What is mentoring at work What benefits may the mentor derive from Essay

What is mentoring at work What benefits may the mentor derive from such a process Illustrate your answer with suitable examples - Essay Example velopment, acquirement of inter-personal skills, problem solving skills, collaboration and teamwork as well as open mindedness among other positive aspects that are important for enhancement of performance. The purpose of this paper is to assess critically the meaning of mentoring at work and to assess the benefits that a mentor derives from workplace mentorship. Mentoring is a practice that involves sharing of knowledge, experience, facts as well as the point of view by a person to promote personal and career development in another individual. At work, mentoring involves maintaining a positive attitude towards work as well as developing problem solving skills among the less experienced employees to enhance the accomplishment of organizational goals. A mentor is usually an experienced worker in an organization who understands the organizational processes and is competent in problem solving (Ragins, 2007). Zachary (2005) states that, â€Å"satisfaction is one of the major benefits of mentors†. In essence, humans tend to be inclined towards helping others as a sign of social responsibility. Material benefits may not be achieved, but the mentor tends to feel esteemed when successful individuals associate their accomplishments with him/her. When a person acts as a mentor, there is a high possibility of developing a new perspective in regard to approaching issues in the workplace. The mentor gains a sense of worth on the realization that the knowledge he/she has acquired over many years is valuable not only to the organization, but also to another person who will possibly pass it over to a third person in future. In essence, he/she becomes a legendary employee in the organization whose legacy is admired by many. Willingen (2000) observes that talent is preserved in an organization, which is an indicator of success for the mentor. Moreover, the mentor understands concepts better as he/she engages in problem solving through workplace mentoring (Ensher & Murphy 2005).

Case Study Research Assignment Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Case Study Assignment - Research Paper Example These alterations threaten to transform the global environment. As one author imagined it, â€Å"The year is 2035. In New York, palm trees line the Hudson River †¦ Phoenix is in its third week of temperatures over 130 degrees †¦ Holland is under water. Bangladesh has ceased to exist †¦ in central Europe and in the American Midwest, decades of drought have turned once fertile agricultural lands into parched deserts (Rifkin, 1988).† Composition of Greenhouse Gases Methane and carbon dioxide primarily constitute the greenhouse gases. They also consist of water vapor and trace amounts of other gases including ozone, nitrous oxide, and HCFCs. Greenhouse gases â€Å"trap† some of the sun’s infrared radiation within Earth’s atmosphere, similar to a greenhouse. As the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increase, they trap more of the sun’s heat in the earth’s atmosphere, which has a number of effects on the earth’s env ironment. Were it not for greenhouse gases, most of the sun’s energy would radiate back out into space, leaving the earth cold and lifeless with an average temperature of minus 18 degrees C (0.4 degrees Fahrenheit) (Miller). ... There is no doubt this atmospheric buildup of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases is largely the result of human activities. Combined with unnaturally elevated levels of naturally occurring gases, global warming is exacerbated by anthropogenic emissions of additional greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. To illustrate the problem, under pre-Industrial Revolution conditions, global levels of carbon dioxide were around 275 parts per million (ppm). Carbon dioxide levels increased from 275 ppm to 346 ppm between 1860 and 1986, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation (Flavind & Tunali, 1995). Plants convert carbon dioxide to oxygen and are one effective way to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Deforestation has resulted in a reduction in the carbon dioxide to oxygen conversion. It is estimated that deforestation contributes 1.0 to 2.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually (Oppenheimer & Boyle, 1990). It is thought that global levels of car bon dioxide in the atmosphere will reach 550 ppm sometime between 2040 and 2100; however, most analysts believe those levels will be reached closer to the middle of the twenty-first century (Rifkin). It is estimated that over the next 100 years the temperature will increase about 1.98 degrees C (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit). Such a severe temperature change would most likely cause an increase in heat waves and drought, the spread of infectious diseases, and the disruption of ecosystems worldwide. Furthermore, increased global temperatures is causing the melting of ice in both polar regions, resulting in a rise in sea level, predicted by climatologists to be up

Should Americans Deport Illegal citizens Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Should Americans Deport Illegal citizens - Essay Example The massive numbers of illegal aliens pouring across mainly the southern border has and continues to cause substantial economic, social and physical harms to legal citizens. These harms occur predominantly to those who are among the most vulnerable segments of the population, minorities, children and the poor. Simply enforcing the laws presently on the books and deporting illegal aliens is an economic necessity that would also result in decreased crime rates. Illegal immigrants receive more from public monies than they contribute which lowers the standard of living for legal citizens. Illegal immigrants contribute greatly to the overall population growth and health care, education and employment are the most impacted. Salaries are driven down by illegal immigrants willing to work for much less while their children, illegal and legal, overcrowd the schools. It’s the U.S. taxpayer who is sent the bill for their health care services as well. In addition, the large influx of illegal aliens burdens the already inadequate number of units classified as affordable housing and other welfare resources such as energy, water and land usage (â€Å"Illegal Immigration†, 2003). Those that support amnesty of illegal aliens currently in the U.S. argue that deportations would result in the splitting of families. Children born in this country could stay but their illegal parents would have to leave. They also express that it would be unfair for a child that has lived in the U.S. all their life to be suddenly thrust into the conditions of a third world country. While that is a compelling and reasonable argument, the cost is too great.

Construction management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Construction management - Essay Example It was also useful in providing our geotechnical engineers with information about the strength, compressibility and hydraulic characteristics of soil strata. Site investigation was also very vital, firstly by allowing us the study of the general suitability of the site for an engineering project. Secondly, it ensured a safe and economic design is prepared. This helped us to save on costs that might be incurred from failure to do so. Thirdly it shed light on possible difficulties that may be encountered by a specific construction method for any this particular civil project. Finally, site investigation allowed for the study of construction materials. The site investigation was carried out fully as lack of proper site investigation or forfeiture of the entire process brings undesired consequences. There might be significant delay and increase in construction costs when the design has to be revised or amended to cater for the unseen disasters that could have been detected if the site investigation was done. In carrying out the site investigation it only cost an extra 5% of the project which disputes the notion that forfeiture of site invest igation saves on costs as this is a very small price to pay. We prepared a document after the site investigation referred to as the Geotechnical Report. In it we put down the summary of the content details. It provided the site description based on the analysis made by the investigators. Other information contained in the geotechnical report included: seismic ground motion data, lab data, and ground water and drainage information. The above information is interpreted by the site engineers. The investigators did not find any reason why the project should not go on and therefore gave a go ahead. This document discussed all of the site investigation findings making their decisions with regard to them. For instance, if the findings showed

Mutations in Dna Essay Example for Free

Mutations in Dna Essay Although most mutations are either neutral or harmful they are also the raw material for evolution. Such mutations from alleles, alternate forms of a given gene that may produce differences in structure or function such as black, brown or blond hair in humans, or different mating calls in frogs. Stages of Mitosis~ 1)Parent cell. 2)Chromosomes make identical copies of themselves. 3)They line up along the centre. 4)They move apart. 5)Two daughter cells form with identical chromosomes to the parent cell. Homologous chromosomes have the same genes, but each homologue may have the same alleles of some genes and different alleles others. The cell cycle is tightly controlled. Both during the embryonic development and during the maintenance and repair of the adult body, progressing through the cell cycle is regulated primarily by two interacting processes. (1)Production of, and responses to, growth factors that generally speed up the cell cycle; (2)Intracellular checkpoints that stop the cell cycle if problems such as mutations in the DNA or misalignment of the chromosomes have occurred. Most cancers develop because one of both of these processes goes awry. Many different molecules control the cell cycle; Porto-oncogenes:Any gene whose proteins tends to promote mitotic cell division if called a proton-oncogene. The genes for growth factors, grow factor receptors, and some cyclins and Cdks are proton-oncogenes. In most cases, progress through the cell cycle beings when a growth-stimulating protein such as epidermal growth factor (EGF) binds to a receptor on the surface of a cell. This stimulates the synthesis of cyclins which bind to Cdks and activate them. Thus, these proton-oncogenes are essential to the normal control of the cell cycle. Tumor suppressor genes:The protein products of tumor suppressor genes prevent uncontrolled cell division and the production of daughter cells with mutated DNA, both of which are common in tumors. Cdks regulate the activity of other proteins by adding a phosphate group to them. One such protein is Rb. Normally, Rb inhibits transcription of several genes whose protein products are required for DNA synthesis. Phosphorylation of Rb by Cdks relieves this inhibition in the G, phase of the cell cycle, allowing the cell to proceed to the S phase and replicate its DNA. This chain of events, from growth faction stimulation to phosphorylation of Rb, ensures that the cell cycle starts up only when the body needs it to. Another tumor suppressor protein, called P53 monitors the integrity of the cells DNA and indirectly regulates Rb activity. Healthy cells with intact DNA, contain little P53. However, when DNA has been damaged (for example by ultraviolet rays in sunlight), P53 levels rise. The P53 proteins that inhibit Cdks. If Cdks are inhibited then Rb is not phosphorylated and DNA synthesis is blocked; this prevents the cell from producing daughter cells with damaged DNA. The P53 stimulated the synthesis of DNA repair enzymes. After the DNA has been repaired, P53 levels decline, Cdks become active, Rb becomes phosphorylated and the cell enters the S phase. If the DNA cannot be repaired, P53 triggers a special from of cell death called apoptosis, in which the cell cuts up its DNA and effectively commits suicide.

Compensation System For Multinational Corporations Economics Essay

Compensation System For Multinational Corporations Economics Essay Global compensation managers that is, everyone involved at any level in pay-related decisions increasingly deal with two areas of focus. They must manage highly complex and turbulent local details while concurrently building and maintaining a unified, strategic pattern of compensation policies, practices and values. For multinationals successfully to manage compensation and benefits requires knowledge of employment and taxation law, customs, environment and employment practices of many foreign countries, familiarity with currency fluctuations and the effect of inflation on compensation and an understanding of why and when special allowances must be supplied and which allowances are necessary in what countries all within the context of shifting political, economic and social conditions. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MULTI NATIONAL CORPORATION (MNC) AND TRANS NATIONAL CORPORATION (TNC) The both multinationals corporations and transnational corporations operate internationally and their compensation or reward system is also similar, but some differences exist between two, which are: MNCs operate in several different countries while transnational implies just across the border as in the US and Canada. Obviously, both operate internationally A MNC has a centralized headquarters is a corporation with extensive ties international operations in more than one foreign country. Examples are Coke, Pepsi, General Electric, Exxon, Wal-Mart, and Mitsubishi. A transnational company has no head office and moves whatever base of operations it has fluidly between its national offices. It is a MNC that operates worldwide without being identified with a national home base i.e. it is said to operate on a borderless basis. Examples are Daewoo, Saint Gobain, Sony, Samsung Group, Shell Oil etc. OBJECTIVES OF INTERNATIONAL COMPENSATION When developing international compensation policies, a firm seeks to satisfy several objectives. The policy should be consistent with the overall strategy, structure and business needs of the multinational. The policy must work to attract and retain staff in the areas where the multinational has the greatest needs and opportunities. Hence the policy must be competitive and recognize factors such as incentive for Foreign Service, tax equalization and reimbursement for reasonable costs. The policy should facilitate the transfer of international employees in the most cost-effective manner for the firm. The policy must give due consideration to equity and ease of administration. The international employee will also have a number of objectives that need to be achieved from the firms compensation policy. First, the employee will expect the policy to offer financial protection in terms of benefits, social security and living costs in the foreign location. Second, the employee will expect a foreign assignment to offer opportunities for financial advancement through income and/or savings. Third, the employee will expect issues such as housing, education of children and recreation to be addressed in the policy. If we contrast the objectives of the multinational and the employee, we see, of course, the potential for many complexities and possible problems, as some of these objectives cannot be maximized on both sides. Firms must rethink the traditional view that local conditions dominate international compensation strategy. COMPENSATION MANAGEMENT OR SYSTEM The type and amount of compensation necessary to attract technically and culturally qualified international managers and technical professionals to the three nationals or country categories involved international human resource management activities from which employees are selected whether the people are: PCNs (parent country nationals) TCNs (third country nationals) HCNs (host country nationals) An expatriate is an employee working in a country other than their country of origin. PCNs (Parent Country Nationals) Those personnel who are of the same nationality as the contracting government or personnel from headquarters They come from the home country of the operation. The policy of using PCNs is usually employed when one or more of the following situations exist: (1) the host country cannot readily supply desired managerial personnel, (2) efficient communication with headquarters is required, and (3) the company adopts a centralized approach to globalization. TCNs (Third Country Nationals) Those personnel of a separate nationality to both the contracting government and the area of operations i.e. whose nation of residence is neither the host country nor the home country. Such an employee normally is recruited from outside the host country and relocated from the point of recruitment to the host country. HCNs (Host Country Nationals) These are Indigs (Indigenous Personnel) / Nationals / Locals those personnel who are indigenous to the area of operations Whose basic residence or home is the host nation. Local colleagues of the expatriate, they are valuable socializing agents, sources of social support, assistance, and friendship to expatriates. Expatriates are more likely to adjust when HCNs engage in this behavior. HR managers focus on their strategic objectives to develop a comprehensive compensation plan, in terms of considering base pay, short and long-term incentives, benefits and growth opportunities. The objective of this kind of strategy is to ensure that both TNC/MNCs long and short-term objectives coexist in the compensation system without overlap, which would duplicate a single pay plan for the same objectives. The purpose of the planning is also designed to ensure that the compensation system attracts and retains the desired employees and that it motivates them to do those things that support the business plan. KEY COMPONENTS OF AN INTERNATIONAL COMPENSATION PROGRAM The area of international compensation is complex primarily because multinationals must cater to three categories of employees: PCNs, TCNs and HCNs. Key components of international compensation are as follows: COMPONENTS OF MNCS COMPENSATION BASIC SALARY ALLOWANCES OTHER BENEFITS 1. Base Salary In a domestic context, base salary denotes the amount of cash compensation serving as a benchmark for other compensation elements (such as bonuses and benefits). For expatriates, it is the primary component of a package of allowances, many of which are directly related to base salary (e.g. Foreign Service premium, cost-of-living allowance, housing allowance) and also the basis for in-service benefits and pension contributions. It may be paid in home or local-country currency. The base salary is the foundation block for international compensation whether the employee is a PCN or TCN. Major differences can occur in the employees package depending on whether the base salary is linked to the home country of the PCN or TCN, or whether an international rate is paid. Foreign Service inducement/hardship premium Parent-country nationals often receive a salary premium as an inducement to accept a foreign assignment or as compensation for any hardship caused by the transfer. The definition of hardship, eligibility for the premium and amount and timing of payment must be addressed. In cases in which hardship is determined, US firms often refer to the US Department of States Hardship Post Differentials Guidelines to determine an appropriate level of payment. Making international comparisons of the cost of living is problematic. These payments are more commonly paid to PCNs than TCNs. Foreign service inducements, if used, are usually made in the form of a percentage of salary, usually 5-40 per cent of base pay. Such payments vary, depending upon the assignment, actual hardship, tax consequences and length of assignment. 2. Allowances Issues concerning allowances can be very challenging to a firm establishing an overall compensation policy, partly because of the various forms of allowances that exist. (a)The cost-of-living allowance (COLA), which typically receives the most attention, involves a payment to compensate for differences in expenditures between the home country and the foreign country (to account for inflation differentials, for example). The COLA may also include payments for housing and utilities, personal income tax or discretionary items. (b)The provision of a housing allowance implies that employees should be entitled to maintain their home-country living standards (or, in some cases, receive accommodation that is equivalent to that provided for similar foreign employees and peers). Other alternatives include company-provided housing, either mandatory or optional, a fixed housing allowance or assessment of a portion of income, out of which actual housing costs are paid. As a firm internationalizes, formal policies become more necessary and efficient. (c)There is also a provision for home leave allowances. Many employers cover the expense of one or more trips back to the home country each year. Firms allowing use of home leave allowances for foreign travel need to be aware that expatriate employees with limited international experience who opt for foreign travel rather than returning home may become more homesick than other expatriates who return home for a reality check with fellow employees and friends. (d)Education allowances for expatriates children are also an integral part of any international compensation policy. Allowances for education can cover items such as tuition, language class tuition, enrolment fees, books and supplies, transportation, room and board and uniforms. PCNs and TCNs usually receive the same treatment concerning educational expenses. (e)Relocation allowances usually cover moving, shipping and storage charges, temporary living expenses, subsidies regarding appliance or car purchases (or sales) and down payments or lease-related charges. Allowances regarding perquisites (cars, club memberships, servants10 and so on) may also need to be considered (usually for more senior positions, but this varies according to location). These allowances are often contingent upon tax-equalization policies and practices in both the home and the host countries. (f)Spouse assistance to help guard against or offset income lost by an expatriates spouse as a result of relocating abroad. Although some firms may pay an allowance to make up for a spouses lost income, US firms are beginning to focus on providing spouses with employment opportunities abroad, either by offering job-search assistance or employment in the firms foreign office (subject to a work visa being available). (g)Multinationals generally pay allowances in order to encourage employees to take international assignments and to keep employees whole relative to home standards. In terms of housing, companies usually pay a tax-equalized housing allowance in order to discourage the purchase of housing and/or to compensate for higher housing costs. This allowance is adjusted periodically based on estimates of both local and foreign housing costs. 3. Benefits The complexity inherent in international benefits often brings more difficulties than when dealing with compensation. Pension plans are very difficult to deal with country-to-country, as national practices vary considerably. Transportability of pension plans, medical coverage and social security benefits are very difficult to normalize. Firms need to address many issues when considering benefits, including: Whether or not to maintain expatriates in home-country programs, particularly if the firm does not receive a tax deduction for it. Whether firms have the option of enrolling expatriates in host-country benefit programs and/or making up any difference in coverage. Whether expatriates should receive home-country or host-country social security benefits. In some countries, expatriates cannot opt out of local social security programs. In such circumstances, the firm normally pays for these additional costs. Laws governing private benefit practices differ from country to country, and firm practices also vary. Multinationals have generally done a good job of planning for the retirement needs of their PCN employees, but this is generally less the case for TCNs. TCNs may have little or no home-country social security coverage; They may have spent many years in countries that do not permit currency transfers of accrued benefit payments; Or they may spend their final year or two of employment in a country where final average salary is in a currency that relates unfavourably to their home-country currency. In addition to the already discussed benefits, multinationals also provide vacations and special leave. Included as part of the employees regular vacation, annual home leave usually provides airfares for families to return to their home countries. Rest and rehabilitation leave, based on the conditions of the host country, also provides the employees family with free airfares to a more comfortable location near the host country. Emergency provisions are available in case of a death or illness in the family. Employees in hardship locations often receive additional leave expense payments and rest and rehabilitation periods. ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS AND SERVICES Lifestyle enhancement services à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Provision for employee family to learn the local language à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Education training of employee family on local culture, customs and social expectations à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Counseling services for employee family à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Assistance in finding a home at the foreign work site / school suitable education programmes for children dependents à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Company car, driver, domestic staff, and child care à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Use of Fitness facilities / subsidized health care services à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Assistance in joining local civic, social, professional organizations Allowances Premiums à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Foreign Service premium tax equalization allowance à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Temporary living allowance à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Currency protection à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Mobility premium à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Stopover allowance à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Completion of assignment bonus à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Assignment extension bonus à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Emergency loan à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Extended work-week payment APPROACHES TO INTERNATIONAL COMPENSATION There are two main approaches in the area of international compensation The Going Rate Approach (also referred to as the Market Rate Approach) The Balance Sheet Approach (also known as the Build-up Approach). (a)The Going Rate Approach With this approach, the base salary for international transfer is linked to the salary structure in the host country. The multinational usually obtains information from local compensation surveys and must decide whether local nationals (HCNs), expatriates of the same nationality or expatriates of all nationalities will be the reference point in terms of benchmarking. For example, a Japanese bank operating in New York would need to decide whether its reference point would be local US salaries, other Japanese competitors in New York or all foreign banks operating in New York. With the Going Rate Approach, if the location is in a low-pay county, the multinational usually supplements base pay with additional benefits and payments. The Balance Sheet Approach The basic objective is to keep the expatriate whole (that is, maintaining relativity to PCN colleagues and compensating for the costs of an international assignment) through maintenance of home-country living standard plus a financial inducement to make the package attractive. The approach links the base salary for PCNs and TCNs to the salary structure of the relevant home country. For example, a US executive taking up an international position would have his or her compensation package built upon the US base-salary level rather than that applicable to the host country. The key assumption of this approach is that foreign assignees should not suffer a material loss due to their transfer, and this is accomplished through the utilization of what is generally referred to as the Balance-sheet Approach. COMPENSATION ISSUES IN INTERNATIONAL SCENARIO Incentives provided to stimulate movement or expatriation to a foreign location/ host country Allowances for repatriation to home country Additional tax burdens placed on employees working in a foreign location Labour regulations in home and host country Cost-of-living allowances in the host country Home country and host country currency fluctuation Formal and informal compensation practices unique to the host country Determining home country for setting base pay of TCNs MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES CONCERNING INTERNATIONAL BENEFITS COMPENSATION Compensation is one of the most complex areas of international human resource management Pay systems must conform to local laws and customs for employee compensation while also fitting into global MNC policies Managers face diverse political systems, laws regulations; confront different economic climates, economic development, tax policies, diverse culture, customs, the role of labor unions, standard of living It is also important for MNCs to consider carefully the motivational use of incentives and rewards among the employees drawn from three national or country categories The traditional function of pay to attract, retain and motivate employees has not changed The emphasis has shifted from the attraction and retention functions to the motivation function. TNC/MNCs must ensure that those skilled employees are compensated for achieving goals that make the international business operations succeed HR managers focus on their strategic objectives to develop a comprehensive compensation plan, in terms of considering base pay, short and long-term incentives, benefits and growth opportunities The objective of this kind of strategy is to ensure that both TNC/MNCs long and short-term objectives coexist in the compensation system without overlap, which would duplicate a single pay plan for the same objectives. The purpose of the planning is also designed to ensure that the compensation system attracts and retains the desired employees and that it motivates them to do those things that support the business plan The compensation costs of a family with children are shifted to hardship allowance for schooling, childcare, increased residence cost and all fringe benefits associated with supporting a family life cycle It may be that international compensation administration is more complex than its domestic counterpart, but not radically different in pattern or form. QUESTIONS:- Q1. What is international compensation system? Explain its objectives. Q2. Explain the parties involved in international compensation system? Q3. List the components of an international compensation program. Q4. Explain the approaches to international compensation system. Q5. What are different challenges faced by the management concerned to various benefits in international compensation program.

Whooping Cough :: Whooping Cough Health Medical Essays

Whooping Cough These days whooping cough, also known as Pertussis, is not a serious disease because there are vaccinations available to prevent its occurrence. However, when I was five years old a vaccination was available but neither my siblings nor myself had been vaccinated against it and due to its highly contagious nature, I contracted whooping cough from my older sisters. Both of my older sisters had whooping cough, but they were lucky and managed to get well fairly quickly. Unfortunately, they passed it on to me and I suffered much more from it because I was a few years younger than them both. It started out as just a runny nose and a slight cough, which most people would attribute to the common cold or the flu. These symptoms persisted for about a ten days and my mom thought that I was getting better. After ten days she finally allowed me back outside to play with my friends even though I still wasn't feeling well. This unfortunately only made my whooping cough worse and that night I woke up coughing so hard I thought my lungs were going to explode. These coughing fits would only last for a few minutes but they were harsh and I was struggling to get enough air to breathe. My mom heard me coughing and came running from her bedroom to see what was going on. She comforted me for a few minutes until the coughing had subsided and I had finally fallen back asleep. However, an hour or so later I woke up again with another coughing fit, this one even worse than the first. My coughs were followed by a whooping noise in my lungs because I was struggling so hard to get enough oxygen into my lungs. After about three days of this my whooping cough was not getting any better and my parents started to get worried. My two older sisters had not suffered as much as I had and they decided to call my doctor. He came to our house that evening and as soon as he saw me and heard me cough he told my parents I needed to go to hospital that night. I was terrified. I had never been to a hospital; well not since I was born anyway.