Case Study Essay on Nursing Informatics

Case Study Essay on Nursing Informatics Case Study Essay on Nursing Informatics Nursing Informatics in today’s Healthcare Delivery System: This paper highlights the essentiality of informatics processes and technology in informatics in enhancing the safety of patients and summarizes nursing research that is relevant to the matter. The paper makes use of numerous material most of which is current to highlight the importance of informatics in improving health care. The author arranges the information logically, first by defining and describing the key aspects of the article, as well as, key terms. The information is seen as largely accurate and valid as it is cited correctly fro current materials and arranged in a manner that supports the topic and purpose of the article. The conclusions of the paper are based on most of the information cited in the main body of the paper. The recommendations are deducted from the analysis of the information presented and, therefore, are believable to a certain level. One of the things that reduce the level of accuracy of the conclusions of the author is that he introduces new materials at the conclusion level and that makes the conclusion less valid. Though the author might have included this new citation to support the conclusions he draws, it would have been more accurate if the conclusions and recommendations were entirely drawn from the body of the paper. The purpose of this article was to utilize an approach that was qualitative in exploring perceptions in nursing of the effects of health information system utilization in the work place. To achieve its purpose, the research utilized three institutions in National healthcare Group. It also involved seven nurses and interviews. The researchers provided a brief overview of the major aspects of the study which was supported by a number of current studies and literature. The literature is current and well cited and the information is arranged in a manner that is logical. It is highly probable that the information is accurate and valid as it is cited from current material. The authors get their conclusions from a careful analysis of the results of the study. The conclusions and the recommendations of the study, therefore, are believable as one can follow and make sense of them from the methods, results and analysis of the interviews carried out in the study. There are a number of limitations, however, that the study presents. For instance, study was small and, therefore, it is impossible to generalize the results of the study to represent a larger population. Additionally, the quality of the article is determined largely by the skills of the researchers. As it follows, the outcomes might not be wholly accurate or valid. The validity of the truth of the results is also doubtful as the researcher asked the participants sensitive questions regarding HIS and its barriers and effects. However, the study is essential as it gives the audience a first- hand opinion of the users of health information systems and the kind of effects it has on health care, and qu ality of outcomes in patients. The purpose of this article id to look at the level at which Canadian medical institutions have adopted health informatics and the impacts the informatics have on health delivery. The author basis her arguments on a number of materials most of which are current. This indicates that the accuracy of her deductions is assured. Additionally, the work is properly cited and, therefore, it can be thought of as valid. The author introduces the article by giving to her audience the main perspective and focus of the paper. Additionally, the author also carries out her own surveys to add on to the information derived from the literature. The conclusions of the study are made after the careful analysis of the results of the survey and after the careful study of the literature. Though the article is of uttermost importance to the nursing industry, it also poses a number of limitations. The study makes conclusions about Canada and, therefore, the recommendations can only be made about Canada and c annot be generalized with a larger population. This paper is a systematic literature review that seeks to explore the current, available studies that indicate whether the nursing population in the US today, other than the current graduates, have the required, sufficient knowledge and competencies to utilize knowledge in informatics and skills to enhance the advancement of practice based on evidence and utilization of electronic systems of medical records effectively and associated technologies. The author uses articles derived from the period between 1999 and 2006. The currency of the articles he chooses to use in the literature review indicates that the information displayed in the article is current and valid. The information is also properly cited and referenced to indicate that it is accurate; the author arranges the information logically by first defining the main aspects of the subject matter. The author makes several conclusions all of which are based on the information obtained from the literature reviewed. The author does not include any other information that is not priory highlighted in the reviewed literature. There are some limitations in the article nevertheless. For example, the author highlights four different limitations that he deems are the contributing factors to the incomplete study and research if the clinical population. The author does not show how he came with these conclusions. It is not clear that his recommendations are backed up with evidence or they are just personal recommendations. However, the study is extremely significant in today’s health care as they highlight the areas in need of improvement when it comes to nursing informatics in providing health care. The article can be used in the making of the concepts paper as it can be used to help nurses improve their informatics knowledge by highlighting areas of need. The article discusses the importance of electronic health records in improving the kind of health care hospitalized patients get in hospitals. The article also shows how essential it is for nurses to use sources of electronic documentation as it is the only relevant and meaningful way of majority of the essential information about their patients. The article draws a lot of its information from numerous articles and other materials that are logically organized. The material the article draws its evidence from seem appropriate for the subject are, therefore, appropriate. The cited materials help the authors discuss and show the relevant aspects of electronic documentation and its implications. Additionally, the authors carry out their own studies which involve an integrative review of the available literature and the examination of the associations between the quality of health care and electronic documentation. The study does this by following the quality framework by Donabedian. The general discussions and summary of the article are used by the authors to provide an essential overview of the conclusions that article draws. They also could be highly useful to support the conclusion in the research paper. The paper, however, had one significant limitation and that is the researchers did not seek to answer the question, ‘how does electronic documentation aid nurses in delivering quality health care?’ the study did also not evaluate the outcomes of the patient. These limitations, however, can be used as new topics for future research whereby researchers in the future can find out from nurses how electronic documentation help in improving delivery of health care so as to obtain and define variables for evaluating some outcomes in patient health. This source is extremely essential because it provides one with the essential information on how health care can be improved. This is one way that one can come up with recommendations of how today’s he alth care can be improved and enhanced. Are you ready to pay for custom case studies written by highly qualified writers? Dont hesitate to contact our company right now!

Chemical Hazards In The Working Environment Environmental Sciences Essay

Chemical Hazards In The Working Environment Environmental Sciences Essay Chemical Engineering is defined as the branch of engineering which is involved in the application of physical science and mathematics to processing and converting raw materials and chemicals into more useful forms. The outputs and methods of these processes are not always safe and chemical hazards need to be overcome to make the working environment a satisfactorily hospitable for everyone that the process affects. This includes the general public and the environment as well as the workers involved. Chemical Engineers need to ensure that the safety measures which they devise regarding certain processes are adequate enough not to pose hazards and to meet the regulations of the law. This term paper will outline some of the hazards which Chemical Engineers and other workers in the industry need to neutralise to ensure that the working environment is safe for those involved. A hazard is defined as anything which could result in an accident. Such hazards include those caused by the releas e of noxious chemicals which can prove damaging to the health of people and the environment. Chemical hazards can be especially dangerous due to the toxic nature of the substances used in the industry. Plant Safety The health and safety of plant workers is a major concern to the chemical industry. Accidents which result in loss of life or injuries are especially damaging due to the high costs they inflict. Costs in retraining personnel, repairing equipment damaged in have huge costs, as well as the interruption in business that ensues after an accident. The trends have shown that over the years fatalities have decreased but property costs have increased. This trend is due to the increased automated systems used in plants. These systems have increased complexity and productivity to older designs. In earlier designs the workers were more exposed to the chemical processes taking place in the plant, and were in turn exposed to more hazards. This however poses another problem because if workers are more isolated from a process, even if this greatly reduces health and safety hazards then if a malfunction occurs in the plant it is much more difficult to have experienced personnel available to fix a process problem. Due to this action compensation must be made in the case of higher property costs as opposed to loss of life and injury to workers. â€Å"As of the early 1990’s, annual worker fatalities ran about 9 per 100,000 employees; annual lost time disabling injuries ran about 4,000 per 100,000 employees. Property Losses increased fourfold from the 1970’s†. Safety assessments are now undergone on chemical plants to ensure that they adhere to safety levels proposed by regulation standards. Quantification of hazards such as overpressure potential and flammability were done by measurements of vapour pressure and of flash points and flammability limits. The process designers need to make use of data that gives information pertaining to the hazards o f a process such as information of reaction rates and the energies involved in exothermic reactions in which heat is given out, that of unstable chemicals, of temperature limits in which explosive decomposition can occur, rates of generation of gas and vapour and emergency fail-safes such as pressure releases for high pressure systems.

Kathmandu PowerPoint Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Kathmandu - PowerPoint Presentation Example Built on an octagonal base, the place is filled with colored flags. The surrounding area of the stupa has various prayer wheels along with a large range of statues, five of which known as the Dhyani Buddhas are of special importance for the Nepal’s Buddhist community. A total of 50 monasteries surround the location and nearly 15% of the population in this area is Buddhists. Their characteristic living style with maroon clothing and shaven heads can be seen here in abundance. The Himalayas mountain span over a length of 1500 miles and contains the most highest mountains of the world. The famous Mount Everest can be approached by a 30 minutes flight to an airport known as Lukla airport. Upon arrival to this destination, the visitors most of whom are climbers trek to reach the Namche Bazaar, where modern facilites like internet cafes, hiking equipment, food and accommodation is available. Everest base camp is further away. It was originally the living space of the royal family of Nepal. It has been centuries since they moved away from this place, but this place still remains a main tourist spot in Kathmandu. Visitors are surprised to see the number of temples that are present in this area, which tell the story of a magnificient past of this area. The hanuman Dhoka and the Taleju Temple which was built by Mahenda Malla are famous tourist attractions in this

Dicrimination in Work Place Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dicrimination in Work Place - Essay Example Earlier this week, a federal jury unanimously awarded him a whopping $25 million as a result† (Gordon par. 1). The discrimination in the work place specifically focuses on race and color discrimination ("Section 15†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). One firmly shares the contention that discrimination in the work setting must be immediately addressed through the proper legal avenues. Issues Discussed The discrimination case that was legally filed in court was a racial harassment lawsuit, which, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), reveals that â€Å"racial harassment cases at the EEOC have surged since the early 1990s from 3,075 in Fiscal Year 1991 to nearly 7,000 in FY 2007. In addition to investigating and voluntarily resolving tens of thousands of race discrimination cases out of court, the EEOC has sued more than three dozen employers this decade in racial harassment cases involving nooses† (â€Å"Conectiv and Subcontractors†¦Ã¢â‚¬  par. 9). Nooses we re reportedly being hanged with a stuffed monkey hanged on it and placed in Turley’s car. ... As emphasized by the EEOC, â€Å"[e]mployers risk intervention by the EEOC when supervisors ignore racially offensive working conditions and fail to take prompt and effective remedial action to stop it† (â€Å"Conectiv and Subcontractors†¦Ã¢â‚¬  par. 4). It was allegedly indicated from Gordon’s discourse that â€Å"its executives went to great lengths to stop it, even suspending the guilty employees. Mills said the evidence unequivocally showed "a work environment that went beyond harassment" (Gordon par. 3). From the facts disclosed in the article, it was evident that through a thorough examination rendered from court proceedings, the results and the verdict of awarding a substantial amount in damages to Turley was only enough proof that workers and management at Arcelor Mittal were guilty, as charged. The three years of agony and repeated prejudice and discrimination that Turley endured in the work setting had to be stopped through using the proper avenue to f ile charges of racial discrimination and harassment. Every organization’s human resources department is well aware of the laws and regulations that promote equal employment opportunities that explicitly discourage discrimination through Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), to wit: This law makes it illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. The law also makes it illegal to retaliate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit. The law also requires that employers reasonably accommodate applicants' and employees' sincerely held religious practices, unless doing so

The Cell Phone Industry :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

The Cell Phone Industry Cell phone manufacturers and service providers are at the core of the cell phone industry.   These corporations are integral from their research and development endeavors to interactions with the consumer and the marketing of new products.   The companies that control such factors of cellular phones are very numerous, so it is difficult to address all the cell phone manufacturers and service providers.   However, we have focused largely on only the most significant cellular companies namely in the U.S. marketplace, although many have global ties.   Collectively, companies around the world have the same goals in mind – to create desirable cutting-edge technology and to increase consumer satisfaction with hopes of generating sales, and thus profits.      Manufacturers and service providers of cell phones are located throughout the world, although, as inCode, a wireless business and technology consulting firm, suggests, â€Å"Not many wireless carriers today have a truly global presence.†Ã‚   However, the company predicts that â€Å"the top 10 wireless carriers are going to make a push for globalization in the coming years† (â€Å"InCode releases†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ).   Most especially, inCode foresees service providers reaching to â€Å"unconquered markets like China, which is the fastest growing wireless market in the world† (â€Å"InCode releases†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ).   Some companies have already tapped into the global marketplace, spreading areas of coverage across continents.   The cell phone manufacturer Nokia, for example, is rooted in Finland, but sells cellular phone products virtually everywhere on the globe.   Service providers, although most often more less expansive in scope, are also trying to provide more global coverage.    Global service coverage is in large demand, especially from businessmen who frequently travel.   Linda Stern suggests in Newsweek to global travelers that they should â€Å"buy your phone and service from T-Mobile, AT&T or Cingular, the only three U.S. companies to use the internationally dominant GSM (Global System for Mobile communication).†Ã‚   Depending on the service provider, one may or may not get coverage in other countries.   For example, Verizon customers enjoy phones that work in Latin America, while Cingular customers have coverage in Europe.   Even better is AT&T Wireless, which offers â€Å"vast international coverage† or TMobile, another international carrier (Stern).   Service coverage varies greatly by carrier, with some reaching many countries and others only small portions of a single country.    Part of the reason for the absence of a truly global cellular company is because it is difficult for companies to keep up with the changing trends across the world, as consumers in different parts of the world demand different technologies and products.

Frostbite Chapter 11

Eleven LISSA WAS UP AND GONE before I even stirred the next morning, which meant I had the bathroom to myself while I got ready for the day. I loved that bathroom. It was enormous. My king-size bed would have fit comfortably inside it. A scalding shower with three different nozzles woke me up, though my muscles ached from yesterday. As I stood in front of the full-length mirror and combed my hair, I saw with some disappointment that the bruise was still there. It was significantly lighter, however, and had turned yellowish. Some concealer and powder almost entirely covered it up. I headed downstairs in search of food. The dining room was just shutting down breakfast, but one of the waitresses gave me a couple of peach marzipan scones to go. Munching on one as I walked, I expanded my senses to get a feel for where Lissa was. After a couple of moments, I sensed her on the other side of the lodge, away from the student rooms. I followed the trail until I arrived at a room on the third floor. I knocked. Christian opened the door. â€Å"Sleeping Beauty arrives. Welcome.† He ushered me inside. Lissa sat cross-legged on the room's bed and smiled when she saw me. The room was as sumptuous as mine, but most of the furniture had been shoved aside to make space, and in that open area, Tasha stood. â€Å"Good morning,† she said. â€Å"Hey,† I said. So much for avoiding her. Lissa patted a spot beside her. â€Å"You've got to see this.† â€Å"What's going on?† I sat down on the bed and finished the last of the scone. â€Å"Bad things,† she said mischievously. â€Å"You'll approve.† Christian walked over to the empty space and faced Tasha. They regarded each other, forgetting about Lissa and me. I'd apparently interrupted something. â€Å"So why can't I just stick with the consuming spell?† asked Christian. â€Å"Because it uses a lot of energy,† she told him. Even with jeans and a ponytail- and the scar- she managed to look ridiculously cute. â€Å"Plus, it'll most likely kill your opponent.† He scoffed. â€Å"Why wouldn't I want to kill a Strigoi?† â€Å"You might not always be fighting one. Or maybe you need information from them. Regardless, you should be prepared either way.† They were practicing offensive magic, I realized. Excitement and interest replaced the sullenness I'd acquired upon seeing Tasha. Lissa hadn't been kidding about them doing â€Å"bad things.† I'd always suspected they were practicing offensive magic, but†¦ wow. Thinking about it and actually seeing it were two very different things. Using magic as a weapon was forbidden. A punishable offense. A student experimenting with it might be forgiven and simply disciplined, but for an adult to actively be teaching a minor†¦yeah. That could get Tasha in major trouble. For half a second, I toyed with the idea of turning her in. Immediately, I dismissed the notion. I might hate her for making moves on Dimitri, but part of me sort of believed in what she and Christian were doing. Plus, it was just cool. â€Å"A distracting spell is almost as useful,† she continued. Her blue eyes took on the intense focus I often saw Moroi get while using magic. Her wrist flicked forward, and a streak of fire snaked past Christian's face. It didn't touch him, but from the way he flinched, I suspected it had been close enough for him to feel the heat. â€Å"Try it,† she told him. Christian hesitated for only a moment and then made the same hand motion she had. Fire streaked out, but it had none of the finely tuned control hers had had. He also didn't have her aim. It went straight for her face, but before it could touch her, it parted and split around her, almost like it had hit an invisible shield. She'd deflected it with her own magic. â€Å"Not bad- aside from the fact you would have burned my face off.† Even I wouldn't want her face burned off. But her hair†¦ah, yes. We'd see how pretty she was without that raven-black mane. She and Christian practiced a while longer. He improved as time went by, though he clearly had a ways to go before he had Tasha's skill. My interest grew and grew as they went on, and I found myself pondering all the possibilities this kind of magic could offer. They wrapped up their lesson when Tasha said she had to go. Christian sighed, clearly frustrated that he hadn't been able to master the spell in an hour. His competitive nature was almost as strong as mine. â€Å"I still think it'd be easier to just burn them entirely,† he argued. Tasha smiled as she brushed her hair into a tighter ponytail. Yeah. She could definitely do without that hair, particularly since I knew how much Dimitri liked long hair. â€Å"Easier because it involves less focus. It's sloppy. Your magic'll be stronger in the long run if you can learn this. And, like I said, it has its uses.† I didn't want to agree with her, but I couldn't help it. â€Å"It could be really useful if you were fighting with a guardian,† I said excitedly. â€Å"Especially if completely burning a Strigoi takes so much energy. This way, you use just a quick burst of your strength to distract the Strigoi. And it will distract one since they hate fire so much. Then that's all the time a guardian would need to stake them. You could take down a whole bunch of Strigoi that way.† Tasha grinned at me. Some Moroi- like Lissa and Adrian- smiled without showing their teeth. Tasha always showed hers, including the fangs. â€Å"Exactly. You and I'll have to go Strigoi hunting someday,† she teased. â€Å"I don't think so,† I replied. The words in and of themselves weren't that bad, but the tone I used to deliver them certainly was. Cold. Unfriendly. Tasha looked momentarily surprised at my abrupt change in attitude but shrugged it off. Shock from Lissa traveled to me through the bond. Tasha didn't seem bothered, however. She chatted with us a bit longer and made plans to see Christian for dinner. Lissa gave me a sharp look as she, Christian, and I walked down the elaborate spiral staircase leading back down to the lobby. â€Å"What was that about?† she asked. â€Å"What was what about?† I asked innocently. â€Å"Rose,† she said meaningfully. It was hard to play dumb when your friend knew you could read her mind. I knew exactly what she was talking about. â€Å"You being a bitch to Tasha.† â€Å"I wasn't that much of a bitch.† â€Å"You were rude,† she exclaimed, stepping out of the way of a bunch of Moroi children who came tearing through the lobby. They were bundled up in parkas, and a weary-looking Moroi ski instructor followed them. I put my hands on my hips. â€Å"Look, I'm just grumpy, okay? Didn't get much sleep. Besides, I'm not like you. I don't have to be polite all the time.† As happened so often lately, I couldn't believe what I'd just said. Lissa stared at me, more astonished than hurt. Christian glowered, on the verge of snapping back at me, when Mason mercifully approached us. He hadn't needed a cast or anything, but he had a slight limp to his walk. â€Å"Hey there, Hop-Along,† I said, sliding my hand into his. Christian put his anger for me on hold and turned to Mason. â€Å"Is it true your suicidal moves finally caught up with you?† Mason's eyes were on me. â€Å"Is it true you were hanging out with Adrian Ivashkov?† â€Å"I- what?† â€Å"I heard you guys got drunk last night.† â€Å"You did?† asked Lissa, startled. I looked between both their faces. â€Å"No, of course not! I barely know him.† â€Å"But you do know him,† pushed Mason. â€Å"Barely.† â€Å"He's got a bad reputation,† warned Lissa. â€Å"Yeah,† said Christian. â€Å"He goes through a lot of girls.† I couldn't believe this. â€Å"Will you guys lay off? I talked to him for, like, five minutes! And that's only because he was blocking my way inside. Where are you getting all this?† Immediately, I answered my own question. â€Å"Mia.† Mason nodded and had the grace to look embarrassed. â€Å"Since when do you talk to her?† I asked. â€Å"I just ran into her, that's all,† he told me. â€Å"And you believed her? You know she lies half the time.† â€Å"Yeah, but there's usually some truth in the lies. And you did talk to him.† â€Å"Yes. Talk. That's it.† I really had been trying to give some serious thought about dating Mason, so I didn't appreciate him not believing me. He had actually helped me unravel Mia's lies earlier in the school year, so I was surprised he'd be so paranoid about them now. Maybe if his feelings really had grown for me, he was more susceptible to jealousy. Surprisingly, it was Christian who came to the rescue and changed the subject. â€Å"I suppose there's no skiing today, huh?† He pointed to Mason's ankle, immediately triggering an indignant response. â€Å"What, you think this is going to slow me down?† asked Mason. His anger diminished, replaced by that burning need to prove himself- the need he and I both shared. Lissa and Christian looked at him like he was crazy, but I knew nothing we said would stop him. â€Å"You guys want to come with us?† I asked Lissa and Christian. Lissa shook her head. â€Å"We can't. We have to go to this luncheon being hosted by the Contas.† Christian groaned. â€Å"Well, you have to go.† She elbowed him. â€Å"So do you. The invitation said I get to bring a guest. Besides, this is just a warm-up for the big one.† â€Å"Which one is that?† asked Mason. â€Å"Priscilla Voda's huge dinner,† sighed Christian. Seeing him look so pained made me smile. â€Å"The queen's best friend. All the snobbiest royals will be there, and I'll have to wear a suit.† Mason flashed me a grin. His earlier antagonism was gone. â€Å"Skiing's sounding better and better, huh? Less of a dress code.† We left the Moroi behind and went outside. Mason couldn't compete with me in the same way he had yesterday; his movements were slow and awkward. Still, he did remarkably well when one considered everything. The injury wasn't as bad as we'd feared, but he had the prudence to stick to extremely easy runs. The full moon hung in the blankness, a glowing sphere of silvery white. The electric lights overpowered most of its illumination on the ground, but here and there, in the shadows, the moon just barely managed to cast its glow. I wished it were bright enough to reveal the surrounding mountain range, but those peaks stayed shrouded in darkness. I'd forgotten to look at them when it was light out earlier. The runs were super simple for me, but I stayed with Mason and only occasionally teased him about how his remedial skiing was putting me to sleep. Boring runs or no, it was just nice to be outside with my friends, and the activity stirred my blood enough to warm me against the chill air. The light posts lit up the snow, turning it into a vast sea of white, the flakes' crystals sparkling faintly. And if I managed to turn away and block the lights from my field of vision, I could look up and see the stars spilling over the sky. They stood out stark and crystalline in the clear, freezing air. We stayed out for most of the day again, but this time, I called it quits early, pretending to be tired so Mason could get a break. He might manage easy skiing with his tender ankle, but I could tell it was starting to hurt him. Mason and I headed back toward the lodge walking very close to each other, laughing about something we'd seen earlier. Suddenly, I saw a streak of white in my peripheral vision, and a snowball smashed into Mason's face. I immediately went on the defensive, jerking backward and peering around. Whoops and cries sounded from an area of the resort grounds that held storage sheds and was interspersed with looming pines. â€Å"Too slow, Ashford,† someone called. â€Å"Doesn't pay to be in love.† More laughs. Mason's best friend, Eddie Castile, and a few other novices from school materialized from behind a cluster of trees. Beyond them, I heard more shouts. â€Å"We'll still take you in, though, if you want to be on our team,† said Eddie. â€Å"Even if you do dodge like a girl.† â€Å"Team?† I asked excitedly. Back at the Academy, throwing snowballs was strictly prohibited. School officials were inexplicably afraid that we'd throw snowballs packed with glass shards or razor blades, though I had no clue how they thought we'd get a hold of that kind of stuff in the first place. Not that a snowball fight was that rebellious, but after all the stress I'd been through recently, throwing objects at other people suddenly sounded like the best idea I'd heard in a while. Mason and I dashed off with the others, the prospect of forbidden fighting giving him new energy and causing him to forget the pain in his ankle. We set to the fight with a die-hard zeal. The fight soon became a matter of nailing as many people as possible while dodging attacks from others. I was exceptional at both and furthered the immaturity by catcalling and shouting silly insults at my victims. By the time someone noticed what we were doing and yelled at us, we were all laughing and covered with snow. Mason and I once again started back for the lodge, and our mood was so high, I knew the Adrian thing was long forgotten. Indeed, Mason looked at me just before we went inside. â€Å"Sorry I, uh, jumped all over you about Adrian earlier.† I squeezed his hand. â€Å"It's okay. I know Mia can tell some pretty convincing stories.† â€Å"Yeah†¦but even if you were with him†¦it's not like I have any right†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stared at him, surprised to see his usual brash countenance turn shy. â€Å"Don't you?† I asked. A smile turned up his lips. â€Å"Do I?† Smiling back, I stepped forward and kissed him. His lips felt amazingly warm in the freezing air. It wasn't like the earth-shattering kiss I'd had with Dimitri before the trip, but it was sweet and nice- a friendly sort of kiss that maybe could turn into more. At least, that was how I saw it. From the look on Mason's face, it appeared his whole world had been rocked. â€Å"Wow,† he said, eyes wide. The moonlight made his eyes look silvery blue. â€Å"You see?† I said. â€Å"Nothing to worry about. Not Adrian, not anybody.† We kissed again- a bit longer this time- before finally dragging ourselves apart. Mason was clearly in a better mood, as well as he should have been, and I dropped into bed with a smile on my face. I wasn't technically sure if Mason and I were a couple now, but we were very close to it. But when I slept, I dreamed about Adrian Ivashkov. I stood with him on the porch again, only it was summer. The air was balmy and warm, and the sun hung bright in the sky, coating everything in golden light. I hadn't been in this much sun since living among humans. All around, the mountains and valleys were green and alive. Birds sang everywhere. Adrian leaned against the porch's railing, glanced over, and did a double-take when he saw me. â€Å"Oh. Didn't expect to see you here.† He smiled. â€Å"I was right. You are devastating when you're cleaned up.† Instinctively, I touched the skin around my eye. â€Å"It's gone,† he said. Even without being able to see it, I somehow knew he was right. â€Å"You aren't smoking.† â€Å"Bad habit,† he said. He nodded toward me. â€Å"You scared? You're wearing a lot of protection.† I frowned, then looked down. I hadn't noticed my clothing. I wore a pair of embroidered jeans I'd seen once but had been unable to afford. My T-shirt was cropped, showing off my stomach, and I wore a belly-button ring. I'd always wanted to get my belly button pierced but had never been able to afford it. The charm I now wore here was a little silver dangly one, and hanging at the end of it was that weird blue eye pendant my mom had given me. Lissa's chotki was wound around my wrist. I looked back up at Adrian, studying the way the sun shone off his brown hair. Here, in full daylight, I could see that his eyes were indeed green- a deep emerald as opposed to Lissa's pale jade. Something startling suddenly occurred to me. â€Å"Doesn't all this sun bother you?† He gave a lazy shrug. â€Å"Nah. It's my dream.† â€Å"No, it's my dream.† â€Å"Are you sure?† His smile returned. I felt confused. â€Å"I†¦ I don't know.† He chuckled, but a moment later, the laugher faded. For the first time since I'd met him, he looked serious. â€Å"Why do you have so much darkness around you?† I frowned. â€Å"What?† â€Å"You're surrounded in blackness.† His eyes studied me shrewdly, but not in a checking-me-out sort of way. â€Å"I've never seen anyone like you. Shadows everywhere. I never would have guessed it. Even while you're standing here, the shadows keep growing.† I looked down at my hands but saw nothing out of the ordinary. I glanced back up. â€Å"I'm shadow-kissed†¦.† â€Å"What's that mean?† â€Å"I died once.† I'd never talked to anyone other than Lissa and Victor Dashkov about that, but this was a dream. It didn't matter. â€Å"And I came back.† Wonder lit his face. â€Å"Ah, interesting†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I woke up. Someone was shaking me. It was Lissa. Her feelings hit me so hard through the bond that I briefly snapped into her mind and found myself looking at me. â€Å"Weird† didn't begin to cover it. I pulled back into myself, trying to sift through the terror and alarm coming from her. â€Å"What's wrong?† â€Å"There's been another Strigoi attack.†

Women Writers From Ancient Sumeria, Rome, Greece, Egypt