Therapeutic Benefits of Play Therapy Essay Example for Free

Therapeutic Benefits of Play Therapy Essay Therapy and the therapeutic benefits Play and the therapeutic benefits Play is one of the tools that children use to learn about the world and how to interact with their surroundings. It shapes their perception and world view. It is an important part of a child’s development and learning. Through play children learn the concept of safety and its limitations. Play should be a trial and error process where the child learns from their own mistakes. Finally play is important for the development of a child’s social and behavioral skills. Play Therapy (PT). refers to structured and theoretically based approaches to child therapy. It helps a therapist develop a trusting relationship with a child in the safety of the child’s environment. Playing is used as a means of learning of the difficulties that the child faces and used as a therapeutic method to help them cope with their situation. (Lambert et al. , 2005) Freud (1909) considered play a means by which children can bring their unconscious thoughts to their consciousness. It was also considered an instrument that helps build a positive and trusting relationship with the therapist. Over the years of research and clinical studies the various therapeutic outcomes of PT have been assessed. Therapists as able to use PT as a tool to re create stressful situations. This helps release the distressing emotions that a child experiences as a result of the stressful event. When the stressful event is re created in the child’s play environment they are able to develop their own coping strategies to alleviate the distress they experience and in some cases resolve the initial issues that were associated with the event. (p. 240) Knell (1993) developed Cognitive Behavioral PT. CBPT is a combination of therapeutic PT and cognitive behavioral strategies. It helps the child develop coping strategies and an adaptive way of thinking. (p. 64) PT can have applications in other areas including school and the home environment. Regardless of the environment in which PT is applied it is vital that the child develops a trusting relationship with their therapist. It is also equally important for the therapist to believe and understand that the child can work through their own issues and come with their own coping mechanisms. It is important that the therapist does not intervene in the process of free play. It is in this free play that the child comes to release their stressful emotions. (Landreth, 2002) PT is the treatment of choice for children in most cases because through the therapeutic strategies PT helps a child develop self confidence and redefined sense of self worth. Children are able to create adaptive behavioral strategies to cope with their stress and learn how to communicate effectively with individuals in their immediate and extended surroundings. Through free play and a reenactment of the stressful event in a safe environment the child is able to conquer their fear and acquire skills that can effectively combat their negative and faulty thought patterns. PT also helps children release emotions and express themselves through the creative process and problem solving. (Taft, 1933) Effective PT requires that the therapist creates an environment that is accepting and non – judgmental. The child should feel safe and secure to recognize and reflect upon their thoughts and feelings. The stability that the counselor provides the child in PT sessions will help the child learn of their own ability to solve problems. Above all it is important that the counselors let the children progress through the session at their own individual pace, without redirecting their actions or rephrasing their conversations. These characteristics lead to healthy therapeutic outcomes and an overall reduction in their anxiety provoking situation and other distressing emotions. Landreth, 2002) Through the trusting relationship developed with the therapist the child is able to trust other individuals in their life as well as have more confidence on their own decisions. The clarity that children achieve from PT regarding their emotions and feelings together with the other advantages make PT the treatment of choice for children.

Interventions Against Burnout in Mental Health Nursing

Interventions Against Burnout in Mental Health Nursing Are educational interventions effective in reducing the incidence of burnout among mental health nurses? A critical review of the literature Abstract Background There is much evidence to link burnout with mental health nursing, but limited empirical evidence that examines the impact of educational interventions on the incidence of burnout in mental health nurses. Aim The aim of this literature review was to critically evaluate the literature relating to educational interventions associated with burnout in mental health nursing using selective and comparative analysis Method The search strategy involved the use of several electronic databases, and a library search to access relevant journals. Search terms and inclusion/ exclusion criteria are identified. Evaluative criteria (Price 2003) were applied to a critical analysis of the literature. Findings There is limited empirical research in this area; some of it is predictive rather than evaluative. Conclusions Despite the paucity of information, there are some strong arguments for the use of educational interventions to reduce the incidence of burnout in mental health nurses. There are implications for further research to be carried out in this area. Background Burnout is defined as a state of emotional exhaustion, accompanied by a sense of low self- worth (Peveler et al 2000), lack of motivation and a physical as well as emotional, sense of ill- health (Malach-Pines 2005). It tends to involve an insidious process of cumulative stress (Morrisette 2002a). Burnout is most often associated with human- service (helping) professions (Ekstedt and Fagerberg 2005) and frequently, it is those who have a high level of commitment to their work, who are most at risk (van Dierendonck D et al 2005). There is much evidence within the literature that links mental health nursing with burnout ( Barling 2001; Coffey 1999; Duquette et al 1994; Edwards et al 2000; Fagin et al 1995; Happell et al 2003; Harper and Minghella 1997; Kipping 2000; Prosser et al 1999a; Onyett 1997; Wykes et al 1997). Although burnout is associated with different types of nursing (Nolan and Smojkis 2003); mental health nurses in particular, are reported to be at high risk (Nolan et al 1999; Thomsen et al 1999a). Suggested reasons for this high level of vulnerability to stress and burnout are that the profession attracts people who have a predisposition to mental health difficulties themselves (Guppy and Gutteridge 1991) and that working with people with severe mental illness is so stressful that a degree of transference can occur between the patient and health professional (particularly if the latter is inexperienced) (McLeod 1997). The stressors associated with mental health nursing are further compounded if certain factors are present, such as low self- esteem; conflicting demands of home- life, inadequate coping mechanisms (Thomsen et al 1999b) and a lack of job satisfaction, which is especially associated with hospital, rather than community nurses (Prosser et al 1999b). Many sources propose that burnout is preventable (Burnard P 1999; Figley C 2002; Jones 2003 ; Morrisette 2002b; Taormina and Law 2000). It is important therefore, to raise awareness of prevention strategies. It is possible that these could be incorporated into educational programmes and it is suggested that failure to do so can result in informally learned negative behaviours leading to maladaptive coping strategies (Thompson 2003). Aim The aim of this literature review is to critically evaluate the literature relating to educational interventions associated with burnout in mental health nursing using selective and comparative analysis. Method The search strategy involved the use of the Athens Access Management System in order to access such databases as The British Nursing Index, CINAHL, the Cochrane library, Evidence- based medicine (EBM) reviews, Embase psychiatry, internurse.com, Medline, Ovid, PsycINFO, Pubmed, ScienceDirect and TRIP database. The University library was also used in order to conduct a hand search of such relevant journals as The Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing; The International Journal of Mental Health Nursing; Mental Health Nursing; Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, Journal of Advanced Nursing; International Journal of Nursing Studies; Nurse Researcher and Nursing Research. The search terms and keywords used were: ‘burnout’ and ‘stress’ in combination with ‘mental health nursing’; ‘mental health nurses’; ‘nurses’ ‘education’; ‘nurse education’; ‘training’ (as it was found that this word was used quite a lot within the literature) and ‘prevention’. The search process highlighted the search terms that were most effective in accessing the relevant information using trial and error; otherwise referred to as a process of screening (Fink 2005a) The inclusion criteria were: papers dating back to 1990, the rationale being that a lot of work on burnout was conducted during the 1990’s; some of it in relation to mental health nursing, which is still being cited by published authors; research articles addressing the concepts of ‘stress’ and ‘burnout’ as they relate to ‘mental health nursing’; research articles linking ‘burnout’ with ‘nursing’, ‘prevention’ and ‘education’ as there is limited specific information on educational interventions to prevent burnout in mental health nursing, therefore some transferable principles were applied. For the same reason (shortage of specific information) research articles from other countries were not excluded. Both quantitative and qualitative studies were included. Exclusion criteria were any papers published before 1990; any articles not written in the English language; any articles not specifically addressing stress and burnout and articles about stress and burnout that are not related to nursing. Evaluative criteria adapted from the framework developed by Price (2003) were broadly applied to a critical analysis of the literature. These criteria are: Do the papers address my question? Is the content accessible and comprehensible? Are the research results valid, reliable and authentic? Are there any gaps within the literature and Are there any competing perspectives/ contradictions within the literature? These criteria were supplemented by selective reference to sampling techniques used, strengths and weaknesses of the research designs, methods of data collection and analysis, ethical aspects and presentation issues (Fink 2005b). Findings A recurring theme that emerged from the literature in relation to burnout within the helping professions is the concept of emotional labour, and that education and training can help to make people more aware of this phenomenon and to develop strategies to manage it. Emotional labour is a form of dissonance when the practitioner feels under pressure not to display the emotions which are engendered by the nature of their work (Brotheridge and Grandey 2002). There are two levels of emotional labour; surface or deep acting (Ashkanasy et al 2006). Surface acting is when the practitioner adopts a behaviour that belies their true emotions whereas deep acting is when they struggle to feel the emotion that is expected of them. Mann and Cowburn (2005) conducted a study that aimed to increase understanding about the links between components of emotional labour and stress in mental health nursing. 35 mental health nurses completed questionnaires which yielded information relating to 122 nurse- patient interactions. Three different published research instruments were integrated into the questionnaire; the Emotional Labour Scale, the Emotional Labour Inventory (both of which related more directly to nurse- patient interactions) and the Daily Stress inventory which addressed more general areas of stress. The use of tried- and- tested research instruments helps to ensure validity and reliability of the findings. Published research tools have often been refined several times, with the need to have excellent reliability and validity (Giles 2002). The data was analysed by using Pearsons correlations and multiple regression techniques. The researchers concluded that emotional labour is positively correlated with both the stress that arises from interactions with patients, as well as other sources of stress; that the impact of emotional labour is dependent upon the intensity of the interaction and the range of emotions experienced throughout the interaction, and that surface acting is a more important predictor of emotional labour than deep acting. Only one psychiatric unit was involved in the study with a relatively low response rate of 29%; low response rates can introduce bias and uncertainty into a study (Smeeth 2002). What constitutes a satisfactory response rate varies according to the nature of the research, however a 60% response rate might be considered to be ‘good’, and a 50% response rate to be adequate (Sim and Wright 2000); although many researchers accept that any response rate over 40% can yield meaningful results. The authors acknowledge that generalisability of the results is limited. Interestingly it was the non- cooperation of the unit in general that adversely af fected the response rate because of a lack of flexibility regarding access to respondents which influenced the methodology, in that it was not possible to obtain qualitative data relating to the lived experiences of mental health nurses in relation to emotional labour which might have been more meaningful, and an unwillingness to allow the researchers to follow- up non- responders. There is an implication here for nurses to become more research aware and for healthcare organisations to promote and support research- mindedness. The discussion and conclusion are interesting and relevant to the link between education and burnout in relation to mental health nursing. While acknowledging the limitations of the study, the authors do however stress that the findings have important implications for nurse education in that skills training for performing emotional work should be given a higher priority; that an increased focus be placed on facilitating self- awareness skills to enable mental health nurses to become more introspective about their feelings, so that they can develop effective techniques for dealing with them. However this study does not have the scope to be able to empirically demonstrate that educational interventions are effective in preventing burnout. The value of developing new educational strategies in relation to addressing emotional labour (in addition to other issues) for student mental health nurses was more clearly demonstrated by Turner et al (2004). The purpose of the study was to evaluate a pilot client attachment scheme for student mental health nurses. The rationale for client attachment is that it enables students to form therapeutic relationships with individual clients. This type of educational experience differs from the more traditional route of progressing through different placements. The methodology involved the use of semi- structured interviews to gain the perspectives of students (12), their supervisors (22) and clients (2). Although this is a small sample, the design was qualitative and a depth of meaningful information was obtainable, particularly from the students and the supervisors. The data was organised using thematic analysis, although this was not possible with the client data as there were only two clients and although they gave very positive feedback, the amount of information was very limited. Service user involvement in mental health research is a relatively new and developing concept (Telford and Faulkner 2004). This study is relevant to the discussion because it highlighted that different educational approaches can more effectively promote reflective skills among mental health nurses, which in turn can provide a tool for dealing with emotional labour. The researcher’s literature review revealed that many mental health student nurses report sources of stress as including not feeling part of a team, and dealing with distressing incidents involving clients. These factors lead to emotional containment, causing reduced motivation and increased stress. The client attachment scheme goes some way to addressing these issues by providing more continuity and increased supervision for mental health student nurses. Although the scope and generalisability of this study is limit ed, it flags up important indicators for changes to be made to the student nurse curriculum that will provide students with the skills to recognise and deal with, emotional labour, which should impact upon more effective stress management and prevention of burnout. Another study which concludes that changes should be made to the mental health student nurse curriculum in relation to stress management was conducted by Kilfedder et al (2001). They contend that previous studies on burnout in nursing contain several methodological inadequacies, and so set out to design a more theoretical study. The study sample was drawn from nurses employed in a Scottish National Health Service (NHS) Trust which provided both acute and continuing care mental health services in both hospital and community settings. 510 nurses returned questionnaires (a response rate of 48.8%). A total of 12 published measures were used, together with one purpose- designed measure which related to non- occupational stressors. The others related to such aspects as social support, occupational stress, burnout and coping strategies. As previously highlighted, the use of published measures can enhance reliability and validity. A range of statistical tests were used to analyse the data. H igh levels of emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and burnout were reported and low levels of personal accomplishment. The researchers concluded that not only should a core part of the nursing curriculum be devoted to stress management and coping skills, but also that management training should incorporate leadership skills that facilitate stress management and that all nurses should be provided with training that equips them to develop coping mechanisms. Education is very much seen by the researchers as an essential part of a comprehensive approach to prevention, which should be emphasised more than the current tendency towards ‘picking up the pieces’ after the event. This study is quite complex which tends to affect its accessibility, however its findings have important implications for stress management in mental health nurses. Sharkey and Sharples (2003) evaluated a learning pack on risk management, developed for use with clinical mental health teams with emphasis on the impact the pack had on team members’ stress. The learning pack was made up of six sections, each one corresponding with a facilitator- led workshop. Participants were expected to carry out some reading and learning activities between workshops. Interestingly the authors identify two aspects of risk management that are potential stressors; the potential risks of the job such as dealing with violence and having to get to grips with the concept of risk management as a relatively new concept, and the systems involved. The researchers adopted a quasi- experimental approach, using pre and post measures, taken eight weeks before and after the learning intervention, in order to be able to measure any change in relation to work- related stress among the participants, as a result of following the educational programme. The researchers highlig hted difficulties with not being able to conduct a controlled experiment which might have affected the outcome, as it was not possible to be certain that any change was attributable to the educational intervention, as opposed to other factors. Sampling was self- selective which might also have affected the findings, as having volunteered; the participants indicated a level of motivation which could have impacted on the effectiveness of the learning programme. The sample (42) was drawn from two mental health locality teams, which included mental health nurses. The pre and post measures used were the Occupational Stress Indicator and the Healthcare- related Work Pressure Scale. Again, these are tried and tested published instruments, the use of which should contribute to the validity and reliability of the findings. These yield quantitative data which was analysed using descriptive statistics, the paired t -test and the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Once again, it might have been of valu e to combine qualitative with quantitative measures, in order to gain an understanding of the participants’ experience of stress; qualitative methods allow researchers to overcome the assumptions inherent in fixed- choice questionnaires, although these also have their value for example, in relation to information about prevalence (Cummings and Galambos 2004). All 42 participants completed the pre measures( although only 32 started the programme and 27 completed it) together with the post measures. It would have been interesting to identify why almost half of the original sample did not complete the programme; whether workload and/ or stress issues contributed to this level of attrition. However it was suggested that quite intensive time commitment was required to complete the programme which might have been an inhibitory factor and there could be implications for redesigning the programme so that it can be accessed more flexibly by participants. Responses were not broken down into professional groups- this also might have yielded some important differences. In relation to the Occupational Stress Indicator, comparing pre and post scores indicated that there was a general decrease in many sources of stress. Interestingly lower means at post measures were observed for the ‘job satisfaction’ subscale which indicated reduced satisfaction. The researchers suggest that this could be due to increased knowledge and expectations as a result of the learning intervention; whether this development could be a source of stress in itself is not speculated upon even though different studies have reported a relationship between stress and reduced job satisfaction (Koslowsky 1998). Scores for the Healthcare- related work pressure scale all show a lowering of item means at post measure. Overall the researchers concluded that the learning intervention brought about positive changes in relation to the work- related stress of the participants; in some cases the i mpact was significant. It is suggested that the ways in which educational interventions can bring about change is by enabling participants to gain knowledge and skills within the ‘safe’ environment of the classroom. A positive outcome of this study is that the learning pack has been modified, following feedback from the pre and post measures together with evaluations from the participants, and is now in use. Ewers et al (2002) evaluated the effect of Psychosocial Intervention Training (PSI), using a controlled experiment, in reducing burnout rates in mental health nurses working in secure units, having identified that this group is particularly at risk of developing clinical burnout syndrome. The hypothesis was that if nurses gained a better understanding of clients’ illnesses and develop more skills to be able to help clients, then they would experience lower levels of burnout within their clinical roles. A self- selecting sample of 20 volunteered to do the PSI course, but these met pre- set inclusion criteria and represented all grades of staff and all wards. 10 subjects were allocated to the experimental PSI group and 10 to the waiting list control group. Baseline measures of knowledge were taken, using a 30- item multiple choice questionnaire which had been used in previous studies; of attitudes, using a measure developed by one of the researchers and of burnout, using the Mas lach Burnout Inventory. It was not clarified whether the attitude measure had been tested for reliability and validity, whereas the other two measures are tried and tested. The experimental group received 20 days of PSI training. On completion of the course all subjects were asked to complete the measure of knowledge, attitudes and burnout. The facilitator had previously received advanced training in PSIs. The course includes both practical and theoretical assessment components and a minimum attendance of 80% was required. The data was analysed using Fisher Exact tests and t tests. The results showed that there was a significant difference in the knowledge scores for each group, with an increase in the knowledge of the experimental group. The same applied to the measurement of attitudes, which it is assumed (although not made clear by the authors) refers to an increase in positive attitudes for the experimental group. Again, the same applied to the burnout measure; this time the res ults are expressed more clearly in that the experimental group had moved in a positive direction along the subscales measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory. The limitations of this study are that the results might not be generalisable to other units; as only one unit was involved in the study wherein specific factors might exist that contribute to the development of burnout. As with the previous study, the self- selecting nature of the participants might indicate that they were more highly motivated and more responsive to change. However, while acknowledging the methodological weaknesses, the researchers conclude that the significantly positive changes in knowledge, attitudes and burnout measures of participants within the experimental group are indicative of the value of educational interventions in reducing the incidence of burnout among mental health nurses working within secure units. Ho (2007) describes a study which explored the value and meaning of a psychodynamic work discussion for mental health nurses, which is described as a method of working, learning and development in professional practice. A work discussion group can enable psychological and emotional containment for mental health nurses which can impact upon the prevention of burnout. While the work discussion group is a means of learning in itself, education about the psychodynamic processes involved is also necessary in order to unlock the potential of the group. A qualitative design was used in order to be able to explore the feelings, experiences and perceptions of the participants, which seems highly appropriate within a study of this kind. Data was collected from a focus group of 6 mental health nurses ranging from staff nurse to ward manager level. This is quite a small sample, however this is often more acceptable within qualitative research as depth rather than breadth of information is being sought. It is generally considered that the ideal composition of a focus group is between 6-12 people, however when the nature of the subject could be emotionally charged or sensitive, it is preferable to limit the size of the group to 5 or 6 (Polit and Beck 2004). The data was analysed using Bulmer’s framework, a technique derived from grounded theory in order to define meaning through focus groups. This article is quite complex but comprehension has been facilitated by the presentation, in tables and boxes, of the categories and themes within which the discussion was structured. The purpose of the focus group (which was not immediately made clear) was not to act as a work discussion group but to explore the potential for its value with mental health nurses, and the group appeared to be generally responsive to the concept. The author concludes that mental health nurses could benefit from this approach, but would need encouragement and education and that the use of the work d iscussion group could be integrated into nurse education. The researcher acknowledges that the potential use of this approach needs to be explored further, with larger samples from a wider area. Lee (2005) evaluated the effectiveness of a stress management training intervention for care assistants working in a residential home for the elderly; many of whom had dementia, having cited research which links caring for people with dementia with work- related stress. The study took place within one residential home. The training consisted of a three- day programme that aimed to create and maintain an effective work environment by managing stress and stressful situations. The researcher provides an outline of the course content but does not state how many participants there were or how she measured the effectiveness of the programme, despite including sections headed ‘methods’ and ‘findings’. She reports that the stress management training reduced the care assistants’ levels of stress and improved their ability to cope with potentially stressful situations. She also concluded that the age or experience of the care assistants did not have an impact o n their stress levels or coping ability, which did not concur with the findings of a different study. This is a poorly written research article; the lack of detail reduces its value. However given the paucity of research related to educational interventions for mental health workers, it still adds to the existing body of knowledge. An interesting development is that the researcher subsequently contacted 21 residential homes and found that only 3 provided training interventions related to stress management. Conclusions An extensive review of the literature has revealed that there are gaps in the literature relating to educational interventions to reduce the incidence of burnout in mental health nurses; this finding is supported in a review by Edwards and Burnard (2003), who concluded that while there is evidence that stress is a problem for mental health nurses, research on interventions to address this, is insufficient. Many articles on this subject are literature reviews, drawing on broad- based research in related areas, with a definite lack of empirical studies, and these reviews have not been included here. It has been necessary to include studies which predict that educational interventions will reduce the incidence of burnout in mental health nurses as well as those which evaluate existing interventions (which are very few). There are implications for further research into this important area. However there are some interesting and valuable conclusions that can be drawn from the existing lit erature. A synthesis of this review of the literature yields the following outcomes: There is a link between emotional labour and burnout, and adopting strategies (including educational) to enable mental health nurses to recognise and deal with emotional labour (including self- awareness and reflective skills) should impact upon the prevention of burnout. Educational interventions aimed at reducing the incidence of burnout should take place both within pre registration programmes and as part of continuing professional development (CPD). Educational interventions are an important part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce the incidence of burnout among mental health nurses. As well as focussing on stress management, educational interventions can also be used to enhance knowledge and skills (relating to for example, risk management and helping skills) which in turn, positively impact upon stress levels and coping skills. A range of educational approaches should be explored in relation to stress management, allowing for innovation and flexibility, to facilitate access for mental health nurses, who may feel inhibited by such factors as shift patterns, workload or lack of resources References Ashkanasy N, Zerbe W and Hartel E. Emotions in the Work Place: Research, Theory, and Practice. Quorum/ Greenwood. 2000. p. 16 Barling J. Drowning not waving: burnout and mental health nursing. Contemporary Nurse. 11(2-3) 2001 pp. 247-59. Brotheridge C and Grandey Emotional Labour and Burnout: comparing two perspectives of ‘people work’. Journal of Vocational Behaviour. 60 pp. 17-39. Burnard P Practical counselling and helping. Routledge. 1999. p. 115 Coffey M . Stress and burnout in forensic community mental health nurses: an investigation of its causes and effects. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 6(6) 1999. p. 433 Cummings S and Galambos C. Diversity and Aging in the Social Environment. Haworth press. 2004. p. 157. Duquette A, Kerouac S, Sandhu BK, Beaudet L. Factors related to nursing burnout: a review of empirical knowledge. Issues in Mental Health Nursing. 15(4) 1994 pp.337-58. Ewers P, Bradshaw T, McGovern J and Ewers B. Does training in psychosocial interventions reduce burnout rates in forensic nurses? Journal of Advanced Nursing 2002 37(5) pp. 470-476. Malach-Pines A. The Burnout Measure, Short Version. International Journal of Stress Management. Volume 12(1) 2005. pp. 78-88 Mann S and Cowburn J. Emotional labour and stress within mental health nursing. Journal of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing. 12(2) 2000 pp.154-162, Nolan P, Dallender J, Soares J, Thomsen S and Arnetz B. Violence in mental health care: the experiences of mental health nurses and psychiatrists. Journal of Advanced Nursing 30(4) 1999. p. 934 Nolan P and Smojkis M. The mental health of Nurses in the UK. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment. 9. 2003. pp. 374-379. Prosser D, Johnson S, Kuipers E, Dunn G, Szmukler G, Reid Y, Bebbington P and Thornicroft G Mental health, burnout and job satisfaction in a longitudinal study of mental health staff. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. 34 (6). 1999. pp. 295-300. Sharkey S and Sharples A. The impact on work-related stress of mental health teams following team-based learning on clinical risk management. Journal of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing. 2003 10(1) pp. 73-81 Sim J and Wright C. Research in Health Care: Concepts, Designs and Methods. Nelson Thornes 2000. p. 359. Smeeth L. Improving the response rates to questionnaires. BMJ 324 2002 pp. 1168-1169 Taormina R and Law C. Approaches to preventing burnout: the effects of personal stress management and organizational socialization. Journal of Nursing Management 8(2) 2000, pp. 89-99 Telford R and Faulkner A. Learning about service user involvement in mental health research. Journal of Mental Health. 13(6) pp. 549- 559. Thompson T. Handbook of health communication. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 2003. p. 356. Thomsen S, Soares, J, Nolan P, Dallender J and Arnetz B. Feelings of Professional Fulfilment and Exhaustion in Mental Health Personnel: The Importance of Organisational and Individual Factors. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 68 1999 pp.157-164 Turner L, Callaghan P, Eales S and Park A. Evaluating the introduction of a pilot clien

Psychological Theories in Business and Organisations

Psychological Theories in Business and Organisations Leadership and the Multiplier Effect There is strong evidence that leader behavior is related to employee happiness. For example, charismatic leadership is strongly related to subordinate job satisfaction (DeGroot et al. 2000), and leader-member relationships is also strongly related to job satisfaction and organizational commitment (Gerstner and Day 1997). Likewise, trust in the leader is a strong predictor of satisfaction and commitment (Dirks and Ferrin 2002) as is the appropriate level of autonomy displayed by leaders (Baard et al. 2004). According to research by Sy et al (2005) positive managers are more accurate and careful in decision making as well as being more personally effective and imbuing those around them with greater positivity too. Crucially, Kopelman et al (2006) suggest the positive leaders create upward emotional spirals which help colleagues cope better with change. Thus, if there was one thing an organisation could do to foster engagement it would be to have flourishing leaders. Stated in the opposite way, the point seems more stark; if it is the leaders who are disengaged then the organisation is very unlikely to flourish. Flourishing: the source In its simplest form, positive psychology is about accruing a body of knowledge that is useful to people who want to live a good, happy and long life. Reflecting on the entirety of this study, it could be stated that positive psychology comprises much more than ‘positive thinking’ but that it perhaps starts with positive thinking. Further, just as an individual’s personal experience of being at their best reveals their potential, so the study of flourishing in an organisation reveals the highest potential of the whole organisation. Cameron et al (2003) suggest that excellence always exists, even in the most dysfunctional organisations. The ‘secret’ lies in tapping into the source – the positive core, the people resulting in higher levels of engagement, motivation and productivity. This opens up a deeper line of enquiry – how does the organisation tap into this positive core? The debate between the sources of eudemonia and hedonism is, arguably, unnecessary. The research literature is rife with examples of where the two entwine. Indeed, pairing pleasurable emotions in the ‘here and now’ (hedonic) with adaptive activities that will sustain future happiness (eudemonic) is evolution’s way of ensuring that humans engage in the behaviours necessary for our survival (deWall, 1996). Perhaps therefore, the distinction between the two should be about their roots. Flourishing at work is an umbrella concept that includes a large number of constructs ranging from transient moods and emotions at the person level to aggregate attitudes at the unit level. In the workplace, happiness is influenced by both short-lived events and conditions inherent in the task, job and organization. It is further complicated by influences at individual level such as personality and the fit between what the job/organization provides and the individuals expectations, needs and preferences. Understanding these contributors to happiness, together with recent research on volitional actions to improve happiness, offer some potential levers for improving happiness at work. Flourishing People Create Flourishing Organisations Masten (2001) describes flourishing as ‘ordinary magic’, suggesting that it is available to everyone. It is important to note that the benefits of feeling good are not because such feelings allow individuals to play down, ignore of distort negative information. Rather positive affect leads people to be able to consider many aspects of a situation simultaneously, make evaluations and choose behaviours responsive to the situation. Gaffney (2011) suggests there are four elements of flourishing: challenge, connectivity, autonomy and using one’s valued competencies. Further, Gaffney suggests these core components are enhanced by what is termed a ‘mental life’, an alignment of an individual’s thinking and feeling that are on the same wavelength. Gaffney’s point is that it is easy to explain goals, purpose and values in a cognitive way. In many organisations, values posters adorn the walls. In my role as a trainer, I have had rather too many di scussions with exasperated managers, paraphrased along the lines of ‘They [the employees] don’t get it! They are not living by the values on the posters!’ And herein lies the point; to function at one’s best one needs to feel a connection and however positive the organisational environment, however interesting the work and however transformational the leadership style, these will merely increase the odds of engagement. True and long lasting engagement has an internal source which lies within an array of attitudinal choices and mental constructs created by the individual. It is hoped that most staff will have experienced feelings of engagement. For some staff, these feelings arise circumstantially; they are effectively waiting for the right conditions in which to engage. The flourishing employees are less inclined to wait. Instead, they tap into a set of intentional strategies which allow them to take personal responsibility for feeling good. Further, these within person strategies, when written down, appear to be simple and straight-forward. One suspects that the biggest single factor highlighted by this study, that of consciously and deliberately choosing to be positive, stands out as common sense. However this research has uncovered that such strategies are by no means common practice. It may be that one can become psychologically disconnected from one’s best self. The busyness agenda and impediments of modern life (discussed in chapter 1) have resulted in a reactive approach to life rather than an introspective (inside-out) approach that is conducive to flourishing. Just as the key to individual flourishing is to understand and put effort into function at our best, so it is with organisations. The traditional organisational focus has been on deficit management, eliminating weaknesses and solving problems. This is important, but flourishing organisations must go further and, according to Cameron (2013), they must focus on what is ‘positively deviant’, i.e., what is ‘outstanding’, what is already working and what is world class. In line with Cooperrider’s (2005) work on Appreciative Inquiry, this provides a dramatic shift of focus. The Cult of Happiness What exactly is ‘organisational culture’? Cameron (2013) suggests it refers to taken for granted values, expectations, collective memories and implicit meanings that define an organisation’s core identity and behaviour. Thus, ‘culture’ reflects the prevailing ideology that people carry inside their heads. It provides unwritten and usually unspoken guidelines for what is acceptable and what is not. The wider point of creating an organisational culture conducive to flourishing is that an organisation cannot ‘force’ an employee to be engaged. Thus, by implication, the suggestion is that the organisation alone cannot create a culture of engagement because ‘engagement’ is partly an internal concept. Therefore if push motives such as ‘forcing’ are out, it may be that pull motives such as ‘allowing’ or ‘encouraging’ are in. Being religious is associated with elevated happiness. In a survey of 163,000 people in 14 European countries, 84% of church goers rated as ‘very satisfied’ with life compared with 77% of non-church goers (Inglehart, 1990). The suggestion is that religion provides a framework of meaning as well as a collective identity and a reliable social network for people with like-minded views and values. Thus, ultimately, it is the strong social connections that provide happiness in a religious context. The result is the rather powerful effect whereby individuals give up their weekends to attend their place of workshop, for free. While religion was not born out as a major factor in happiness in this study, there exists a wider analogy. It may be that the challenge for organisational designers is to create a similar cohesiveness, akin to a ‘spiritual home’ where, instead of religion, employees are bonded by a common purpose and/or pervading sense of ‘why?’ The organisation creates a sense of community where high quality connections are the norm and where individual employees are playing to their strengths. In short, the challenge is to create a culture in which employees want to be part of something worthwhile and where engagement is not forced, but rather, it flows. Continuing the religious metaphor, it may be that this sense of higher purpose and internal buy-in is, indeed, a more enlightened way to create flourishing organisations. ‘Neuroplasticity’ The relatively stable basic affective state of happiness refers to the momentary level of happiness that an individual typically experiences the individual’s ‘set point’ (Williams Thompson, 1993). The implication is that this component ensures that different individuals may experience different levels of happiness when all other factors are held constant. Although all individuals can experience a range of emotions at different intensities, there is a tendency for these to return to their idiosyncratic ‘set point’ (Diener et al., 2006). Diener et al (2006) argue that one’s happiness set point is determined by the individual’s sense of identity which is in turn determined by their psychology. In short, most people think like the person they perceive themselves to be (e.g., victims get stuck in ‘learned helplessness’, winners have a winning mentality, confident people behave confidently, etc.) The question therefore arises, is it possible to change one’s mental habits and/or one’s sense of personal identity? The concept of neuro-plasticity (Goleman, et al, 2003) suggests the brain is always learning. Siegel (2007) states that â€Å"Where attention goes, neurons fire. And where neurons fire, they can re-wire† (p. 291). This capacity for the brain to be reconfigured opens up the possibility for genuine and permanent personal change If one’s brain has an element of neuroplasticity it may be that the ‘set point’ is nothing more than a ‘familiar point’. It raises the possibility that with some mental dexterity and a little effort, one may be able to alter one’s ‘normal’ or ‘familiar’ level of happiness. In terms of this study, the NonH+ mean happiness is 6.77 (sd = 1.41, std error mean = 0.07) and the H+ mean is 8.29 (sd = 0.51, std error mean = 0.75). Thus, inquiring into the mental strategies of the H+ group and applying them to the NonH+ group could conceivably result in an increase in the ‘set point’ of 22.5%. As argued in earlier chapters, the knock-on behavioural effects of such an increase would achieve significant business results. Beliefs This comment, taken from an H+ respondent, provides a succinct account of the main findings of the difference between the H+ and NonH+ respondents: â€Å"I see the world differently to them.† (male, organisation W) Thus if reality depends, at least in part, on how one views it, it becomes less of a surprise that external circumstances account for only 10% of total happiness (Lyubomirsky, Sheldon Schade 2005). Indeed, Lyubormirsky (2007) prefers the phrase â€Å"creation or construction of happiness† to the more popular â€Å"pursuit of happiness† â€Å"since research shows that it’s in our power to fashion it for ourselves.† (p. 15) Further, if ‘reality’ is linked to mind-set and self-identity, then Dweck’s (2006) work on fixed and growth mind-sets becomes more salient. Dweck purports that those of fixed mind-set believe their capabilities are already set whereas a growth mind-set is conducive to self-improvement through effort. Dweck suggests that a growth mind-set is not dismissive of innate abilities, recognising that â€Å"although people may differ in every which way – in their initial talents and aptitudes, interests or temperaments – everyone can change and grow through application and experience† (p. 12). Further, Dweck purports that those with fixed mind-sets often miss opportunities for improvement and consistently underperform while those with a growth mind-set watch their abilities move ever upward. Cultivating Organisational ‘Games-Makers’ Organisational culture is one of the most important predictors of high levels of performance over time (Cameron et al, 2011) and for ‘culture’ one should read ‘people’. Organisations that flourish have developed a ‘culture of abundance’ (Cameron 2013) which builds the collective capabilities of all members. It is characterized by the presence of numerous positive energisers throughout the system, including embedded virtuous practices, adaptive learning, meaningfulness, profound purpose, engaged members and positive leadership. Various studies point to abundance culture and organisational success (Cameron, Mora, Leutscher Calaro 2011; Cameron Plews 2012) Achor (2013) uses the term ‘franchising success’; identify something that is simple and easy to copy. Achor uses the example of the ‘10/5 principle’, supplanted from the Ritz-Carlton hotel chain to an American hospital. This simple notion of smiling at anyone who comes within 10 feet and making eye contact and giving a positive greeting to anyone within 5 feet is cited as an example of ‘franchising success’. And while sceptics might point to the 10/5 principle is cosmetic, false or, indeed, overly American in tone, Achor reports a different reality. When the behaviour becomes contagious it changes the reality and the feeling of the hospital. Achor reports that staff were smiling and this was ‘franchised’ to patients and visitors. Crucially, this new behaviour became normalised, embedded in the hospital’s culture. It is difficult to find British examples. Although not examined academically, anecdotal evidence exists within the London 2012 Olympic games-makers. Volunteering to give up their own time, with a clear vision to make London 2012 the best ever games, they are perhaps the outstanding British example of franchising positive affect. Positive Psychology: The right science for the wrong reasons? Reflecting on 5 years of study and taking the learning in the round, it is difficult not to have a nagging doubt about the upsurge of interest in the science of positive psychology. The business imperative is strong and this may be the source of my doubt. It could be that positive psychology is the right philosophy but for the wrong reasons. Organisational behaviourists are using the science of happiness and well-being to create workplaces that are engaging and fun, where people can experience a sense of meaning and value. The underlying public sector mantra that lies behind the science is that by creating these conditions, employees will therefore work harder. In austere times, maintaining levels of service with fewer staff is the cost-efficient Utopia of squeezing ‘more from less’. And while this makes perfect sense at one level, treating people well because it is good for the bottom line is, perhaps, the wrong reason for treating them well. In the recommendations, I spoke of a more enlightened way of conducting organisational behaviour. Enlightened organisations may be the ones who take a leap of faith and conspire to treat employees well because that is absolutely the right thing to do. This research points to happiness being a conflux of genetics, circumstances and internal strategies. According to Lyubormirsky (2007), the ‘circumstances’ element of the happiness pie is a rather insignificant 10%. Therefore, tweaking the structure, altering the appraisal system, or providing gym membership and a dress-down Friday, are all having a tiny effect on individual happiness. Much more salient are the mental habits that employees choose (or do not choose) to bring to work. This points to organisational culture spreading in a more viral way, because happiness and its contagion is about sustaining new thinking and behaviours, rather than processes. Rather than command and control, this is more about influencing people to want to change. Statistical analysis suggests the data for this study is reliable. Thus, I can confidently state that a sense of personal choice stands as a central tenet of flourishing. The organisation may well engender this sense of personal choice if it is seen to be doing things for the right reasons. Therefore, the focus naturally shifts towards ‘meaning’. The H+ community feels a very strong sense of meaning and purpose which is reflected in flourishing behaviours. The hyper-dyadic nature of affective contagion means that other employees will ‘catch’ the new feelings and behaviours. This points towards a paradigm shift away from culture change being a ‘top down’ or even a ‘bottom up’ process, towards an ‘inside-out’ phenomenon. Trying Times There is a dichotomy at the heart of positive psychology. The science is both supremely complex and effortlessly simple. The pig iron quotation that heralded the start of this chapter seems somewhat disingenuous towards the pig-iron worker. It is perfectly possible to couch the subject in such academic terms so as to lose the average worker. Yet, at its heart, the constituent parts of happiness remain simple enough for everyone to understand. The concept of ‘consciously choosing a positive attitude’ and ‘making an effort to do so’ seem simple enough. It may be the lack of cognisance that a choice is available or the subsequent effort involved in sustaining an H+ attitude that is more problematic. It may well be that some occupations are inherently more purposeful and carry greater meaning. However, this report suggests that if the aforementioned pig iron worker chooses to be positive and engages in positive mental strategies, if s/he can find meaning in their work and have challenging tasks, stretching personal goals and, moreover, if handling pig iron plays to their strengths, then engagement is more likely. In terms of context, this research project was almost cancelled on the grounds of ‘right research, wrong time’. The head of organisation B1, who turned out to be a strong champion of this research, stated somewhat sardonically, in a meeting prior to phase 1; â€Å"This is an interesting time to be measuring motivation.† Her point was that the challenges of the 2008 banking crisis and the subsequent knock-on effects of austerity would make happiness and engagement more challenging than ever. Bearing in mind the finding that H+ employees deploy more strategies and work those strategies harder it could be that conducting this research in such challenging circumstances was exactly the right time. It could be that in trying times the key to flourishing is to try even harder.

Song - What views about women are expressed in this poem? Essay

Song - What views about women are expressed in this poem? John Donne: Song A) What views about women are expressed in this poem? John Donne’s poems all express very different views about women. This poem expresses a very negative view of women, in particular that nowhere ‘lives a woman true, and fair’ – a beautiful, virtuous woman is impossible to find, and even if you did, by the time that Donne had reached her, she would have adulterated two, or maybe three other men. He believes in the certainty of female immoralism ‘yet she / will be / false.’ And the almost random promiscuity too, it will be two, or maybe three men, it’s very casual. He compares women to the sirens of the sea – mermaids, in the way the seduce you, and pull you down to the depths, suffocating you. While they are not an object of sexual desire but deception, because below the waist they have they have a slimy, scaly fishy tale. He may view himself as sort of Odysseus figure, just trying to find his image of his perfect woman on some mythical Ithaca. He continues these themes of deception further in the poem, which I shall explore in the next question B) How do language and verse form contribute to meaning in this poem In the first stanza Donne uses very commanding language, four lines out of nine begin with an imperative, and this shows his commanding, intellectual persona and his attitude towards women. In the first stanza Donne presents us fantastical images of various impossibilities which contribute meaning to his opinion of woman. The first sentence is a command: "Goe and catch a falling star," and an impossible one, for how can one catch a star? The word "falling" suggests a gradual fading away of the virtuosity of... ...tions take.’ One drop in a pond will cause rippling outwards – it continues to grow. He compares the circles to spheres of the heavens, but he says ‘they are all concentrique unto thee.’ This is a great metaphor for defining love, he feels that his lover is the centre on the heavens and outshines everything, the years passing to nothing bar ‘adde to love new heate.’ His love may increase through springtime but never abates through bad times, â€Å"No winter shall abate the springs encrease.’ Donne suggests that it cannot abate, he compares his growing love as too the infiniteness of the sky and the stars, which would have been never anything less than infinite in those times. Here we can see Donne as a simplistic adolescent, when he is in love he can never see it ending, while when he is feeling bad all women are evil and he will never go out with one again.

Attack on America :: essays research papers

Tonya Wood  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   October 4, 2001  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dr. Annan  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Freshman Seminar   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Attack On America   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I was quite saddened by the event that took place on September 11, 2001. An unfortunate tragedy occurred in New York that will go down in history. Two airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center, causing them to collapse, injuring and killing thousands of people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When I first learned of the catastrophe, I was in my dorm room asleep because I don’t have classes on Tuesdays. My mom called me and informed me of the horrendous episode and it actually took me a while to realize what happened. But when I turned the television on, everything was clear as day. I saw people falling and jumping out of windows. It was horrific. My initial feelings were hatred toward the culprits behind this cowardly act. I couldn’t comprehend exactly what the purpose of this was proving. I hope and pray that Osama bin Laden and whoever else is responsible for this callous act is given capital punishment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If I were in the position to do something I would donate clothing, blood, counseling, and anything else that would assist anyone who needed emotional support. But unfortunately I can’t donate blood because I’ve had body tattoos done recently.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My feelings toward the people that live in the Middle East are good nor bad because not all of them can be held responsible and not one individual can be pinpointed. But it is unfortunate for them because even though they are Americans, they are considered as â€Å"one of them† who were involved in this hate crime. It’s quite sad.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It’s very difficult to say why exactly we were attacked, but I’m sure whoever was responsible for this had more than one motive. I’ve heard numerous reasons and some people think we should attack; others think we should make peace. I personally think that if we don’t fight back and let everything go, we’ll be attacked again. If it takes bombing Afghanistan, then that’s what it takes.

Blakes Contraries

Yalitza Rufino ENG 102. 7460 Professor Colleran Paper 2 Blake’s Idea of Contraries William Blake’s poems were created to show the two contrary states. In his poems, he is constantly going against and challenging the rules of institutions, in specific the church. In The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, Blake shows his theory of contraries with his use of symbols of angels and devils, good and evil, and especially the comparison between heaven and hell.The Marriage of Heaven and Hell is a collection of contradictions, and without these contradictions Blake believes that there is no progression. â€Å"Without contraries is no progression. Attraction and Repulsion, reason and energy, love and hate are necessary to human existence. † (MHH lines 8-10) The essence to Blake’s theory is that it is necessary for innocence and experience to coexist within a person, that both good and evil are necessary for progression to occur. Line 8 is the purpose of the poem: â€Å"W ithout contraries is no progression. Religion almost always separates, religion says that the soul is separate from the body, and that the soul is good while the body is evil. The passive people will go to heaven while the â€Å"active† people will go to hell. We see this in line 12 of the poem: â€Å"Good is the passive that obeys reason, Evil is the active springing from energy. Good is heaven, Evil is hell. † The idea of when your body goes to heaven and your soul lives on or goes to heaven or hell is wrong according to Blake.Blake argues that humans aren’t born naturally good, but maybe they are born with the potential to be both good and evil. He rejects the idea that we can only be one or the other; either good or bad. Blake always wants us to see the two states of nature. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, The Songs of Innocence and of Experience, He is always comparing two opposites. Attraction and repulsion, reason and energy, love and hate. All of these are necessary to our existence and to help us grow in life. We can’t have one ithout the other. Blake challenges everything that is main stream. He doesn’t believe in rules and he especially challenges those of the church. In The Voice of The Devil, line 11 states that â€Å"God will torment Man in eternity for following his Energies. † His contrary says that â€Å"energy is eternal delight. † Evil is the active springing from energy. Therefore Blake is conveying that evil is eternal delight. What he is portraying is that man should not be punished for following â€Å"evil†, instead that sometimes bad can be good.Blake believes that good represses evil energy. He compares angels and devils. Where he views angels to be dull and therefore hell isn’t that bad of a place compared to heaven. In conclusion, Blake pushes many limits. He stresses the idea of contraries and their importance. He sees what he views as â€Å"false† as ideas that are necessary to appreciate what he believes is true. He believes that contraries are crucial to man but that religion often pushes rules upon us that are one sided. He uses his ideas to repress those of the institution.

Sous Vide a Breif History

Alex Schwichtenberg Wed/Thursday Kramer Sous Vide The technique sous vied was discovered by the Americans and French during the1960s and developed into an industrial food preservation method. The same one was then adopted by Georges Pralus in 1974 for the Troisgros in Roanne, France. He discovered that when foie gras was cooked in this manner it kept its original appearance, did not lose excess amounts of fat and had better texture.Another pioneer in sous-vide is Bruno Goussault, who further researched the effects of temperature on various foods and became well known for training top chefs in the method. As chief scientist of Alexandria, Virginia-based food manufacturer Cuisine Solutions, Goussault developed the parameters of cooking times and temperatures for various foods. As well as in traditional poaching, sealing the food in plastic bags keeps in juices and aroma that would normally be lost. Also you can read about  History of the Culinary Arts.By placing food in a water bath set to temperature set at the desired final cooking, thus eliminating possibility of over cooking. In conventional cooking, such as oven roasting or grilling, the food is exposed to higher levels of heat then final internal cooking temperature; the food then needs to be removed from the high heat prior to its reaching the desired cooking temperature. If the food can be removed from the heat too late and too early, undercooking and overcooking can be results. As a result of precise temperature control of the bath, very precise control of cooking can be achieved.Thus cooking, can be very even throughout the food in sous vide cooking, even with irregularly shaped or very thick items, given enough time. The use of temperatures much lower than for conventional cooking is an equally essential feature of sous vide, resulting higher succulence and tenderness: at these lower temperatures, cell walls in the food do not burst. In the case of meat cooking, tough collagen in connective tissue can be hydrolyzed into gelatin, without heating the meat toughens and moisture is wrung out.With the cooking of vegetables, when extreme mushiness is seen as undesirably overcooked, sous vide cooks vegetables at a temperature below the boiling point of water allowing the vegetables to be thoroughly cooked while keeping a firm or crisp texture. From the culinary view exclusion of air is secondary, but it has importance, it allows cooked food to be stored, still sealed and refrigerated, for considerable times, which is especially useful for the catering industry. Without oxygen from food that requires long cooking and is susceptible to oxidation, e. g. fat on meat, which may become rancid with prolonged exposure to air. The classic sous vide process involves two steps: Step One is vacuum sealing the food in bags. The term, â€Å"sous vide,† or â€Å"under vacuum,† though applied to the e ntire process, arose from just the vacuum seal method of just this first step. Step Two is the actual cooking for a prolonged time. A few sous vide foods are only subjected to Step One, a few are only subjected to Step Two, and many sous vide foods are never subjected to vacuum at all. Sous vide cookers can also step into the role of a bain-marie.It sometimes can be desirable to have the food come in contact with the cooking liquid, as it can be an ingredient. At Thomas Keller's The French Laundry, their lobster tail are cooked into a sous vide cooker filled with Beurre monte as their heating medium. For steps One ; Two No Vac: Foods with liquids can be prepared for sous vide cooking in a normal water bath by placing them in zippered freezer bags, closing them most of the way, then gently evacuating the air until the liquid touches the zipper before completing the seal.Food thus sealed is just as well prepared for sous vide cooking as that placed under a vacuum. Sous vide is becomin g more popular with chefs today because foods can be cooked before service and heated to order. Works cited Ruhlman,Michel â€Å"Under Pressure: Cooking Sous Vide †Translating the Chef’s Craft for Every Kitchen, November 17th, 2008 Zumromski,Walter â€Å"sous vide† The other cooking method, June 11th ,2012