Diversity in Faith Based Hospitals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Diversity in Faith Based Hospitals - Essay Example The need for change is caused by diversity problems, lack of administrative support and strict policies adopted by faith based hospitals towards patients, medical services and medical staff. Workforce diversity is one of the main issues in faith-based hospitals. Since a large number of interpersonal and inter-group problems are related in some way to job maladjustments, culturally successful organizations provide an environment conducive to identifying and utilizing different ways of doing things. Fogel and Rivera (2004) admit that: 'the expansion in size and influence of religiously-controlled health systems is impeding patient access to comprehensive health services, including reproductive health services, patients' end of life decisions, and patients' access to research involving emerging medical technologies" (p. 725). The main problems identified by research literature are that faith-based hospitals fail to address diversity problems and manage cultural diversity. During the research, it was found that the large number of faith-based hospitals fails to employ diverse medical staff while some other hospitals fail to meet cultural differences and expectations of thei r patients (Leininger and McFarland 2002; Fogel and Rivera, 2004; Tangenberg, 2005; Tammeus 2006). In faith-based hospitals, the majority of medical staff does no... On the other hand, faith-based hospitals set strict policies for medical staff and medical care provided to patients. In faith-based hospitals, religious differences are of vital importance in the workplace. It is possible to say that religious diversity has the greatest impact on human relations than any other diversity issues. Fogel and Rivera (2004) underline that some hospitals set religious restrictions which become "a significant obstacle for patients and physicians because of the size of religiously-controlled health systems. Five of the ten largest health care systems in the United States are Catholic" (p. 275). Religion determines the way of thinking and value system, beliefs and traditions followed by faith-based hospitals. Lack of training and cultural knowledge creates communication difficulties and conflicts between medical staff and administration. The change is vital in this sphere because lack of communication and cultural misunderstanding worsen service quality and i mage of the hospital. It was found that: "some hospitals have outlived their mission and their usefulness in a particular community; others, through mismanagement, the departure of key personnel, or lack of resources have lost the ability to provide an adequate and competent level of service to their patients and the community" (Jennings et al 2002, p. 4). In faith-based hospitals, gender differences have a great influence on employee relations and interaction, behavior patterns and promotion. Despite many gains, women are still grossly underrepresented in professional and managerial jobs than male executives to be assistants to high paid professionals, and they are disproportionately overrepresented in

Statistics are Misleading in the Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Statistics are Misleading in the Media - Essay Example Many of the unsuspecting readers are often oblivious of the fact that people creating and quoting statistics do have personal agendas and vested interests (Hodges 2). Thus most of the social statistics is often colored by such devious intentions. The journalists in their zeal for bolstering on the issue under consideration do tend to exaggerate or subdue the available statistical findings (Calif 2). Many a times the entities like governments, political parties and NGOs purposely furnish tainted statistical data and studies so as to accentuate or dilute a specific issue. Thus it is important for any discerning citizen to investigate the basic parameters surrounding a statistical quote that is the entity who created a statistical study (Best 27), the purpose for which a given statistical data was created (Best 28) and the manner in which a statistical research was carried out (Best 29). Sad, but true, many of the subscribers are mostly not so astute, systematic and methodical in their analysis of the statistics published in media and are therefore vulnerable to ending up with faulty perceptions, false notions and misguided views. It is really imperative to understand the dynamics by which statistics is exaggerated, downplayed or manipulated by the media to send a specific message to the masses. Many a statistical studies prefer to choose the samples as per their convenience (Best 52). The samples for statistical studies are often chosen by the media in a non scientific way and at random that go well with their limited budgetary resources. Hence such samples fail to represent the total population and do yield false conclusions. Besides the statisticians hired by the media houses are oft deficient in the expertise to wean out the mutations incorporated while sampling a population. There is no denying the fact that the statistical studies conducted in an academic environment are not bound by the compulsion to yield black and white results. It is a reality that if an academic study ends up with open ended conclusions, the researchers do prefer to leave them as such and never rush in to deduce faulty hypothesis. However, this is not always true so far as media reports are concerned. Most of the media reports by their very nature are expected and bound to give concrete conclusions underlying a statistical study. Thus when the journalists are pushed by their voracious readers to yield results, they often do not hesitate from culling out nonrealistic guesses from the available statistical figures (Best 32). In fact, to sensationalize their news reports, media houses even go to the extent of exaggerating or downplaying the results attributed to a given statistical study. If nothing else, commercial success is often too big a motivation to prevent them