Is building new roads the solution to traffic congestion in the UK Essay

Is building new roads the solution to traffic congestion in the UK - Essay Example This is the most common argument, which is made about the roads of any major country. Even the political leaders promise to develop the country lifestyle by building new roads whereas developing the existing roads can also matter as far as the progress of the country is concerned. Highly congested roads have very poor safety records. UK being one of the oldest countries in the whole world has many roads, which are very old and unplanned. These roads are not perfect for the people to travel through them. Congestion is the main thing, which appears to be highly dangerous for the travellers. Number of accidents is very high on these parts of the country. This is the reason why the government talks about making newer roads. This is important so that they can divert the excessive traffic to the other ways. (Ascorbic, 2005) Motorways are our safest roads, yet the government is afraid to build them, as they will allow vehicles to run at high speed. We can take look at the ancient times when the Romans used to build new roads while they planned for a new country. (Icknield Way Association, 2004) Their roads were straight and many of these roads smoothed their lifestyle a lot. But here the differences between the Roman ancient roads and the existing roads in UK can be seen. In this country people travel through roads, which are not scientifically planned, and therefore risks of accidents are higher with them. Roman highways in many senses resemble the motorways of the modern infrastructure. So there is an argument in which building motorways are thought to be one of the best-known solutions for a country like UK. (Hume, 2007; Hogarty, 1999) Building up new roads can bring development to the local communities and this work can be done with the help of bypasses and flyovers. Building up new roads also opens up the newer opportunities for corporations and smaller business houses as goods transportation becomes easier than before. It is also like a death for the

European Union Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

European Union - Essay Example However, the idea of Europe cannot be entirely appreciatedwithout having the mentality of historical evolution of the Europe continent prior tothe periods of World War II and by extension the recent integration process that has been realized in the United States of Europe. By definition, stagnation in economic sense implies that there is a noticeable cease in motion, progress or generally activity. The progress as well as stagnation has been both customary and yet understandable stages in the expansion of the European Union and its antecedent, the European Communities (EC). European integration has had a kind of stop-and-go or an oscillating developmental pattern since the inception of the idea after the First World War (Louis Meuleman 2008; p. 401). Several factors have worked in a bid to understanding and shaping the composition and the future of the Union, for example issues like the adoption of a Constitution for the EU; the extension of EU membership to slot in ten new Member States; the ballot vote to the European Parliament; as well as the recommendation of a novel European Commission. In the 70s there was huge realization of lack of advancing the idea of EU among the member states. Citizens of independent member states were duly considered the then obstacles to the strong establishment and expansion of the EU. For instance, citizens of nations like the Netherlands and France at one time are in record having voted for their countries to pull out of the EU, leaving the reform process. In this regard at least according to Cini, (2007, 442); Citizens continue to disengage from the EU institutions, including what is ostensibly 'their' Parliament; the richer member states are seeking to reduce their contribution to the EU budget rather than increasing it to allow equitable treatment of the then new entrants in cohesion and agricultural aid. In fact the EU integration crisis in 70s Cini, (2007, 442) continue to declare, precipitated a situation dabbed Eurosclerosis. Eurosclerosis she explains further that it is the time period when the political integration in Europe mired. Fundamentally, it was the outcome of authority decisions in member states and by extension acute prevailing lack of public concern in regarding the condition of the European integration. There was also member state party politics as well as ethnicity issues (Bache, Ian & Stephen George 2006; 273). The principal issue here was how member states made policy decisions to shape their preferences regarding the EU (Folke, C., T. Hahn, P. Olsson, & J. Norberg, 2005; 361). The independent member states held varied political culture as well as big picture opinions of their national interest and preferences. These factors are by extension shaped by complicated bundles of issue-specific factors which further depends on negotiations between the EU27 members and t he apparent constantly shifting patterns of domestic politics within each member states. A pretty good example, according to Cini (2007, p. 450) is the French 'Non' to the Constitutional Treaty motivated by the then president. The French resisted the recommended liberalization of services in the Single Market which has been a prime EU policy, commonly called Bolkestein Directive. There is therefore divergent views on

The Economics of Crime and Capital Punishment Essay

The Economics of Crime and Capital Punishment - Essay Example   Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Economics of Crime† The economics of crime is the study of factors that cause crime and the consequences of criminal activities in the society as well as approaches towards the reduction of the criminal effects on the society. Economics of crime deals with the costs of criminal justice programs and policies and their benefits to the society. It also deals with analyzing market progress in regard to all activities associated with a crime like drugs, money laundering, and firearms, among others. Economics of crime still evaluates the effects of criminal activities on other aspects of life like healthcare, education, labor market, and substance abuse. â€Å"Capital Punishment† Capital punishment is a method of executing justice especially to offenders who have committed acute crimes like murder. It was highly practiced in ancient days, but later some people and courts found it unconstitutional and against human rights. There have been issues of debate on whet her it should be abolished or it should continue, and this remains a major issue of concern. Many countries so far have abolished capital punishment for all crimes, though there are others that retain it. However, the practice has not proved to be the best in deterring crimes. People differ on the kind of crimes on which capital punishment should be accorded, and the issue remains unresolved. However, capital punishment has a number of effects on the economy of a country especially with the processes involved in administering justice to offenders, and its cost to the entire society. The Common Economic View The economics of crime and capital punishment go hand in hand in dealing with the economic issues. The economics of crime help in determining the cost a country incurs when administering justice to offenders. For example, the society uses public and private resources to prevent crimes and administer justice to offenders. The economics of crime helps to know the type and amount of resources used to give punishment to offenders. Capital punishment, on the other hand, affects the economy of a country to a greater extent. Administering punishment to an offender goes through a number of processes that involve the use of many resources mainly because of its passing through the different panels to justify the offender’s liability for capital punishment. Thus, it affects the economy widely and should be discouraged. Friedman’s Letter to Bill Bennett The main topic in this article is the use of law enforcement to control drug use in America. This letter is important because it talks about the cost incurred in fighting drug use in America (Friedman 85). Milton urges Bill that the direction they take off using more police, imposing harsh penalties for drug users, increasing jails, among other measures will not help in fighting drug abuse in America, but would rather worsen the current situation. Milton argues that the measures taken are only a source of major evils. Enforcing harsh penalties on drug users only increases disasters for both users and society (Friedman 86).  

Long-range planning is nowdays seen as an academic exercise Essay

Long-range planning is nowdays seen as an academic exercise - Essay Example It must be understood that planning is done to achieve certain goals. Long term goals can specify where the organization would like to be a few years in the future. Goals are stated as the intention of the organization that are specific, measurable, cover key result areas, challenging, and should have defined time periods. For individuals and workers at a given company, the goals may be linked to rewards (Welch, 2005). At the same time, planning specifies the means for achieving the organization’s goals (Daft, 2000). However today’s businesses operate in a highly volatile environment and managers are concentrating more and more on short term results. The statement given at World Economic Forum correctly suggests that ‘Long-range planning is nowadays seen as an academic exercise’ and this is fast becoming a widely accepted truth. Nevertheless in the interest of business as a going concern, the validity of the statement and legitimacy of long range planning needs to be re-evaluated. This paper focuses on discussing the merits and demerits of long range planning and aims to answer if it still is a necessary exercise or merely an academic exercise which can be ignored if other functions of management continue to perform at or better than expected levels. Before such an analysis is undertaken, it is important to know why the focus on the short term results is so predominant. Long term planning is getting more difficult and focus is shifting from it due to basic reason of increased volatility in the worldwide corporate as well as business environment. On top of that, the present financial community including stock/company analysts and mutual fund managers often evaluate the performance of many securities based on short term results. This means that a company presenting strong short term results can have its stock be given better performance reviews by peers. For individuals within the company, rewards such as bonuses, promotions and the like could

Desktop Migration Proposal Essay Example for Free

Desktop Migration Proposal Essay The purpose of this desktop migration proposal is to layout the proposed tasks and activities that are required to efficiently transition HACKM, LLC users from a Windows 7 computing environment to Windows 8. Currently, HACKM, LLC has 500 desktops/laptops that run Windows 7. The CEO of HACKM, LLC recognizes a need to implement HACKM employees to the latest Windows 8 technology. This proposal includes deployment schedules, resource estimates,  identification of special resources and staffing. This proposal also defines management controls and reporting procedures, as well as the risks and contingencies in this transition. Overview In upgrading to Windows 8, HACKM is seeking to reduce support costs while enhancing the user computing experience. HACKM would like to keep their systems current with the latest Windows technology by acquiring a top of the line laptop/tablet hybrid. The budget provided by HACKM is a maximum of $1,000,000 in which $700,000 has been set aside for the acquisition of the hardware needed to meet the requirements. The remaining $300,000 is allotted for contract support to execute the task. More details on the recommended product: 1. 10.6 widescreen with 1920 x 1080 resolution This high-resolution screen is ideal for word processing, Web browsing, research, reading and streaming HD video content. 2. Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro operating system Full laptop capability in the size of a tablet. Run your existing desktop programs, download apps from the Windows Store and share files in the cloud for easy access anywhere you go. 3. 512GB internal storage capacity plus microSD slot Significant amount of storage space for software, apps, documents, photos, videos and more. Expand storage with a microSD card. 4. Dual-core processor Delivers responsive performance, smooth-streaming video and fast access to the Web and e-mail. 5. Supports the full Microsoft Office experience – Equipped with Microsoft Office Suite. 6. Powerful connectivity with USB 3.0 Share files, connect accessories and display content on the big screen with a full-size USB port. 7. Docking station (separate) Upgrade Benefits Migrating to Windows 8 will bring HACKM up to speed with the most current operating system. Windows 8 offers superior performance in comparison to Windows 7 and all other versions of Windows. Windows 8 offers improvements in performance, existing capabilities, and is relatively cheaper in costs. Windows 8 starts up more than twice as fast as Windows 7. Windows 8 gives PC users a whole new world of full-screen, touch-friendly, Web-connected apps to explore. Laptop/Tablet Hybrids Benefits 2-in-1s come with the advantages of both tablets and notebooks. Typically they’ll have the form factor of a tablet, allowing users to easily enjoy their favorite websites and apps with touch like they would on an iPad. They sometimes boast better battery life than a typical notebook. They provide mobility advantages for personnel that are regularly on-the-go. Objectives The objective of the task is to migrate all HACKM desktops to Windows 8 including all of the user’s files and folders with no data loss, with as much transparency to the user community as possible. Approach With any project, a well thought out and sound plan is necessary. Migration technicians will check the hardware compatibility list (HCL) to verify that the recommended hardware is compatible with the operating system. This includes visiting the vendors website and checking for operating system compatibility. For specialty applications technicians will obtain the latest drivers for all hardware. If necessary, 64-bit drivers will be obtained before installation to ensure that devices are compatible with 64-bit operating systems. Windows’ Upgrade Advisor will be utilized to determine whether any special modifications to system will be required for an upgrade.  Technicians will use Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit (MAP) to automatically scan multiple computers and identify each computers compatibility for an upgrade to Windows 8. MAP checks hardware compatibility, identifies the availability of updated device drivers, and recommends a migration path to Windows 8. Other migration tasks that will be performed and documented include: Audit user community Conduct user interviews; verify user profiles, data location, answer any questions regarding migration. Audit all hardware and software to determine upgrade needs for compatibility with Windows 8 Identify total number of desktops, laptops and related hardware Examine current operating system configuration, user profiles Technicians will use Microsoft Windows Compatibility Center/Advisor to ensure current systems meet upgrade requirements. Identify project manager, project team, and stakeholders Define migration management team and points of contact Conduct weekly status meetings to discuss progress and milestones Examine risks for migrating to Windows 8 Data migration Technicians will utilize Microsoft’s Windows Easy Transfer utility to migrate user data. Windows Easy Transfer is a built-in migration tool to transfer files and settings from one computer to another. Software compatibility Group Policy Objects (GPO) will be migrated across the HACK domain forest with Advanced Group Policy Management (AGPM). Technicians will use Across Forest Migration to export the GPO and import it into the new Windows 8 production environment. After GPO migration, users will authenticate to the HACKM domain and therefore will not be required to use a Microsoft account with the new Windows 8 systems. Data Backup Restore Data protection is crucial for HACKM continuity after the migration. Technicians will: 1. Identify the critical data that needs to be archived 2. Archive this data to dedicated backup servers provided by HACKM 3. Review data for integrity and quality Technicians will backup: 1. Program data, software data, user folders and files including offline files identified during auditing and user interviews 2. Offline files will be copied to external USB hard drives (1TB). 3. Backups will be save for 90 days after migration Full backups will be run nightly with incremental backups weekly during the migration effort. Technicians will perform a full integrity and consistency check of data. Encryption Each tablet will be encrypted using Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption. BitLocker makes use of a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) to provide stronger data protection for the data on the device. BitLocker will allow our technicians to encrypt all HACKM data stored on the Windows operating system volume and configured data volumes, and by using the TPM, it can also help ensure the integrity of the information. Networking All of the new tablets will be equipped with docking stations that have built in gigabit Ethernet networking technology. For increased network security, the built-in wireless feature will only be made available on a case-by-case basis. Anti-Virus Protection Each tablet will be protected from various threats and vulnerabilities via Windows Defender. Windows Defender is antispyware software thats included with Windows and runs automatically when its turned on. Windows Defender offers two ways to help keep spyware from infecting your computer: 1. Real-time protection.†Ã¢â‚¬  Windows Defender alerts you when spyware attempts to install itself or to run on your computer. It also alerts you when programs attempt to change important Windows settings. 2. Scanning options. Windows Defender can be used to scan for spyware that might be installed on your computer, to schedule scans on a regular basis, and to automatically remove anything thats detected during a scan. Windows Defender works with Windows Update to automatically install new definitions as theyre released. Post Migration Technicians will perform the following tasks after migrating users to Windows 8: Update device drivers for unrecognized devices. During installation, drivers for many devices are installed from drivers on the installation disc. Technicians will use Device Manager to verify the status of all hardware devices, and download and install drivers for any unknown devices. Configure Windows Update and download the latest updates. Configure security software; configure the Windows Firewall and install anti-virus software. Technicians will make sure to update anti-virus definition files. Migrate user configuration settings and data using the following methods: For local files not backed-up to the network, technicians will use Windows Easy Transfer to transfer files from the old computer to the new computer. For all other user data technicians will use the User State Migration Tool (USMT): ScanState will be used on the existing computer to save user settings and files. LoadState will be used on the new computer to move files onto the new computer. Install applications and add other Windows features. Configure system backups and other protection methods. Take a complete PC backup and schedule regular user data backups. Roles Responsibilities Project Manager: Responsible for managing high performance, interdisciplinary  team to meet project milestones and achieving measurable performance outcomes. Project manager will manage and communicate task progress and milestones. Lead Migration Administrator: Responsible for leading the desktop migration effort. This includes analysis of the existing Windows 7 systems and development of the plan and approach and migration of data to the new the new Windows 8 systems. Migration Technician: Responsible for user interviews, surveys, data back-up, operating system installation and data migration. Technician will document any issues for escalation and lessons learned. Technician will regularly communicate with Lead Migration Administrator and Project Managers. Works Cited Abbass, H. (2012, November 15). How to Transfer your files to a Windows 8 Computer. Retrieved from Darktips.com: http://darktips.com/transfer-files-to-windows-8/ BestBuy.com. (2014, December). Microsoft Surface Pro 2 512GB. Retrieved from BestBuy.com: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/microsoft-surface-pro-2-512gb-dark-titanium/2147061.p?id=1219070148385skuId=2147061 Bestbuy.com. (2014, December). Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Docking Station. Retrieved from Bestbuy.com: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/microsoft-surface-pro-3-docking-station/7524004.p?id=1219276472271skuId=7524004 Microsoft.com. (2010, May). BitLocker Drive Encryption. Retrieved from Microsoft Technet: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731549%28ws.10%29.aspx Microsoft.com. (2014, December). sing Windows Defender. Retrieved from Microsoft.com: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/using-defender#1TC=windows-7 Muchmore, M. (2013, June 24). 5 Reasons You Should Upgrade to Windows 8. Retrieved from PCMag.com: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2411451,00.asp

The planet Mars Essay Example for Free

The planet Mars Essay The atmosphere above the surface of Mars is about 100 times less dense than the atmosphere of Earth. The Martian atmosphere is dense enough to support a weather system that includes clouds and winds. According to experts, Mars roller coaster-like weather is more chaotic and unpredictable than scientists first thought. At times, the sky can appear pink and cloudless, filled with windblown dust raised from the rusty Martian surface. Tremendous dust storms sometimes rage over the entire planet. Most of the dust storms occur during the perihelion when Mars is closest to the sun. In addition, the dust storms continue to dominate the atmosphere and climate during the aphelion when Mars is furthest from the sun. Perihelion and aphelion occur every Mars year, which equals two Earth years. (Mars Atmosphere, 2002) Mars is much colder than Earth. The average temperature on Mars is about -80  °F (-60  °C).Temperatures at the Martian surface vary from as low as about -195  °F (-125  °C) near the poles during the winter to as much as 70  °F (20  °C) at midday near the equator. (Mars Science, 2000) These shifts in climate are caused by three factors: Mars thin atmosphere, its elliptical orbit around the sun, and strong climatic interactions between dust and water ice clouds in the atmosphere. Mars atmosphere is so thin that it weighs less than 1 percent of Earths atmosphere. Because Mars atmosphere is so paper-thin and there are no oceans to store up heat from the sun, the planets temperatures respond more quickly and intensely to surface changes and atmospheric heating by the sun. There are also much larger annual changes in sunlight falling on Mars than on Earth, because Mars distance from the sun varies by 20 percent in its orbit around the sun every two years. (Mars Science, 2000) Mars has many of the kinds of surface features that are common on Earth. These include plains, canyons, and volcanoes. Overall, craters occur throughout the surface of Mars, while they are rare on Earth. In addition, fine-grained reddish dust covers almost all the Martian surface. Many regions of Mars consist of flat, low-lying plains. Most of these areas are in the northern hemisphere. They may be so smooth because they were  built up from deposits of sediment. There is evidence that water once flowed across the Martian surface. The water would have tended to collect in the lowest spots on the planet and thus would have deposited sediments there. Near the equator of Mars, there are is a string of canyons known as Valles Marineris. Scientists believe that they were formed by the crust of the surface being stretched and ultimately split. Volcanoes appear throughout the planet. Many of these volcanoes resemble volcanoes that are in Hawaii. Their slopes rise gradually and they are referred to as shield volcanoes. They were formed from eruptions of lavas that can flow for long distances before solidifying. (The Surface of Mars, 2002) Martian craters are similar to craters on Earths moon. The craters have deep, bowl-shaped floors and raised rims. Some large craters have central peaks that form when the crater floor rebounds upward after an impact. Much of the surface of the southern hemisphere is extremely old, and it contains many craters. Other parts of the surface, especially in the northern hemisphere, are younger and thus have fewer craters. (Mars, 2002) References The Surface of Mars. (2002). Canyons and plains. [Online]. Available: http://www.nasm.si.edu/ceps/etp/mars/surface.html Mars Atmosphere. (2002). [Online]. Available: http://chapters.marssociety.org/polska/mars_atmosphere.html

Substance Abuse Among Healthcare Professionals

Substance Abuse Among Healthcare Professionals â€Å"Statistically, about 10-15 of you have or will develop a substance use disorder† (Welsh 2002). This quote is stated by Christopher J. Welsh, M.D. to a group of healthcare providers during a substance abuse lecture. He is reinforcing the fact of how likely a healthcare worker can get into the habit. Substance abuse can include, but is not limited to, alcohol, narcotics, benzodiazepines and illegal drugs. It is not officially known why the abuse is so common in this specific group but it can be easily assumed that knowledge, access, and psychological issues would play a huge part. According to Dr. Welsh, the reasoning behind not knowing why substance abuse is so prevalent is because the majority of healthcare workers strongly object to the idea that they are addicted. In other words, they are in denial. There are two specific levels that drug users can divide themselves into: Abuse, which is the milder of the two, and dependence, which takes a more intense intervention and effort to cut the person of the habit. Since the focus of this paper is substance abuse that is the category that will be discussed. What exactly is considered abuse and how is it distinguished between an actual medical need? In Dr. Welshs lecture he mentioned four factors that are included. According to him at least one of these four factors must be accurate in order to be considered official abuse. These factors are: (1) A person is unable to complete social tasks in his or her life, (2) The consistent use of the drug in unsafe situations, (3) repeated drug affiliated legal offenses and (4) use of drugs even though it may cause social or interpersonal problems (Welsh 2002). For example, if a person is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder you may be prescribed Alprazolam. It is not considered abuse if you take your prescribed dose for oncoming anxiety while following the doctors instructions. When having an anxiety attack, or other symptoms of anxiety, Alprazolam helps to relax the person and help them feel ‘normal. When using Alprazolam without anxiety it can give a ‘drugged feeling with symptoms such as severe drowsiness to the point of impairment (Epocrates). Therefore if you use the drug without anxiety in unsafe situations, such as driving, it is considered abuse. When a person uses a drug they do so with the intention of trying to make themselves feel better. This could be a major cause for the denial that they actually have a problem. Not every person realizes how it affects friends, family, and peers. Even more so, they do not realize how it affects their job. It would take most people a serious intervention in order to help them break the habit. In the topic of drug use in the Health care workforce three questions come to mind: Why is it so prevalent among this specific profession? What are the signs to show if/when you should involve yourself with the suspected abuser? And where is help provided for the substance abusers? These three ques tions will be discussed in the following paragraphs. Why is substance abuse so prevalent in health care professionals? As mentioned above there are no precise facts as to why it is, because of the large percentage of people denying that what they do is considered abuse. Also mentioned above is that it can be assumed the reason can fall into at least one of the three categories: knowledge, access, and psychological factors. When a person works in healthcare they are exposed to a lot of basic information not commonly known outside of the healthcare facility, even if it is unintentional. An employee may hear and/or see how a patient is reacting to certain medications, such as morphine, see it is relaxing for the patient, then gain the knowledge that it is a medication that makes you ‘feel good. On an even higher level, many healthcare workers are required, for their job, to know what a drug does, why it is being given to the patient, and what common and serious complications to monitor for. When a nurse is ‘hands on with the p atient they become even more acquainted with the effects of the drugs. This can contribute to any future situation where the nurse may want to experiment. With this information at hand healthcare workers feel more comfortable using drugs and feel as if they can manage them better than the average person because of their knowledge. The access of drugs is a contributing factor as well. A nurse who works full time works at least 36 hours per week, giving him or her plenty of access to drugs. Although the new technology is making it harder to steal medications, it is still done. In addition to stealing nurses often time befriend doctors and could have doctors write prescriptions which allows even more access to drugs. Being a nurse, as mentioned above, requires knowledge of drugs and what they are used for. Because of this a nurse could make an appointment with her doctor, name specific symptoms, and know they will get a drug that they are seeking. Lastly, psychological factors contribu te to substance abuse being so prevalent. Nurses and Physicians have extremely stressful jobs, and they may seek to alleviate their stress in drug form. According to a study done by Cicala (2003) 8-12% of physicians abused or became substance abusers and Trinkoff and Storr (1998) did a study only to find that 32% of the 4,438 nurses being studied had some form of abuse. With all things considered, these are only including the healthcare individuals who admitted to having an abuse problem. Most of the drugs found to be used among the physicians were opioids and benzodiazepines while nurses had a wider variety and included illegal substances such as cocaine (Cicala 2003). What are the signs to show if/when you should involve yourself with the suspected abuser? According to a study done by Samuel D. Uretsky, PharmD (2008), it is difficult to determine a drug abuser in the healthcare field because it is generally found the job is the last thing to be affected. He goes on to explain that families and social lives are first to be torn apart versus in the average non healthcare worker there are the early signs to look for: being consistently late or absent, slacking off on the job, etc. He also goes on to make a valid point of coworkers not noticing, or turning their shoulder away from signs of abuse because they may be friends or they just dont want to get involved. In an online government brochure it sets certain guidelines to determine if the suspected individual is an abuser. These guidelines include: change in attitude and appearance, â€Å"heavy wasting of drugs†, relationships start to decline, more time than necessary spent near the drug sup ply, â€Å"insisting† on handling all injected narcotics, etc (Department of Justice). As a nurse we learn to follow the chain of commands. With this in mind it puts anyone at the predicament of being ‘the rat. No one wants to be the person who puts another persons license and career on the line. However, many patients are in the hands of drug abusers. When it doubt, or if making excuses for the potential drug abuser it, think if you would let a person of great importance to you be in the care of that specific healthcare worker. When suspecting a coworker of drug abuse you must, again, follow the chain of commands. Go to the charge nurse, or if it happened to be the charge nurse then go to the nurse manager. Most of the time, the employee will be approached by their superior and talked to about the obvious concerns. Many times this wakes them up to realize they actually have a problem and immediate improvements are shown, however sometimes it takes more serious interven tion (Department of Justice). Where is help provided for the substance abusers? There are a range of different rehabilitation programs available all over the country and some specific to health care workers. In fact, there are some affiliations aimed at preventing substance abuse among healthcare workers. The Behavioral Health Research Center of the Southwest has started to develop programs to help prevent the abuse. The method of prevention is to send messages out in different forms and educate the prevalence. They are trying to influence this by making it a part of their health and wellness program. â€Å"Included in our campaign are messages delivered in educational videos and newsletters, health risk appraisals, and personal health coaching† (BHRCS 2007). This is all taking place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but this is just the start of prevention. They hope to expand to health care workers around the country. The Interventional Project for Nurses, or IPN, has been created to assist nurses whose jobs m ay have been impaired or started to be impaired by drug use, alcohol use, or mental disorders. A nurse can place their own self in the program or can be placed in the program by their superior, or employer (IPN). Depending on where the individual works is the determining factor of what happens to the nurse, if caught being a substance abuser. The nurse could get as little as probation to as much as being fired in addition to losing their license. Either way, the program is there to help Nurses get back on their feet and get over their addiction. As a recap, drug abuse is prevalent in healthcare although there is no factual information to determine why, it can only be assumed. There are many abusers all around you as you work in the healthcare field and most go unnoticed. Their signs and symptoms are not the same as the average drug abuser and their work tends to be the last thing severely affected, making it more difficult to determine the abusers. If drug abuse is suspected it is an obligation as a licensed nurse to report it in the chain of commands, which in the long run will benefit the bigger picture. Being a drug abuser is a hard situation which may seem to have a dead end, however there are many rehabilitation programs focused on health care workers and at least one large affiliation focusing specifically on Nurses. Although it seems common sense that abusing drugs is wrong, it does not happen overnight. A person may find relief with a drug and start to use it without it thinking of long term effects. They may casuall y use it once and a while, and then increase it to more often, and then very frequently. Being educated on drug abuse, before stepping foot into the real world of nursing, helps to be prepared through primary prevention. Drug abuse, though hard to determine has a huge impact on our health care system as a whole and needs to be remedied. It is progressively improving, however only baby steps. This isnt a perfect world and not everyone can be helped, however, every person you help is one step in the right direction for our future. References Uretsky, Samuel D. (2004). Addicts in the OR? Retrieved July 17, 2008, from  www.medhunters.com No Author (2007). Substance Abuse Among Healthcare Professionals. Retrieved  July 17, 2008, from www.addictionsearch.com Behavioral Health Research Center of the Southwest (2007). Substance Abuse  Intervention for Healthcare Workers. Retrieved July 17, 2008, from  http://www.bhrcs.org Welsh, Christopher J. (2002). Substance Use Disorders in Physicians [Powerpoint  Slides]. Retrieved from www.alcoholmedicalscholars.org/physician-out.htm Department of Justice (n.d.) Drug Addiction in Healthcare Professionals. Retrieved  from www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/brochures/drug_hc.htm Intervention Project for Nurses (2008). Retrieved from http://www.ipnfl.org Alprazolam (n.d.). Epocrates Online. Retrieved on July 17, 2008, from  www.epocrates.com