The Foundation of Fundraising

The Foundation of Fundraising My placement as negotiated with my supervisor was attending a course in fundraising, as from my perspective this knowledge is very essential in the field of development. In my opinion studying development from the theoretical aspect is very important but in order to apply what we learnt in the real world we need at least a minimum knowledge of management techniques. Working in the development field, as to implement any project or initiative in our community, require funding which will cover the expenses of the work and since many ofthe work of development come through the non governmental organisations so learning some of the techniques of fundraising is very important in order to achieve what we aspire in the development of our society. Working in a non-governmental organisation in Egypt helped me in understanding the problems of my community and thus addressing it. I had many ideas for projects to be implemented in my community but one of my major problems was obtaining a fund to apply these projects. So understanding the fundraising practice will help me in improving the opportunities in implementing my ideas. In this report I will present the fundraising techniques that are essential to any fundraiser in order to help raising the fund needed to support the charity and projects, and therefore developing the community. I will present what were the component and what I learnt from attending the foundation course of fundraising practice and what kind of techniques that is important to fulfil the job. The third sector The first thing I learnt in this course was the different between the three sectors providing services to people, First the private sector such as cooperates and companies and they are aiming for a profit. Second the public sector, as the statutory that aim to provide services. And the last one is what is called the third sector, the Government defines the third sector as non-governmental organisations that are value driven and which principally reinvest their surpluses to further social, environmental or cultural objectives, their role is to fill the gap and provide the service that is lost between the two sectors(NAO, 2009). It includes voluntary and community organisations, charities, social enterprisesand cooperatives. These organisations help in providing voice for marginalize groups, campaigning for change, creating strong, active and connected communities, promoting enterprising solutions to social and environmental challenges and also help in transforming the design and deliv ery of public services. Community-based organizations provide a unique role in the community they serve. As they play this role through the provision of certain services that are part of their mission statement which be done through fundraising. Fundraiser became a key element in supporting school, sports, and other community groups in each of the small towns and major urban areas.Fundraising in the past was a way to provide supplementary or support programs or activities, but todays fund-raising is the cornerstone for the survival and continuation of many activities and events and programs.This importance of fundraising in todays market, created the need for stronger and more successful programs to collect donations which can generate impact and good results. Fundraising is no longer just a fun activity, but abusiness (Institute of fundraising, 2006). Funding can be described as the financial resources available to make a project or initiative possible. Fundraising, however, is an organized activity to solicit money to conduct activities for an organization (Institute of fundraising, 2006). Funding can be either core, long term, or project-based. Core or long term funding is consistent over a period of time and is not related to one project. Project-based funding means an organization is funded to deliver a particular project or event. Fundraising on the other hand is usually the result of a distinct project or campaign that collects money from the public(Institute of fundraising, 2006). To conclude, Fundraising is the process of soliciting and gathering contributions as money or other resources, by requesting donations from individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies. Although fundraising typically refers to efforts to gather money for non-profit organizations, it is sometimes used to refer to the identification and solicitation of investors or other sources of capital for-profit enterprises. Working in teams One of the important stages in the course for me was working with a team. As most of the course attendance worked before in fundraising and have some experience in this field and I was afraid of affecting the dynamics of the team I am in, but my expectations were not true as the power of the team depend on the variety of knowledge and personality of the members of the team. That was the first lesson I learnt, team work is a group effort and each member in this group contribute by his own knowledge and experience in improving the work of the whole team. According to the SheronFerguson theinstructor of the course, the team is a group of individuals who have a common aim and have a regular and frequent interaction with each other. The course indicates that experts in team development agree that teams will go through five different stages. How fast a team moves through each stage will depend on the team members, their individual skills, the work they are expected to do, and the type of leadership available to the team. Bruce Tuckman deemed the five main stages of team development in order as Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing and Mourning. The first stages of team building which isthe forming stage is important for any team because, in this stage, the members of the team get to know each other and exchange some information about their personalities. Which is consider a good opportunity to see how each member of the team works as an individual and how they respond to pressure. After that every group will enter the storming stage asdifferent ideas compete for consideration (Tuckman, 1965). The team addresses issues such as what problems they are really supposed to solve, how they will work independently and together and who will lead the whole operation. Team members open up to each other and confront each others ideas and perspectives. The storming stagecan be contentious, unpleasant and even painful to members of the team who are averse to conflict but it consider necessary to the growth of the team. In this stage I was able to build a connection with my teams members as I found out that thinking and sharing ideas with a group helped me in strengthen these connections, Moreover, it shows me how each member can contributes in improving any idea. In the norming stage the team manages to have a mutual plan to achieve its goal. During this stage some may have to give up their own ideas and agree with others in order to make the teamwork,as all the team members have the ambition to work for the success of the goals of the team. One of my teams was consisting of a fundraiser working with women rights charity, a manger of a soldiers care charity and my self, our project was to persuade a businessmanto donate for our charity which was a Bay watch life boats, we discussed each one idea about how we will reach our goal and my idea was using the media such as television interviews with one of the survivors who was saved by our life boats, and after discussing suggestions and ideas we decided to reach our goal by using different kinds of visual mean, we used a PowerPoint presentation to show the numbers and figures of how our charity contributes in helping and saving people, we used television interviews with two survivors who were sav ed by our charity. All that was through discussing the possible ideas that will work for the success of the goals of the team. The performing stagehappen when a teams are able to work as a unit as they find ways to get the job done effectively without conflict or the need for external supervision. In this stage the team members become interdependent, motivated and knowledgeable. The mourning is considering the last stage when teams break up when the work is over; they celebrate and recognize group achievement. Then some mourning over the dissolving of the team as the project ended. According to Ferguson for continuous work teams, there may be a higher performance level as they develop and transform as individuals and reform into revised teams. It is important to note that continuous work teams may revert to prior stages when new people are added to the team. It was very interesting to learn all these information on the team development, as I didnt experienced working in a teams before as I learnt in this course, I worked during the period of the course with four different teams in order to reach different levels of communication and to experience what are the advantages of being a member of a team, what kind of contribution I may add to the work of the team to raise the level and the quality of the outcome. Regulations and Law In the United Kingdom, there are laws and codes of practice covering public events, collections, lotteries and others. These laws and codes of practice include the frame that legalise the acceptance or refusal of donation, accountability and transparency in fundraising, best practice for fundraising contracts, charities working with business, data protection and many others(Ciconte, 2008). The only problem I faced in learning this section was the limitation and the focusing on the British laws and regulation of any charity work. But in spite of that I learnt a very important information that the laws and regulation is set to control the relationship between the benefactors and the trustees and protect the benefactors during the funding process, which was a very valuable information to me because I always thought about how to benefit the people who in need without considering the benefactors and what kind of benefit they will have in exchange of their funding. And thatled me to think more about the donors motivations to donate in order to understand how to use this motivation to benefit the project or the purpose I work to achieve. Also knowing about the internal regulation of each charity helped me understand the importance of knowing the internal regulation and mission of the NGO I am working with. There was an activity, which I found very interesting as the instructor told us a funding opportunity case which was a big amount of donation from some employees in a cigarette factory to a lung cancer charity. The case was whether the charity can accept this donation or not. Some of my colleagues in the course thought that the charity can accept this donation because the donors are the employees and not the cigarette factory while others argued that these employees may be a form of representation to the factory which will affect the lung cancer cause, a small group couldnt decide whether the charity could accept the donation or not because they thought that this is a difficult situation and more research is needed. This activity opened my eyes on seeing problems from different angels also the understanding the nee d for studying and knowing the internal regulation of the charity as well as the external. Funding sources and motivation Funding of not-for-profit, Non Government Organisations, or CharitableOrganisations comes through a number of streams. According to Ferguson the sources of fund come from: National Government funding which comprises multiple strands through various departments including: Health, Education, Tourism etc Local Government funding which also comprises multiple strands through various departments Charitable Trusts and Foundations Churches and similar institutions Corporations, which gives fund in a wide variety of ways such as sponsorship, secondment through which staff work for the charity but paid by the corporate, and many other ways. The National lottery, which have a grant programs. Individual donors Each of these hastheir own criteria with their respective application and reporting oraccountability requirements and varying levels of engagement with the fundapplicant. There is no consistency in criteria or uniformity of application across any ofthese funding sources. As Mixer argued that fundraisers must understand the fundamental question of why people giveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦more systematic analysis of donor motivation and conceptual frameworks are needed so fundraisers can carry out their tasks more effectively (Mixer, 1993).Here are some of the donors motivations we discussed during the course, which gives an image about what kind of donors we will deal with and what are there motives to donate; belief in mission, institutional need, publicity, change image, good reputation, religious Beliefs, establish a legacy, joy of giving, tradition in family, make a difference in society, building community relationship, memorialize someone, tax benefits, capital campaign, knowing other supporters, solicitation by peer, recognition of gift, expand social network, access to charity events.These motivations shape the ways and methods that will be used in order to deal with the donors. Knowing these motivations helps in designing the wining project and get the fund needed, and the key knowledge to these motivations is through research, which consider on of the most important element in the fundraising techniques that I learned in this course. Another concept related to funders motivationthat I learned was the donors development pyramid, which explain how to take donors to the next level of giving. The pyramid illustrates many methods by which the donors first know about the charity and choose to give them their support. Using this pyramid is to achieve a goal of ensuring these new funders will donate again and will move up in the pyramid. The donor development tool is a pyramid shape because as I continue to engage donors up the numbers of donors decreases, though the value of the donation increases. The main lesson in this section that I need to focus attention on every level of the pyramid I build to ensure that there will be a sustainable income to my NGO. Volunteers Contented Clients Donors Magazine Inserts Board/Committee Friends Visitors Press/Adverts (Institute of Fundraising course book, 2010) Fundraising techniques Fundraising is a valuable part of the strengthening ofNGOs;any kind of contributions is needed by them to carry out their planned activities. Marketing is considering the commercial name for fundraising as many of the techniques and skills of fundraising was adapted from it. While marketing and sales skills can be valuable, they must always be applied in an ethical manner. Every fundraiser must first be completely convinced of the value, integrity and benefits of the organization, and the activities for which the raised funds will be used. When we reached this section I was surprised with knowing that there are some fundraisers who dont believe in this methods as they can marketing any project even if they dont convinced by its value to society. The success of any fundraising program depends on the ability of staff to attract the participation of new potential donors. Goals are a strong motivator in any sales effort and consider the essence of fundraising. The fundraising team leadershould set the right types of goals in order to motivate his team. When a goal of fundraising campaign is set, it is important to be aware that the goal is high enough to motivatethe team to put extra effort, but it shouldnt be very high so it will be difficult to reach. However, if participants see the goal as realistic, theyll push themselves harder than you may have even dreamed possible, just to make sure they meet or exceed what is expected of them. One of the key skills of fundraising how to tell a donors and potential supporter about the work of the organisation, this skill is fundamental to fundraising.A good fundraiser should be able to show donors how their donation will transform the ability of the charity to meet the needs of its beneficiaries, and make a positive change. Before thinking about fundraising, the trustees and staff should put together a plan.And they should be clear about the key objectives and outcomes that neededto be achieved, and how fundraising will help achieve those goals. The fundraising cycle The Case for Support, explains in detail why a donor should give to the charity and therefore it should be clear, concise and motivating.It must contain enough information to enable a donor to make an informed decision.The case for support presents the rationale for supporting a fund-raising campaign or project. It is consider one of the most powerful tools that the organization can have in communicating its fundraising objective and in persuading potential donors to donate(Institute of fundraising, 2006). Therefore, it should articulate the organizations reason for being, its history, the integrity of its mission, vision, and programs, the good it does, the good it aspires to do, an assessment of need for the campaign, and the specifics of the campaigns objectives. The case should state the organizations unique ability to fill the demonstrated need of an identified constituency, affirm the efficiency of campaign planning, instil a feeling of intrinsic personal reward to the donor, a nd, very importantly, convey a sense of urgency ((Institute of fundraising, 2006). During this section the instructor ask us to prepare a case for support in five minutes, and then present it in front of others. It was a hard task as it was difficult to create a case for support in that few minutes but I tried to create a case for supporting a project based on forum theatre. I couldnt make a perfect case but it was not bad. The instructor explained why she needed us to finish this task in five minutes as we may meet a potential donor any where even in an elevator and we must to be prepared all the time. Also, research is essential to inform the charity about which donors might respond to the case for support. It will help identify the individuals, companies or trusts whom most likely to respond.Take into account any relevant internal and external factors that may influence the success of raising the fund. Organising activities ensure that the potential donors are adequately resourced. Finally,It is essential to monitor and evaluate the successes and failures of these activities, as it is consider a great mean of meeting and discussing potential donations. (Institute of Fundraising course book, 2010) Grant proposal One of the major techniques in fundraising is writing a grant proposal to donors or agencies. During the course I had to work on writing a grant proposal to understand in a practical way the weak points and how to improve it to achieve my goal and obtain the requested fund. The good proposal should contain some important elements to strengthen the project and make it accepted from the donors. Cover letter introduces the organization, its mission, and specifically states what the organizationis asking for from the donor. The cover letter includes the amount of requested fund. It is consider being a chance to let the funder know up front that the organization understandthe funding agencys goals, and thus fulfills their requirements. Executive Summary. The executive summary is considering one of the most challenging parts of the grant proposal because it should be concise and comprehensive. The summary should briefly showthe name of the project, services, procedures, targets group, objectives and expected outcome.The importance of the summary that funding agencies receive several funding proposals and may not be able to read it all, and therefore the summary need to describe the briefly and clearly the project. Statement of Need. In your statement of need, you must clearly articulate the need your grant proposal is addressing, and you must do it in a reader-friendly manner. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨The need statement, or problem statement, explains why the issue is important, and why your nonprofit is the right organization to provide a solution. Include background research, such as historical data, as well as stories that illustrate the need your proposal addresses. Goals and objectives. In this section, capture the grant reviewers attention with powerful, persuasive language. State what your nonprofit hopes to achieve, including specific results and/or outcomes, using key words like: Increase, reduce, provide, protect, improve and others. Your goals will be broad statements, and may be abstract. But its critical that your proposals objectives be concrete, precise and measurable. Objectives are explicit statements as to how you will work toward reaching your overarching goal.In preparing a project design, and when writing a proposal, the goals of the project are stated. The goal is easily defined as the solution to the problem that has been identified. The problem with such a goal is that it is too general; it is not easy to obtain consensus as to when it has been reached. That is why, when preparing project documents, a distinction is made between a goal and an objective. An objective is derived from a goal, has the same intention as a goal, bu t it is more specific, quantifiable and verifiable than the goal. When identifying objectives as part of an exercise in preparing a project design or proposal, use the SMART acronym as a checklist, to see if the objective is a good objective. The objectives must be derived from, and consistent with, the intention of the identified goals. SMART. stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-Bound. Methodology. The methods section of your grant proposal tells the reviewer how your nonprofit will accomplish its stated objectives. Your methods must be clear and concise, and leave no doubts in a reviewers mind. Write the methods section with the assumption the reader knows nothing about your nonprofit or your project. In addition to tying your program design to your objectives, this section should reference your statement of need and your budget. All methods and activities must be feasible and logical. Evaluation. The evaluation section is where many nonprofit grant proposals fall short. It is also one of the most important sections for grant reviewers. The evaluation section is where you explicitly state how you will measure your projects results. Granting agencies want to know your accomplishments will be objectively measurable, and that there will be hard evidence that their dollars did some good. Clearly state what records you will keep and/or what data you will collect. Data may be quantitative, qualitative, or a combination. Project Sustainability. Grant agencies want their funds to both produce results and facilitate future results through project sustainability-either with or without their additional help. Indeed, if youve written a strong grant proposal so far, the reviewer will care deeply about seeing that your services continue over the long term. In the sustainability section, state your future plans for the project, after the grant money requested has been used. In other words, tell the grantor how your organization will raise money to continue its programs in the future. Your future-funding plan can include a mix of strategies and sources Organizational Information. The organizational information section is where you provide detailed information about your nonprofit organization. This is also where you write to impress the reviewer. Spin a compelling narrative about the uniqueness of your nonprofit and include a brief summary of your statement of need. Using persuasive dialogue, let funders know that your organization is the best qualified to carry out the projects you have outlined. Explain your nonprofits history and background, provide its mission statement, describe its programs, state the recipients of its services, and give its track record to date. Offer a compelling overview of your nonprofits role in the community, and its important accomplishments. Budget. The budget section must be professionally done in order to create confidence in the organization. In this section, the project cost must be shown with providing an explanation of each expense. This is called a detailed budget that include project expenses, administrative, and every other expanse. Also it must include any expected income. The last task of the course Our last task in this course was creating a fundraising plan for a small local heritage preservation charity, which was elected the best charity of the year from a local supermarket chain. A workhouse in the local community was about to be demolished as it was very old and needs renovations. Our mission was to convince the board of members of the local charity of the importance of buying this workhouseas heritage representative, as well as planning a whole fundraising plans to buy, renovate and use this workhouse. It was a very useful activity in this course because it rape up what we learnt in the course and put it in a practical shape, which benefit the whole group. The experience I got from this course will help me in my career, as I needed this knowledge to complete my study in theatre and development. This course was beneficial to me in many aspects; first I learnt the basic of being a successful fundraiser, second it gave me the opportunity to meet other people who work in the field of fund raising which I benefit from there various experiences, finally this course introduce me to a available knowledge which I think I need in my career, for this I decided to learn more about NGO management to help improving the NGO I am working with. Conclusion Attending this course benefit me in understanding the foundation of fundraising practice, which can be concluded in relationship building between fundraisers and the donors.As in order to get people on your side you need to foster a relationship with them. Reaching out to people bypreparing acase for supporting your cause or project, which they can relate to and sympathize with, is essential. Also understanding the motives of donors help you in strengthen you relationship with them depending on their motives in donating to your NGO. Teamwork benefit improving the relation between the fundraisers and donors as the members of the teamwork together to achieve one goal which is convincing donors to donate to their NGO of supporting their project. Understanding fundraising techniques help in improving the status of the charity as by using the case for support technique a fundraiser can raise fund and donation almost anytime and anywhere. Also organising different activities helps in building a good environment to meet new potential donors. Finally using a good application or project proposal helps the donor in understanding the value of the proposed project also allow him to trust the NGO who ask for this donation. The main elements strengthen the application are writing a cover letter which is consider a very important element as it present the NGO, its mission statement and what this NGO needs from the donor. The next step is writing the executive summary that gives an overview of the idea of the project. It is consider the most challenging parts of the proposal, as it should be both comprehensive and concise. Using SMART objectives helps the donors in understanding the project as it show, summaries and frame the objectives of the project. Preparing a reasonable budget helps in building confidence in the organization. This budget must show and clarify the whole expenses of the project whether it was major or minor expenses. Finally the planning of sustainability of the project strengthen the proposal as donors want their funds to both produce results and facilitate future results through project sustainability either with or without their additional help. Using all these elements in the grant proposal raise the opportunity in persuading the donors to donate to this project.

Internal Controls Essay

The Company that held the most appeal and most overall steady growth of success was Amazon. com Inc. This company has had losses recently, but overall it has held firm among its management and profitability. The annual report for Amazon in the e-campus library showed phenomenal coverage for over the last fifteen years of reporting financials. In 2013, it has been ranked number 49 and the reason behind it is the technology factors of creating the Kindle Fire, which sold tremendously. The company’s earnings in 2013 has been in the billions. In 2012, the company made over $61 billion. That was a 27% increase due to the technology software that the smaller Kindle Fire introduced. Prime Instant Video Selection among Amazon which originated in 1998 has been steady with its growth. Now, as the Prime Video Selection makes its way into the spotlight within amazon. com for consumers, the results or profits are estimated to be outrageous for the company. Amazon. com not only has a company in the United States, but as well internationally. Electronic technology has allowed Amazon. com to start out as a small company and skyrocket and become a leading seller and company in America today. Digital media has expanded over 23 million people in television, books, and magazines. The company is doing exceptionally well. The company has over 88, 400 full time employees and shareholder numbers are at 3,075. ( University Library, Phoenix University XACC/210 May 29,2013 ) The company is an electronic shopping catalog type of business and its Internal Controls extend from management to data entry sophistication. I would think that since the website doesn’t give a precise use of how internal controls are conducted I would have to go with Enterprise Risk Management. This Internal Control is a type of software that links accounting and administrated functions into a total record keeping and reporting system that can be overlooked by management as well as the board of directors in that company. Often the board of directors, whose duty it is to oversee the ethical and commercial operations of a company and set policy, will access the ERM through their own intranet that allows them a secure online venue where they can review the company’s books and operations, upload their own documents, make notes and discuss the company in private. Securities and Exchange Commission: Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting and Certification of Disclosure in Exchange Act Periodic Reports) Overall I think that Amazon has good management internal controls pertaining to the type of business that it is. There are quite a few of employees, so management within this type of internal control can establish good reliability.

The Leader as a Strategist Report

The Leader as a Strategist Report Holly A. Shones Argosy University Perspectives in Change Leadership B6027 A01 Dr. Karen Ivy April 22, 2012 In late 2009 Mayo Clinic (MC) updated the vision, mission and strategy of the institution to better align with the ever changing healthcare industry. The primary value at MC is â€Å"the needs of the patient come first†. The mission is â€Å"to inspire hope and contribute to health and well-being by providing the best care to every patient through integrated clinical practice, education and research†.The vision is â€Å"Mayo Clinic will provide an unparalleled experience as the most trusted partner for health care†. The four strategic requirements at MC are â€Å"solution and hope, trusted and affordable, knowledge to delivery, and transforming health care delivery† (Mayo, 2012a). According to Porter (1996) it can be useful for a company to look at the history of the business and implement the strategy of the past wit h a modern twist. An approach such as this can help to re-energize a company’s strategy and gain the commitment of the employees to carry out the strategies in their daily activities.The idea of â€Å"the needs of the patient come first† was originally attributed to Dr. William Mayo. By aligning the vision, mission and strategy of the institution around the value of the Mayo brothers, MC is able to inspire employees to work towards the goal of the mission statement. In the past MC relied on reputation and word of mouth to attract new patients. The patients had to travel to a physical location for a consultation and/or treatment. The institution did not advertise and was very low key.Only in the past several years has MC considered how to reach the large market population which is unable to access healthcare from MC with such a narrow view of the target market segment. The economic situation of the late 2000’s and the uncertainty of healthcare reimbursements has required MC to take a new look at possible patient populations in order to remain competitive in today’s market. The new motto at MC for targeting customers is â€Å"Mayo here, there and everywhere† (Mayo, 2008). MC is expanding its target market to include populations other than the core business of patients visiting the physical sites.MC is now expanding the target market to include people globally through partnerships in other countries including India, Sweden and the Czech Republic (Springer, 2011). The institution even has a space at the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN in order to reach more patients with health and wellness information (Adams, 2011). The healthcare industry is becoming increasingly more customer driven rather than physician driven. MC is starting to utilize the Internet to reach out everywhere to empower people to take control of their healthcare decisions.Patients are using the Internet to research medical issues. They want to be informed and understand the choices in their own healthcare plan. MC provides accurate information on diseases and possible treatments via the Internet. Another way MC has expanded beyond its physical walls is through a collaborative venture with an outside partner to create medical applications for cellular phones (Pesek, 2012). The institution is working on e-Consults and AskMayoExpert sites so physicians at other locations can tap into the knowledge of the MC team.The institution is expanding its sphere of knowledge through an affiliated practice network in several locations within the United States. The affiliated practice network allows other medical institutions within the network the ability to draw on MC’s knowledge. Through the creation of affiliated practice networks MC’s â€Å"new strategy is to extend the Mayo Clinic's geographic reach without building costly new facilities, spending money to acquire hospitals or consolidating with another health system† (Tockne ll, 2011) and at the same time meeting the needs of the patient here, there and everywhere.Another recent addition to MC is The Center for Social Media to bring to the forefront the importance of social media use in healthcare for this generation and the generations to come. With the new target market strategy MC will continue to grow and come closer to the vision of the institution. â€Å"Strategy is the creation of a unique and valuable position, involving a different set of activities† (Porter, 1996, p. 68). MC has delivered value to patients through its integrated approach to healthcare. The physicians are compensated a flat rate salary rather than compensated based on number of patients seen or procedures done.The physicians are able to fully focus on the patient’s medical issues during consultations without considering their own financial gain from the visit. Dr. William Mayo stated in a speech in 1910 â€Å"The best interest of the patient is the only interest to be considered† (Fox, 2010). This statement has been a cornerstone of the Mayo culture and work practice since its inception. Through the team based approach of Mayo’s model of care, MC is able to provide superior care compared to other institutions which do not have the team knowledge.Mayo is able to perform similar activities in different ways compared to other healthcare institutions due to the team based philosophy and the integrated approach to healthcare delivery. Porter (1996) considers this key to strategic positioning. MC’s sustainability is different from the competitors due to the reputation of the institution. MC is able to attract and retain a well qualified workforce in all areas. MC was rated as the third top hospital in the nation in 2011(U. S. News ; World Report, 2011).In addition, MC ranked 71 out of the top 100 companies to work for this year (CNNMoney, 2012). MC is able to build on the institutions past reputation to create their unique pos ition in the healthcare market. MC has implemented several new areas or themes to stay ahead of the competitors, also. MC is focused on innovation within healthcare with the creation of the Center for Innovation. To align with the four strategies, MC is investing in cutting edge research and continuing education. The institution recently created three new Centers.The Center for Regenerative Medicine which is focused on ways to healing damaged tissue and organs, the Center for the Science of Healthcare Delivery which is focused on using scientific method to bring efficiencies to medicine, and the Center for Individualized Medicine which is focused on â€Å"leveraging genetic knowledge to find treatments, identify risks, or determine the right drug or dosage for patients† (Discovery’s Edge, 2012). By remaining at the forefront of discovery and translational science MC is able to stay ahead of the competition.The investment into the innovative centers will be the conduit which will allow MC to be able to achieve the mission of providing the best care to every patient through integrated clinical practice, education and research. The strengths of MC as a formidable competitor are abundant, but there is always room for improvement. Dr. William Mayo stated â€Å"If we are satisfied, we are lost† (Mayo, 2011). Table 1 is a SWOT analysis of Mayo Clinic. One of the most important strengths for MC would be its reputation as a world class healthcare facility which helps to reinforce brand recognition.Our reputation has been built on the institution’s patient centered approach to healthcare, education, training and team environment. The institutional reputation has helped with recruitment of quality staff, also. In order to recruit and retain staff, MC offers many career development opportunities such as tuition assistance, continuing education classes and other seminars to increase staff satisfaction. Compensation trends for job classifications are monitored on a yearly basis and salaries are adjusted every year to stay competitive as a way to attract and retain quality employees. Mayo’s strong financial performance is another strength.MC had an operating margin of 6. 5 percent in 2010. In 2011 the operating margin increased to more than 7 percent (Mayo, 2012b). Since Mayo is a non-profit organization the profit is reinvested into the future of healthcare. MC announced the institution will reinvest $3. 5 billion on capital projects in the next five years which will be spent on information technology, equipment, facilities and other strategic investments (Snowbeck, 2012). With such a great financial performance, MC is able to act on opportunities such as telemedicine and cutting edge research to strengthen their position in the healthcare market.The use of electronic medical records (EMR) at MC is an important strength. It enhances the collaboration between teams by allowing any staff member who needs access to a pa tient’s medical record to have immediate access to the data. The EMR system increases efficiency and quality of care for the patient. SWOT Analysis STRENGTHS * Brand recognition * Reputation * Patient-centered approach * Strong financial performance * Quality of staff * Electronic medical record integration. Three shield concept – Practice, Research, Education * Senior leadership’s commitment to the vision and strategic plan| WEAKNESSES * Decision making process – execution of plans are slow * One Mayo concept slow to implementation * Quality differences perceived across campuses * Size of institution continues to grow increasing communication challenges * Geographical location| OPPORTUNITIES * Ability to be a leader in healthcare reform – influence government * Pioneer in healthcare delivery science * Innovation through new strategic initiatives * Telemedicine * Scientific advances with new technologies| THREATS * Healthcare reform/every changing political climate * Aging population * Increasing healthcare expense vs. diminishing healthcare reimbursements * Competitive market * Reliance on philanthropic gifts * Increased dissatisfaction in healthcare among the general population | Table 1 – Mayo Clinic SWOT Analysis Some of the weaknesses which MC faces are related to the size of the institution and the philosophy surrounding decision making. MC is a consensus led institution with many levels of oversight committees.Projects are vetted by many individuals within the organization before they are approved. Mayo thinks about their reputation and is risk adverse in many decisions made. As the institution continues to grow it is becoming more of a challenge to communicate throughout the organization in a personal way. MC continues to add small healthcare sites into the Mayo Clinic Health System. Leadership is working towards a one Mayo concept, but it is a slow process to integrate the newly acquired institutions within Ma yo. Each new site has different systems and processes which must be integrated into Mayo’s system. As Mayo expands its presence there is a perceived quality difference by other campuses.As an example, I am working on a project within the Institutional Review Board (IRB) to integrate four new Mayo Clinic health sites into the electronic system. The sites will be able to submit research protocol applications electronically at an enterprise level rather than each site approving their own research protocols. I have seen first-hand that staff at one location does not believe the quality of the review of the protocols at another site is sufficient. Attitudes such as this can lead to a breakdown of teamwork across the sites. The geographical location of MC can be seen as a weakness, also. The campuses are not located in large metropolitan locations. The weakness will decrease as the use of telemedicine increases. Exciting opportunities in healthcare are happening at MC.With the disc ussion of healthcare reform at the governmental level, MC has been tapped as a resource for discussion surrounding what healthcare should look like in the future. The institution can influence future governmental decisions on healthcare to spread the mission and vision of our institution. As MC continues to invest in the new strategic initiatives of healthcare delivery, regenerative medicine and individualized medicine the doors of opportunity to change health care delivery and increase translational science to practice in a shorter time than in the past. With new technologies healthcare is changing on a daily basis which allows for many new opportunities for discovery of better ways to meet the patient’s needs. Telemedicine is an area of great opportunity for Mayo, also.It could become a fast, efficient way to diagnose and treat patients which cannot physically travel to a MC campus. MC faces threats in the healthcare industry, though. The current state of healthcare reform is in flux. The political climate is continually changing. In addition, healthcare expenses continue to rise as reimbursements continue to decline. The payer mix is changing as the baby boomers are covered by Medicare. Medicare reimbursement is less than the other payers. As the population ages, revenue will decrease. The institution must discover new ways to increase efficiency and quality at the same time. Another financial weakness is the fact that a large portion of Mayo’s research funding comes from the National Institute of Health.As an employee in the research arena, I know the institution does not know what the next year’s governmental budget will be. Each year the selection of grant recipients grows more competitive with fewer grants awarded. Loss of the research funding would have a huge impact on the institution. Another threat is the reliance on philanthropic gifts to support Mayo’s mission. In 2011 $318 million was donated to support Mayo (Snowbeck, 2012). A poor economic climate can cause a decrease of benefactor gifts which would be a threat to the continued success of MC. Finally, the general dissatisfaction in healthcare among the general population could be perceived as a threat to the institution.MC must realize that healthcare can no longer be a physician driven business, but must become a customer driven business. The internal environment at MC is team based and focused on collaboration to accomplish our key value of â€Å"the needs of the patient come first†. MC is a physician led institution. The person in the CEO position must have an MD. The structure of the institution is team orientated. The Board of Trustees determines the direction of MC operations and strategic plan. The Board of Governors is the executive committee of the Board of Trustees. There are Management Teams throughout the institution to ensure the strategies and operation directive are effectively executed by all departments under Mayo leader ship.Executive Operations Committees direct the daily operations within the institution. These board and committees are part of Administration. The Management Teams and Executive Operations Committees are present for all three shields at MC. There are Chairs for each department within the three shields to help with the daily direction of operations. The direction of the institution comes from top leadership, but each department is given flexibility to determine the best way to accomplish the strategies set by the institution. To help reinforce the strategies, MC has adopted a project plan template which includes a section which requires the project group to think about how they will accomplish MC’s strategy with each project.Figure 1 is an example of the project charter (Mayo, n. d. ). Strategic Alignment| People| Processes| Create the healthcare workforce of the future that sustains Mayo’s values (People) D1. Improve staff’s ability to deliver high value care a . Facilities/Equipment b. Training/support for process changes * Implement individual provider scorecards including quality and cost metrics (outcomes, safety, service, cost, competence, adherence to standardized practice guidelines) * Invest in continuous staff development to improve staff satisfaction and retention * Increase diversity of staff and development of diverse staff * Improve leadership training and mentoring Increase the number and skill of physicians and clinical and basic scientists engaged in generating new knowledge * Increase our capacity and skill in comparative effectiveness and health care delivery research| Transform Mayo Clinic’s knowledge management and healthcare delivery process (Process) * Provide solutions and hope for patients a. Clinical Trials b. Implement Individualized Medicine into the practice c. Regenerative medicine d. Advance commercialization of research discoveries research discoveries * Standardize, improve effectiveness (outcomes, sa fety, service), and reduce cost a. Standardization b. Outcomes ; Safety c. Service d.Manage to Reimbursement * Explore new payment mechanisms * Generate, evaluate, integrate, and manage knowledge and information a. Information b. Knowledge c. Delivery * Create global value-adding relationships, alliances, and partnerships a. Patients and Consumers b. Providers C6. Increase our offerings for health and healthy living| Primary Operating Objective (Choose one from above, need sub-objective where applicable):| Secondary Operating Objective Optional (Choose one from above, need sub-objective where applicable):| Figure 1 – Project Charter Example In some ways MC is ahead of the curve by the use of systems to coordinate work throughout the organization. In other areas it is still a work in process.The EMR system is an excellent example of systems working to enhance communication, collaboration and coordinating between groups in the institution which aligns with the strategies of the institution. Finance has been working on a system to help with financial management forecasting and planning. The system is rather new and all of the functionality of the system is not being utilized at the current moment. The culture at Mayo is consensus and collaboration. The organizational culture is an enabler for the institution’s strategy in most cases. All employees are able to speak up and discover areas which need improvement. They are also given the chance to create solutions.MC works diligently to communicate the strategy to everyone. They create internal videos highlighting the vision, mission and strategies of the institution called â€Å"The Mayo Effect. There is a website dedicated to the subject. The culture at Mayo is everyone plays a part in the needs of the patient come first even if you do not have any patient contact. There is a sense of pride to be part of such a noble cause. Sometimes the culture can be a hindrance to the strategy, though. Innovation can be difficult at times in a consensus driven institution. By the time everyone agrees or accepts an idea, another group outside of Mayo could have run with the innovative idea.Another issue is the risk aversion created with consensus decision making. When you are risk averse, it is difficult to be innovative. Mayo incorporates Kouses and Posner’s five practices of exemplary leadership throughout the institution. The following summary highlights some of the ways Mayo has been able to model the way, inspire a shared vision, challenge the process, enable others to act and encourage the heart. Modeling the Way * Setting a positive example: The founders (Will and Charles Mayo) strong belief in helping individuals, researching for solutions, and educating future care givers. Later generations of healthcare individuals are also highlighted. Achieve small wins by creating opportunities: Staff, physicians, and administration are empowered to promote and/or implement cost saving ide as or patient centered healthcare improvements. * Stand up for what you believe in: Mayo’s Three Shields are displayed throughout the organization reminding employees of practice, research, and education. Inspiring a Shared Vision * Envision an uplifting future: Websites and media promote a patient advances, success stories, and innovation improvements. * Let others know how you feel: Patients, external/internal focus groups, and external organizations are regularly polled for feedback, which is used to improve the organization. Believe in the organization: â€Å"We can do anything we set our mind to† is often a common quote used by staff. Challenging the Process * Search for Opportunities: Teams of improvement agents are available to evaluate and act upon suggestions. * Experiment and Take Risks and Challenge the Status Quo: Funding a leading â€Å"Center of Innovation† * Adopt the â€Å"great idea† of others: Entire division devoted to quality improveme nts throughout the entire institution. Enabling Others to Act * Always say â€Å"we†: In publications, both print and electronic, â€Å"we† is commonly used. â€Å"One Mayo† philosophy. * Strengthen people by making them heroes: Mayo allows staff time off to volunteer.It is not uncommon to find physicians playing music for patients, management in blue jackets directing patients, or staff donating blood. * Value teamwork and trust: Consensus and collaboration are key words within the organization. Encouraging the Heart * Recognize individual contributions: Mayo recognizes volunteers and staff who go to extraordinary lengths to support patients or make a difference in healthcare delivery. * Celebrate team accomplishments: â€Å"Team excellence† awards are distributed and highlighted throughout the organization. * Motivate others: Management are encouraged to write â€Å"thank you† notes to staff and may include a small discretionary gift card as reco gnition. Overall, Mayo is taking great strides towards achieving some lofty strategic goals.As long as everyone continues to remember the patient’s needs come first when making decisions which will ultimately affect outcomes, Mayo will stay competitive in the healthcare industry while at the same time delivering the best healthcare outcomes to people throughout the world. References Adams, J. (2011, August 10). Mayo Clinic opening high-tech outpost at the Mall of America. Retrieved from http://www. startribune. com/business/127497038. html CNNMoney (2012). 100 Best Companies to Work For. Retrieved from http://money. cnn. com/magazines/fortune/best-companies/2012/full_list/ Discovery’s Edge (2012). Research Centers. Retrieved from http://discoverysedge. mayo. edu/de11-1-research-centers. cfm Fox, F. (2010, December 2). Clinic Guide. Retrieved from http://www. clinicguide. org/the-best-interest-of-the-patient-is-the-only-inter

Using Irish based research, write a report on caring aids and equipment. - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2195 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Medicine Essay Level High school Did you like this example? Discuss the clients that would use each piece and how it would benefit the client and the staff. Describe each and outline how they are used correctly. Include two examples in each of the below areas: Lifts and Hoists Mobility aids Incontinence aids Personal care aids Communication aids Introduction There are a vast number of caring aids available to improve the quality of an individuals daily living. These aids include lifts, hoists and mobility aids as well as incontinence aids, personal care aids and communication aids (Assist Ireland, no date, a). This report will consider two examples from each of the aforementioned categories and detail the clients that would use such an aid, the benefit of the aid to both patient and carer and how the aid is used. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Using Irish based research, write a report on caring aids and equipment." essay for you Create order Lifts and Hoists There are two types of patient lift or hoist: these can be either a sling lift or a sit-to-stand lift (Thomas Thomas, 2014). The sling lift is an assistive device that allows immobile patients, either at home or within the care environment, to be transferred between resting places, usually a bed and a chair (Baptiste et al, 2008). They are either mobile (floor based) or fixed (overhead) lifts that are suspended from the ceiling. The sit-to-stand lift is used to help patients who have some mobility but lack the core strength to rise to a standing position from a chair, bed or commode (Radawiec et al, 2009). A number of different slings, straps and belts are available for different uses. For example, a mobile hoist can be used in conjunction with a narrow sling that is positioned under the patients arms halfway down their back. The patient must be able to take some of their weight on their legs as the hoist lifts them from sitting to standing position (Assist Ireland, no date, b). A n overhead hoist can be used with a divided leg sling. This U shaped sling is positioned with a leg band under each leg then crossed in the middle to provide the patient with some dignity; not crossed in the middle to allow for toileting or with both leg bands under each leg for improved comfort (Assist Ireland, no date, c). There are multiple benefits of these aids to the patient. These include the prevention of pressure sores, improved quality of life due to enabling an element of mobility and the potential for the individual to remain in their own home rather than in the care environment. However, a study by Bilboe et al (2007) reported some interesting results. A total of 21 normal subjects performed three sit-to-stand transfers from a stool using no device, the Sara 3000 and the Encore hoist. The subjects were filmed with joint line markers on the greater trochanter, the lateral malleolus and the lateral femoral epicondyle. Bilboe et al (2007) found that neither device repro duced normal trunk angles or joint kinematics in the patients they were lifting when compared to the no device test. Nevertheless, it is considered that this study is somewhat limited due to only two devices being trialled and no other therapeutic benefit, such as weight relief or endurance, being measured. However, it does show that the choice of lifting device should be carefully considered for each patient. The benefits for care workers have been extensively studied, with Chhokar et al (2005) finding that the use of an overhead suspended ceiling lift resulted in a sustained decrease in care worker days off, injury claims and direct costs associated with patient handling injuries over a three year period. These findings were supported by further studies from Engst et al (2005), Miller et al (2006) and Alamgir et al (2008). Mobility Aids A mobility aid benefits the patient by allowing them some freedom to either get out and about or move around their home in a safe manner. There are various walking aids, such as canes, crutches and walkers for patients with balance problems or to compensate for weakness or injury, along with wheelchairs and mobility scooters for those with more severe mobility impairments. A walker is used by the patient in a standing position and provides extra stability and confidence by providing additional points of contact with the floor and by the patients hands on the frame. It consists of four upright posts and one handgrip for each hand. The walker can reduce the loading on the lower limb by directing some of the load through the upper limbs and the frame of the walker. A wheelchair, can be either manually or battery powered, and allows the patient to travel further distances in a comfortable sitting position. Both of these aids benefit the carer by reducing the amount of intervention the patient requires; for example, with the use of a walker or cane, the patient may be able to access the toilet unaided, therefore reducing the need for carer intervention. However, there is a considerable body of evidence that indicates that there is a high prevalence of disuse or abandonment of such aids, with between 30% and 50% of patients discontinuing use of their device soon after receiving it (Bateni Maki, 2005). There is also evidence that the repetitive strains on the joints of the upper extremities can lead to injury and promote the discontinuation of use (Konop et al, 2011). Incontinence Aids There are a wide range of incontinence aids available for both bowel and bladder incontinence. These include pads and pull-up pants, protective sheets and pads for chairs and beds, catheters, penile sheaths and specially adapted clothing. The most popular of these are the incontinence pads that are worn inside the patients own underwear to mop up small to moderate urine leaks (NHS Choices, 2015). These pads are positioned within the users underwear and have a hydrophilic layer which ensures the urine is drawn away from the body, therefore preventing the skin from developing sores associated with wetness (Sugama et al, 2012). Another incontinence aid, used by men, is the penile sheath. These devices resemble a condom with a funnel tipped end and are applied by rolling the silicone sheath down the shaft of the penis (Robinson, 2006). A leg bag connector, or a sheath urinary drainage system, is then attached to the funnel tip (Robinson, 2006). Williams and Moran (2006) detailed the di fficulties and benefits of the use of a penile sheath for male incontinence. They reported that this sizing of the sheath was difficult to establish, with even a 1mm error in measurement causing the sheath to become detached during urination or causing penile trauma. However, they do explain that with correct fitment, with the appropriate sized sheath being applied, this system provides significant freedom for the patient and improves their confidence and self-esteem. Personal Care Aids Personal care aids include long handled nail clippers, lotion applicators, shampooing aids and toileting aids. The extended reach, long handled or pistol grip toenail clipper is used by patients who are unable to bend far enough forwards to clip their toenails using standard clippers (Semple et al, 2009). These patient groups include pregnant women, overweight patients, the elderly and people with back problems. The device extends the length of reach enabling the individual to maintain independence and trim their own nails rather than relying on their carer to carry out this task for them (Semple et al, 2009). Another personal care aid that benefits both the patient and the carer is that of the shampooing rinse basin. This basin, used for washing the hair of a bed bound, immobile patient, is positioned at the top of the bed and has a comfortable head and neck cradle to support the patients head in an appropriate position (Sloan et al, 1995; Eigsti, 2011). The patients hair can t hen be wetted, shampooed and rinsed within the basin without the need for the patient to be moved from the bed. The basin has a side drain and drain hose that can be left open for continuous irrigation or closed to hold water. This aid therefore reduces the risk of handling injury to both patient and carer and allows for a number of personal care routines including shampooing, ear irrigation or scalp treatment. Communication Aids Communication aids include aids that improve the hearing, reading and writing of the patient. One example is a magnifier, which can be handheld or attached to a spectacle, headband or neck attachment (Berry Ignash, 2003). They can also be furniture, floor or wall mounted or can fit over screens. These aids magnify the size of the text on letters, books or other print therefore providing benefit to the patient by enabling them to read their own correspondence, therefore keeping personal information to themselves, or keep themselves entertained or informed by reading newspapers or books (Berry Ignash, 2003). This also benefits the carer as is frees up their time to carry out other tasks. Another communication aid is a personal sound amplifier, which amplifies TV and audio equipment. The equipment includes a microphone, which is positioned near to the TV or audio equipment, an amplifier and an earpiece for the patient (Palmer et al, 1995). These devices benefit the patient as the y are able to enjoy the benefits of listening to on-screen or audio entertainment and also benefit the carer and other household individuals as the volume of the audio and TV equipment can be maintained at a normal level. The patient is able to increase the volume of the sound through their own earpiece without increasing the overall volume of the sound emitting device. Conclusion This report provides two examples of each of a number of care aids and explains the way in which these benefit both the carer and the patient. Examples include mobile hoists to transfer the patient between sitting and standing positions, a walking frame, which gives the patient additional support and confidence when mobilising both inside and outside the home and personal care aids such as the shampooing basin and long reach nail clippers that maintain the hygiene needs of restricted mobility patients. References Alamgir, H., Yu, S., Fast, C., Hennessy, S., Kidd, C., Yassi, A. (2008). Efficiency of overhead ceiling lifts in reducing musculoskeletal injury among carers working in long-term care institutions. Injury, 39(5), 570-577. Assist Ireland (no date, a). Choosing a product. Available online at https://www.assistireland.ie/eng/Information/Information_Sheets/ accessed 23 October 2015. Assist Ireland (no date, b). Choosing a mobile hoist. Available online at https://www.assistireland.ie/eng/Information/Information_Sheets/Choosing_a_Mobile_Hoist.html accessed 23 October 2015. Assist Ireland (no date, c). Choosing an overhead hoist. Available online at https://www.assistireland.ie/eng/Information/Information_Sheets/Choosing_an_Overhead_Hoist.html accessed 23 October 2015. Baptiste, A., Cleerey, M. M., Matz, M., Evitt, C. P. (2008). Proper sling selection and application while using patient lifts. Rehabilitation Nursing, 33(1), 22-32. Bateni, H., Maki, B. E. (2005). Assisti ve devices for balance and mobility: benefits, demands, and adverse consequences. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 86(1), 134-145. Berry, B. E., Ignash, S. (2003). Assistive technology: Providing independence for individuals with disabilities. Rehabilitation Nursing, 28(1), 6-14. Bilboe, J., Healey, K., Busse, M. E. (2007). Investigating joint kinematics during a hoist-assisted sit-to-stand activity. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 14(7), 311-317. Chhokar, R., Engst, C., Miller, A., Robinson, D., Tate, R. B., Yassi, A. (2005). The three-year economic benefits of a ceiling lift intervention aimed to reduce healthcare worker injuries. Applied Ergonomics, 36(2), 223-229. Eigsti, J. E. (2011). Innovative solutions: beds, baths, and bottoms: a quality improvement initiative to standardize use of beds, bathing techniques, and skin care in a general critical-care unit. Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing, 30(3), 169-176. Engst, C., Ch hokar, R., Miller, A., Tate, R. B., Yassi, A. (2005). Effectiveness of overhead lifting devices in reducing the risk of injury to care staff in extended care facilities. Ergonomics, 48(2), 187-199. Konop, K. A., Strifling, K. M., Krzak, J., Graf, A., Harris, G. F. (2011). Upper Extremity Joint Dynamics During Walker Assisted Gait: A Quantitative Approach Towards Rehabilitative Intervention. Journal of Experimental Clinical Medicine, 3(5), 213-217. Miller, A., Engst, C., Tate, R. B., Yassi, A. (2006). Evaluation of the effectiveness of portable ceiling lifts in a new long-term care facility. Applied Ergonomics, 37(3), 377-385. NHS Choices. (2015). Incontinence Products. Available online at https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/incontinence/Pages/Incontinenceproducts.aspx accessed 23 October 2015. Radawiec, S. M., Howe, C., Gonzalez, C. M., Waters, T. R., Nelson, A. (2009). Safe ambulation of an orthopaedic patient. Orthopaedic Nursing, 28(2S), S24-S27. Robinson, J. (2006). Continence: sizing and fitting a penile sheath. British Journal of Community Nursing, 11(10), 420-427. Semple, R., Newcombe, L. W., Finlayson, G. L., Hutchison, C. R., Forlow, J. H., Woodburn, J. (2009). The FOOTSTEP self management foot care programme: Are rheumatoid arthritis patients physically able to participate? Musculoskeletal Care, 7(1), 57-65. Sloane, P. D., Rader, J., Barrick, A. L., Hoeffer, B., Dwyer, S., McKenzie, D., Pruitt, T. (1995). Bathing persons with dementia. The Gerontologist, 35(5), 672-678. Sugama, J., Sanada, H., Shigeta, Y., Nakagami, G., Konya, C. (2012). Efficacy of an improved absorbent pad on incontinence-associated dermatitis in older women: cluster randomized controlled trial. BMC Geriatrics, 12(1), 22-24. Thomas, D. R., Thomas, Y. L. N. (2014). Interventions to reduce injuries when transferring patients: A critical appraisal of reviews and a realist synthesis. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 51(10), 1381-1394. Williams, D ., Moran, S. (2005). Use of urinary sheaths in male incontinence. Nursing Times, 102(47), 42-44.