--solutions-/