Self-Assessment of Specialized Knowledge Goals

Question: Describe about the Self Assessment of Specialized Knowledge Goals? Answer: Introduction: Self assessment is a procedure where a person can judge himself on different aspects of his life and make some points of his improvements (Lau et al., 2014). NMBA is a governing body which states some parameters for the nurses for their self assessments and helps to improve their standards as per the guidance (Price, 2013). As a part of healthcare domain duty and quality of a nurse is very much important that is why before placing into a hospital it is the duty to set some goals and achieve them with confidence (An Organizational Competency Validation Strategy for Registered Nurses, 2014). This is the part of a life where self assessment helps to achieve the targets (Experienced Registered Nurses' Satisfaction with Using Self-Learning Modules Versus Traditional Lecture/Discussion to Achieve Competency Goals during Hospital Orientation, 2007). Plan of Goals: The goals of life should be set on the basis of requirements. A nurse should be capable of giving demonstration about nursing concerns which leads her as a registered nurse (The Professional Practice of Registered Nurses, 2014). Nurses should be able to give care of every type of patients like acute, inhabited or may be school or colleges etc. The capabilities which NMBA needs are specialized performance, significant analysis, condition and management of care and remedial observations (Burns and Poster, 2008). Every nurse has a duty to achieve these basic goals. To enter into the professional field some goals should be set as a marker to see the achievement capability. Up gradation of Ethical Knowledge by day to day practice and case studies will help to increase the standard of nursing (Pauly et al., 2009). Strategy for doing this is very simple. Learning from every kind of situations are the best learning procedures for anyone who wants to improve his capability. Social as well as ethical improvements are very necessary for being a successful nurse and give career a boost. This ultimately specialize the performance and helps to protect any unethical practice. The nurse should assess the personal development to fulfill the needs of the patient which possible when someone follows ethical guidelines and control the mind from any illegal behavior. Maintain Professional as well as Personal Relationship with a patient is very important. Nurse is a word which people can correlates with care. Professionalism is good for everyone but for this we should not forget we are the humans and personal relation should also be maintained (Bobay, Gentile and Hagle, 2009). Strategy not needed to be developed to be a caring human being with a high ethical professional attitude. Positive attitude, mental consciousness of giving response and caring approach is sufficient to be like that. This will indicate the mutual practice enhancement. Collaboration is a great factor which helps to treat a patient correctly and this will help the organization to establish their existence in that area. This is a relevant development needed in a nurse. Increase the capability to solve critical problems which ultimately helps to increase professional knowledge as well as established as a good nurse. Critical problems are the eye opener which ultimately enhance the problem solving ability and give opportunity to learn newer things (Yoo and Park, 2014). Strategy to increase the resolving power is to handle maximum number of critical cases. Documentation of a critical procedure and assessment of this will leads to enhance the concept and increase the capability to solve problems. Significant thinking and the analysis of the same will helps the person to establish as a good professional as well as increase the capability to think and to solve further critical problems. Contributions for the development of the organization are very vital. This is the practice where a person can show his or her metal as well as physical ability for the development of the association. This is the highest challenge for a working employee to develop his or her knowledge and also develop the institution by serving the qualitative as well as qualitative aspects (Ryan and Tatum, 2012). Organizational appreciation is very important to get hike into someones carrier. Strategy is very simple to do so. Hard working with intelligence is very important. SMART work that is specific, measurable, assignable, realistic and time based work is the key to the success. An organization will always prefer this kind of employee who will follow SMART working and also appreciates their work. Contribution and self management in the organization is always noticeable. A person should carry forward his or her professional image throughout the professional journey. This is also a type of self ana lysis and will help a professional to reach the height of success. Evaluation of treatment which is very necessary because if this is not evaluated the core assessment will not be fulfilled. The nursing care is the main core work of a nurse. Every type of patients need care and love. Proper care and monitoring by nurse will help the doctors to give a patient relief from his or her disease (Bostrm et al., 2009).The general as well as critical conditioned patients are going through different types of analysis so give them complete, secure and useful nursing care will give a good output to the patients. Strategy to do so is to practice the nursing care because practice gives maximum perfection. Ethical knowledge as well as efficient working ability is needed to do so. This is the management of care which is the core work of a registered nurse. The ability to give someone hopes to survive in his or her unhealthy condition is the key success of a nurse. The evaluation of own treatment is the answer of own success. Conclusion: Nursing is a noble profession and setting the goals of the carrier and makes some clear strategies to maintain them is very essential part. Proper nursing care with SMART working will helps to reach the goals. Day to day self assessment and monitoring of the strategies will improve the confidence (Ritter-Teitel, 2004). The care and relationship with others helps to establish the cause of serving. For doing well in professional field basically self assessment and self satisfaction is the main goals. Clear and fundamental ideas are also important to apply by your own for satisfaction. Ultimately there is a only conclusion that clear effective and dedicated work is the only key for success. References: An Organizational Competency Validation Strategy for Registered Nurses. (2014).Journal for Nurses in Professional Development, 30(2), pp.E1-E2. Bobay, K., Gentile, D. and Hagle, M. (2009). The relationship of nurses' professional characteristics to levels of clinical nursing expertise.Applied Nursing Research, 22(1), pp.48-53. Bostrm, A., Ehrenberg, A., Gustavsson, J. and Wallin, L. (2009). Registered nurses' application of evidence-based practice: a national survey.Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 15(6), pp.1159-1163. Burns, P. and Poster, E. (2008). Competency Development in New Registered Nurse Graduates: Closing the Gap Between Education and Practice.The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 39(2), pp.67-73. Experienced Registered Nurses' Satisfaction With Using Self-Learning Modules Versus Traditional Lecture/Discussion to Achieve Competency Goals During Hospital Orientation. (2007).Journal for Nurses in Staff Development (JNSD), 23(5), pp.221-222. Lau, R., Willetts, G., Hood, K. and Cross, W. (2014). Development of self-efficacy of newly graduated registered nurses in an aged care program.Australasian Journal on Ageing, p.n/a-n/a. Pauly, B., Varcoe, C., Storch, J. and Newton, L. (2009). Registered Nurses' Perceptions of Moral Distress and Ethical Climate.Nursing Ethics, 16(5), pp.561-573. Price, A. (2013). National Competency Framework for Critical Care Nurses.Nursing in Critical Care, 18(1), pp.52-52. Ritter-Teitel, J. (2004). Registered Nurse Hours Worked per Patient Day.JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 34(4), pp.167-169. Ryan, C. and Tatum, K. (2012). Objective Measurement of Critical-Thinking Ability in Registered Nurse Applicants.JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 42(2), pp.89-94. The Professional Practice of Registered Nurses. (2014).permj, 18(2), pp.95-95. Yoo, M. and Park, J. (2014). Effect of case-based learning on the development of graduate nurses' problem-solving ability.Nurse Education Today, 34(1), pp.47-51.

Osteoporosis essay Essay Example

Osteoporosis essay Essay Osteoporosis â€Å"Thirty-five year old Donna Duckworth is learning how to care for her newborn of five weeks, when she bends over the baby’s crib and feels something give in her back. The next day and the following week, the pain becomes unbearable in her back. She is breast-feeding and does not want to take any medication so she lives with the intense and continuing pain. Within a few weeks, she can no longer stand it so she goes to see her physician who orders blood work, does a complete physical and as a result, sends her to see an orthopedist who x-rays and does a bone density study. The diagnosis comes back as osteoporosis and it is found she has fractured three of her lumbar and four of her cervical vertebra.† Osteoporosis is a disease that affects the inside of your bones. Osteoporosis can affect anyone at any time in his or her life, but mostly in his or her later years. After reading, one can know what the signs and symptoms of osteoporosis are, what the probable diagnosis is, if it is treatable, what the prognosis is, what a health care practioner would do, who can be effected, what can be done to prevent it, and what new treatments are available. (NOF, 2010) â€Å"A person that has osteoporosis has bones that have lost substances as well as calcium, and other minerals† (UCSF Medical Center, 2010). Osteoporosis has signs and symptoms that one can look for within them. Osteoporosis is not gender selective. There are no symptoms of osteoporosis in its early stages, but there are symptoms that occur late in the disease. Some of the symptoms that occur late in the disease are bone pain or tenderness, fractures, loss of height, lower back pain due to fractures, neck pain due to fractures and curvature of the spine (The New York Times, 2010). Even though any bone break could be a sign of osteoporosis, one is most likely to have a compress fracture in their spinal vertebra. â€Å"These bone fractures are a result of weakened bone cracking from the normal pressure of a person standing upright† (UCSF Medical Center, 2010). The spinal vertebra breaks often result in the curvature of the spine at the shoulders (UCSF Medical Center, 201 0). â€Å"The curvature of the spine is sometimes called a ‘widow’s hump’† (UCSF Medical Center, 2010). (NOF, 2010) We will write a custom essay sample on Osteoporosis essay specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Osteoporosis essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Osteoporosis essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer â€Å"Pregnant adult women need an extra 400 milligrams of calcium daily† (Willis, 2010). â€Å"Thats about 50 percent more than recommended for women 25 and older† (Willis, 2010). â€Å"If there is not enough calcium in the mothers diet, the fetus may draw calcium from the mothers bones† (Willis, 2010). â€Å"Calcium deficiency in pregnancy may result in osteopenia (decreased bone density) in the mother† (Willis, 2010). Ms. Duckworth was in the standing position at the time that she felt something give in her back. Considering Ms. Duckworth gave birth within a year and her age, the likelihood of her having osteoporosis probable due to the improper amount of calcium intake. Diagnosis is crucial in osteoporosis. One of the best ways to determine if one has osteoporosis is by doing a bone density test. There are different types of techniques that can be performed in order to diagnose osteoporosis. Some of the different techniques are dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), ultrasound, quantitative computerized tomography (QCT), and lateral radiographs (UCSF Medical Center, 2010). DXA is a can of the spine with a low-dose X-ray (UCSF Medical Center, 2010). (NOF, 2010) Ms. Duckworth should have a DXA of the spine and hip areas as well as the blood and urine tests. If necessary, a QCT should be ran based on the results of the DXA. These tests will determine the severity of Ms. Duckworth’s bone density issue. It will tell if she has osteopena due to pregnancy or a more severe case, osteoporosis. â€Å"Almost 80% of bone density is determined by heredity and 20% by lifestyle† (WebMD, 2010). â€Å"Bone mineral density tests (BMD) shows how dense bones are and whether you have osteoporosis† (WebMD, 2010). â€Å"This information helps determine which prevention or treatment steps are needed† (WebMD, 2010). There are different laboratory tests that can be ran by doctors that helps in diagnosing osteoporosis. These tests are run with samples of blood and urine from the patient. Some of the tests are blood calcium levels, 24-hour urine calcium measurement, thyroid function tests, parathyroid hormone levels, testosterone levels in men, 25-hydroxyvitamin D test to determine whether the body had enough vitamin D, and biochemical marker tests, such as NTX and CTX (NOF, 2010). Osteoporosis is a treatable disease, but not a curable one. There are different types of treatment for osteoporosis. Some of the medications that can be taken for treatment of osteoporosis are estrogen, bisphosphonates, calcitionin, raloxifene, parathyroid hormone, and testosterone replacement (UCSF Medical Center, 2010). Some of the more common names for bisphosphonates are Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva, and Reclast (Mayo Clinic, 2009). These treatments are taken orally once a week or once a month. In addition to the medications, there is also the treatment of exercise and diet. With a diet high in calcium, stopping unhealthy habits, like smoking and drinking, and regular exercise can reduce the likelihood of bone fractures in people with osteoporosis (The New York Times, 2010). In Ms. Duckworth’s incident, it would be recommended that she increase the amount of calcium in her diet and exercise, and depending on the severity of the osteoporosis, medication. Prognosis for osteoporosis is that the disease is treatable, but not curable. There is not one simple treatment for this disease. If one has the markers for osteoporosis, then the amount of risks should be kept to a minimal. Prevention is the best way to lower the odds of obtaining osteoporosis. One should make sure that the amount of calcium needed is in their diet. They should also develop an exercise program that avoids the risk of falling or could be considered high-impact, as that those could cause fractures. Ms. Duckworth future could turn to one as beneficial as it was before the spinal fracture. With proper diet with high calcium intake, an exercise program to reduce the likelihood of fractures, medication, and check-ups Ms. Duckworth could be back to her normal activities. As a healthcare practioner, Ms. Duckworth would be advised to increase the amount of calcium in her diet and add an exercise regiment. Based on Ms. Duckworth’s blood and urine analysis, it would also include medication if necessary. Ms. Duckworth would also be scheduled for routine check-ups to see the progression or recession of the osteoporosis. Family history would also need to be looked at for Ms. Duckworth. As previously stated, 80% of persons with osteoporosis obtained the disease through hereditary genetics, 20% obtain it through life choices and medical conditions. If Ms. Duckworth were suffering from osteoporosis from hereditary, treatment with medication would be probable, instead of just diet and exercise. Osteoporosis most commonly is diagnosed in women and men over the age of 50. Osteoporosis is considered a health threat for 44 million U.S. women and men aged 50 and older (NOF, 2010). The following chart gives an indication of the prevalence of osteoporosis in women and men in the U.S. through the year 2020 (NOF, 2010). Prevalence of Osteoporosis and Low Bone Mass in People Aged 50 and Over 200220102020 Osteoporosis and Low Bone Mass in Women and Men43,600,00052,400,00061,400,000 Osteoporosis in Women and Men10,100,00012,000,00013,900,000 Low Bone Mass in Women and Men33,600,00040,400,00047,500,000 Women With Osteoporosis or Low Bone Mass29,600,00035,100,00040,900,000 Women With Osteoporosis7,800,0009,100,00010,500,000 Women With Low Bone Mass21,800,00026,000,00030,400,000 Men With Osteoporosis and Low Bone Mass14,100,00017,300,00020,500,000 Men With Osteoporosis2,300,0002,800,0003,300,000 Men With Low Bone Mass11,800,00014,400,00017,100,000 (NOF, 2010) Even though there are several different ways to prevent progression of osteoporosis, they are not a guarantee that it will stop the progression. With the medication as treatment for the osteoporosis, there are still occasions that bone fractures can occur. â€Å"The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning linking long-term use of popular osteoporosis drugs to an unusual fracture of the thigh bone† (Wilson, 2010). With the profound results of the bisphosphonates slowing the loss of bone mass, they have been proven to have nagging safety concerns that are jaw osteonecrosis, arrhythmias, and esophageal cancer (Wilson, 2010). Drug makers are working to find new ways of treating osteoporosis. â€Å"The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new injectable osteoporosis treatment for post menopausal women† (FDA, 2010). â€Å"Prolia is a treatment for postmenopausal women with osteoporosis who are at high risk for fractures† (FDA, 2010). Osteoporosis is an unforgiving disease. It cannot be cured, but can be slowed in its progression. Prevention is the way to proactive. One should be sure to consume calcium in their diet that is adequate for their needs and to be in an exercise regiment that will aid in reducing fractures. One should also be careful in putting himself or herself at risk by smoking, drinking, being off balanced, or doing rigorous exercising that could possibly cause fractures. If one does these things and has regular check-ups, then they should be able to reduce the likelihood of severe osteoporosis. Total Words: 1,422 Works Cited U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (2010, June 1). FDA Approves New Injectable Osteoporosis Treatment for Postmenopausal Women. Retrieved from FDA.gov: Mayo Clinic. (2009, August 27). Osteoporosis Treatment Puts Brakes on Bone Loss. Retrieved from MayoClinic.com: National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF). (2010). Diagnosing Osteoporosis. Retrieved from nof.org: National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF). (2010). Prevalence Report. Retrieved from nof.org : http://www.nof.org/print/219 The New York Times. (2010). Osteoporosis Overview. Retreived from nytimes.com: UCSF Medical Center. (2010, October 29). Osteoporosis Diagnosis. Retrieved from ucsfhealth.org: UCSF Medical Center. (2010, October 29). Osteoporosis Signs and Symptoms. Retreived from ucsfhealth.org: UCSF Medical Center. (2010, October 29). Osteoporosis Treatment. Retreived from ucsfhealth.org: WebMD. (2010). Osteoporosis Guide Diagnosis Tests. Retreived from webmd.com: Willis, Judith Levine. (2010). All about Eating for Two. Retreived from childbirthsolutions.com: Wilson, Duff. (2010, October 13). Prescriptions. Retreived from nytimes.com:

Essay Explaining Bad Grades - Use This Article As a Way of Getting Into College

Essay Explaining Bad Grades - Use This Article As a Way of Getting Into CollegeIn the last few years, a lot of students have begun to use essay explaining bad grades as their way of getting into college. They use these types of essays in the process of applying for financial aid. The reason why they do this is that they want to present themselves in a positive light so that they can get the money they need.There are many schools that accept these types of essays as part of the application process and they will usually require some sort of supporting documents to back up what the student has written in their essay. You will have to show your proof to your tutor as well as the school. If you have any trouble understanding why these things are being done, then it may be better if you stop using this type of essay. This is because there are some people out there who are completely unethical and will actually try to scam people out of money.The main reason for why these essays are being u sed in the first place is because they are very successful at getting someone accepted. It's an effective way of showing that you are capable of handling the academic work that is required. If you are a student who wants to get into a top-notch university but you know that you do not perform well in academics, this is the perfect way to show that you can do it. You do not even have to worry about your grades because the school will already be aware of them and will make sure that they're well taken care of.It can be very frustrating when you do not have a lot of confidence and think that you should really have good grades. You may even want to be able to get those grades back from the school you are applying to, but you can't because you have bad grades. This is why you will have to use the essay explaining bad grades as your way of getting into college.If you were a good student and also did not perform well in the academic section, it is likely that the school you are applying to has a set of criteria in order to determine if you are good enough. Some of these criteria include things like GPA and class rank. You can apply for these types of essays in order to show the school that you can handle the work that is required.While it can be an effective way of getting back into school, you may want to stop using the essay explaining bad grades because there are other means that are more effective. Even if you have bad grades, you can still show your ability to handle the work that is needed by getting a GED or a high school diploma. You will want to show that you are capable of doing this instead of trying to use the essay explaining bad grades.If you are not comfortable with the academic work that you have, you should look into improving your academic skills instead. This way, you will not need to rely on the essay explaining bad grades and you will be able to earn the grades that you need. In addition, you will not have to worry about the essay explaining bad g rades so much and you will be able to focus on getting the grades that you need.The essay explaining bad grades is one of the methods that are used by colleges today in order to determine how much you have improved. You can apply for this type of essay when you want to improve your grades or you can just apply for the GED or diploma. It is possible that you could be accepted for both, so it is always a good idea to check out both options.

Athletic Injuries essays

Athletic Injuries essays There are many psychosocial factors that contribute to the occurrence and severity of athletic injuries. Many studies have found that there is a relationship between the occurrence and severity of athletic injuries and stress. Stress affects everyone and it is because of this we need to be properly educated about it. It is the bodys nonspecific response to any demand (Williams, 1996). Stress is composed of many factors and is often described as any feelings of nervousness or anxiety. It has been established that there is a direct positive relationship between stress and the severity and occurrence of athletic injuries (Hanson, McCullagh Despite proper rehabilitation, many athletes are not psychologically equipped to cope with the impact of an athletic injury (Larson, Zaichkowsky, & Starkey, 1996). Advances in sports medicine have allowed remarkable physical recoveries, however, many members of the medical community are urging injured athletes to have the psychological aspects of their injuries treated as well. Initially, sport psychology was used as a catalyst to enhance athletic performance. There is a growing awareness of specific psychological risk factors that are associated with athletic performance. More frequently mental health professionals are needed to assist an athlete adjust to life after an athletic injury. The psychological im...

SWOTT Analysis Paper and Table Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

SWOTT Analysis Paper and Table - Essay Example We intend to amplify our business by using greener alternatives whenever possible, for example: Moreover, it is also important for us to be seen in the public domain making a difference. Therefore we will actively work with various local environmental organizations, such as, Miami Green Commission. Over the past five years, there has been an increasing awareness regarding work life balance, mainly due to the rise of dual income families, but also due to flexible working practices affecting quality time spent as a family unit. Customers are influenced mainly by price and convenience, however, information is not readily available in the public domain, hence, shopping for ‘best’ bargains is hampered and reduced to what is available locally in the high street. When surveyed, given a choice of alternatives within the same price bracket, 68% of consumers would choose a greener alternative method of dry cleaning. 82% of consumers had little brand loyalty and could not name the dry cleaning company they used. Therefore, they have considerable power as switching costs are minimal, and the perceived ethical rewards are substantial. Currently, 97% of dry cleaners operating in Miami offer traditional Perc dry cleaning. We also feel that the dry cleaning industry thus far has been slow to make people aware of what is on offer in the industry, this in our view, gives us a considerable advantage. Currently there are few suppliers of alternative solvent machines. This seems to give the suppliers a certain degree of power. However, machines are extremely reliable and have a lifespan of almost ten years, thus, limiting the interaction with the supplier. Also, solvents are available from various companies but, levels of usage are not high and their prices have remained static for numerous years without any gaps in supply. Potential start up costs are relatively low

Research in Motion Entering a New Era of Marketing Case Study

Research in Motion Entering a New Era of Marketing - Case Study Example With the combination of the three, companies gain a more competitive advantage in the market. The consumer population is attracted to the most modern, advanced and attractive commodities (Rantanen, 2005). In the business of mobile phones, the scenario is the same. This paper will discuss the RIM’s marketing plan and the improvements the company can make on the basis of a general marketing analysis. Research In Motion deals with mobile phones and handsets. The company enjoys over 20 year’s existence in the market. However, the existence of the company in the market has taken shifts in the modern century corporate environment. The number of competitors is significantly increasing. It is for this reason that the future of RIM is questioned. With the coming of smaller firms in the market, RIM’s future is greatly threatened. For instance, the coming of Samsung in the market has greatly threatened the significance of RIM. Over the past two years, Samsung commodities have more demand in the market than I-phone and the Blackberry. Apart from demand, other companies are stepping up their marketing strategies. These factors are increasingly putting pressure on RIM to upgrade its marketing strategies. With the increase of consumer demand on mobile phones, RIM could be losing a lot of profits due to competition. In the case analysis regarding mobile phones and telecommunication, competition lies as the main problem. Apart from the competitors, the consumer should be pleased with the product an organization offers. Competition in this industry is based on technology and trends. We live in a society where trends and technology is a basic want for all consumers. When it comes to mobile phones, the current consumer population looks at the technologically advanced features of a gadget. For instance, gadgets with the Android operating system have greater market recognition than phones which do not have this operating system (Ferrell & Hartline, 2010).

Violence in Mexico Essay Example for Free

Violence in Mexico Essay Nothing is surprising today that many today’s newspapers articles, publicized about how elderly people around the world had been discriminated, especially in Mexico. These older people gave us life, they are harmless, defenseless, some society members see them as an obstacle, also a heavy load that need to be carry on their backs. They are jeopardizing their life because of the way society treats them and because of the actual violence in Mexico. There are 600 million elderly people in the world; seven of them living in Mexico, according to the INEGI (Mexico’s census) showed statistics that elderly population is living longer and their population is increasing. Doctors and medicines can reach now the rural areas where before was impossible to get medical aid, also better medicines had being discovered and doctors are getting better preparation than before. The welfare of the elderly population has numerous dimensions, poverty, health care, and the receipt of pension income. In Mexico, many benefits such as having access to health care and receiving a pension at old age are associated with a form of employment. Since women historically have participated less in the labor market than men have, it is natural to expect that women would experience lower living conditions than men would in old age; also the wellbeing of the elderly group is dramatically inferior comparing to other age groups. Fewer older parents wish to assume the uncertainties of following their children across international borders, especially if they or their children have no legal documents. Instead, older people tend not to move, and sending areas often become old as the young migrate and leave their parents and grandparents behind. Mexico’s large population has a high level of poverty and hunger compared to rest of the world. Migration is a fluid process, however one that not only influences social behavior in U.S. destinations, but also lives and lifestyles across the border in Mexico. Although we might hear more about immigrants living and working in United States cities, the vast majority of Mexican immigrants and/or their families do not move to the United States permanently. In fact, Mexico-United States migration most commonly involves individuals leaving their households to engage in temporary or recurrent United States migration strategies that are identify by short-term stays and repeat trips. Two emerging from this social process are transnational communities, involving spatial, economic, and social ties that link residents between the two countries. Some elderly parents will look to their children for support, but some will find a limited set of alternatives given the prevalence of migration. Thus, migration may cause a rise in the number of elderly living alone or seeking alternative types of living arrangements to meet their needs. The discussion below first describes traditional patterns of living arrangements and intergenerational support in Mexico; then examines migration patterns and begins to assess their consequences for elderly living arrangements; and finally presents findings from data collected in fifty-two Mexican villages. No one, especially not one of Mexicos top law enforcement officials, denies that killings by drug cartels have reached record levels. Mexico all of a sudden stopped being a drug-transit country and became a drug-consuming country this means gangs that once shipped drugs into the United States, are now fighting each other to sell the drugs at home. Their fights center on territory whose gets to sell what and where. The only way to settle their differences is through violence, Rubido said. Theyre fighting block by block in a very violent way. The result is a brutal onslaught that resulted in about fifty-four thousand deaths last year, more than double the tallied in 2007. Many analysts say Mexico is on track to set a record again this year. A United Nations report released this week notes that the government of Mexico faces violent opposition by drug cartels to its attempts to fight organized crime and drug trafficking, adding that drug cartels have responded with unprecedented violenc e. That intimidation can often take brutal forms. Last weekend, a police official from the state of Tabasco, arrested a dangerous and one of the country most wanted drug trafficker, a week later he was killed so were his mother, his wife, his children, nieces and nephews. Twelve people total were dead in three homes. Six of them were children. While drugs are being smuggled north, a lot of guns are going south, said Brian Jenkins, a terrorism expert at Rand Corp. â€Å"Authority does not have control over all of its national territory and they had lost most of it to traffickers.† President Felipe Calderon criticized the media for mounting a campaign of â€Å"lies† against Mexico. His comments come two days after important French politicians visited this country, U.S. Director of National Intelligence, said Mexico is not in charge of parts of the country. It pains me the way elderly people is suffering, their only goal is to achieve peace and love, they already gave these to us, now is time to pay them back, we as their descendants should look for the opportunity to share happy moments with them, and place them in places where they are going to be safe and happy.