Can't wait for rain !

Understanding communication theory is important in the field of nursing

Understanding communication theory is important in the field of nursing.

Nurses need a wide understanding of communication theory in order to engage in successful communication with a diverse population.  Nurses need to have successful communication skills to engage different genders, ages, cultures, socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as people with varying mental and emotional states.  Nurses often see people at their worst and good communication skills can make all the difference in difficult circumstances.  This essay will look at communication theory, different types and methods of communication and how they relate to nursing, as well as the importance of good communication skills in the field of nursing.

What is communication? Communication is the exchange of information by which a message is coded sent in the form of symbols and signs received and decoded and information is obtained (Kossen, Kiernan & Lawrence, 2013).

Communication theory studies the techniqueal aspects of communication, how information is processed between individuals.  There are three communication theories, the interactive view – a view where meaning rests in the relationships between people rather than the message itself.  The linear (or one-way) view – a view where communication is built on the fact that meaning is contained within the message alone. The transactional view – looks at the meaning as being constantly negotiated by the interacting parties (Kossen, et al, 2013). How nurses communicate is important. Transactional means that communication is an ongoing and continuously changing process. You are changing, the people with whom you are communicating are changing, and your environment is also continually changing as well (Kossen et al, 2013). In any transactional process, each element exists in relation to all the other elements. There is this interdependence where there can be no source without a receiver and no message without a source. Each person in the communication process reacts depending on factors such as their background, prior experiences, attitudes, cultural beliefs and self-esteem (Kossen et al, 2013).

The different types of communication include oral, written, non verbal and visual. Oral communication can be between two people with an even exchange or one person talking to a large group. Written communication can be in the form of signs, sent as an e-mail to one or more people.  Non verbal can be body language or hand signals that relay information and visual communication can be pictures or warning signs (Kossen, et al 2013).

In the field of nursing there are many important types of communication, there is written communication in the form of patient notes these are intended to be objective clinical notes about a patient’s progress or instructions around that patients care.  Written communication can be in the forms of referrals where one health service provider is seeking the advice or treatment from another health service provider.  Nurses learn to write these notes early in their career as a communication between health professionals.  Oral communication is the use of words or language (Kossen, Kiernan & Lawrence, 2013).  Oral communication can also be linked with visual communication such as patient information handouts or a power point presentation to assist the delivery of an in service.  The speaker’s body language is also important, body language must be considered when communicating orally, the audience can pick up clues from the speakers body language (Enuson, 2008)  When delivering bad news to a patient it would be extremely distressing if the nurse was smiling or fidgeting (Enuson, 2008). Listening and empathy are considered important communication skills in the nursing profession (Bach & Grant, 2009).   Communication impairments results from a reduction , deviation or loss of any physical or psychological part of the body that is used for communication (O’Halloran, Worrall & Hickson, 2012).Such impairments can lead to difficulty in describing symptoms or understanding medical problems.  This is known as a communication activity limitation (O’Halloran et al, 2012).

There are advantages and disadvantages to each type of communication. In relation to the field of nursing oral communication, saves time the message is received quickly, conversation can occur between the nurses and patient, however there is no proof of the conversation after it has happened, miscommunications can happen (Kossen, 2013).  With written communication it is not personal, there is a time delay, and there is no option for conversation. Although written communication can reach many people at once for example a health warning from the government can be sent to out to all health professionals via e-mail (Kossen, 2013). Nurses must consider cultural aspects of communication, especially if nursing across different cultures. The indigenous of Australia do not make eye contact, it is considered rude.  They also take their time to think about an answer this could be perceived as poor communicators, shyness rudeness or any other number of things.  The patient could end up misdiagnosed or treated because of communication limitations between the nurse and the patient (Walsh, Jordon & Apolloni (2009).

Good communication skills are advantageous in the nursing profession (Brereton, 1995).  Nursing is a profession that relies heavily on many types of communication, with very different audiences there is communication between other health services provides, medical professionals such as Doctors, pharmacists, physiotherapists as well as Patients and their families.  Knowing the audience is important when communicating, this is effective in working out which communication method to use and what aids might be valuable (Enuson, 2008).  There is evidence to suggest that nurses rate their communication skills as high, however patient surveys indicate the opposite is true (Bach & Grant, 2009).  If communication fails in nursing the outcome could be negative towards the patients care , for example nurses are required to ‘hand over’ their patients at the end of each shift, this is usually done in a group setting where a lot of information has to be passed on in a small amount of time.  If a nurse fails to pass on some information regarding a fall the patient had earlier in the shift then assessment and possible injuries could be missed (Bach & Grant, 2009). 

A nurse must be able to communicate in a medial language to Doctors and health services and then communicate in turn to a patient at a level they can understand.  Often a patient may have mild to severe communication deficits for example a stroke patient. Nurses need to be able to communicate well in order to look after patients appropriately (Salmon & Young, 2011) Communication skills are now taught to nursing students (Salmon & Young, 2011). Interpersonal climate affects the way in which we deliver the communication, this is not measurable rather the overall emotional mood between people (Woods, 2012).   If talking to a patient about their dying wishes the nurse should remain calm and objective while being empathetic, the patient needs to be reassured that in their last moments their wishes will be met.  In Healthcare settings, there are many complexities which are similar to our everyday lives but are enhanced by factors such as institutional policy, the environment, hierarchies of responsibility, pain and discomfort, anxiety, sadness and fear, we have an even more complicated set of circumstances to deal with than when we communicate or interact with family or friends  (Bach & Grant, 2009).  Healthcare interactions are with patients, carers and peers in often demanding and stressful circumstances, which inevitably lead to further demands on our abilities to communicate effectively (Bach & Grant, 2009)

The information that needs to be exchanged in a medical setting is often critical (Kasper, Legare, Scheibler & Geiger, 2011).  Communication is vital in all aspects of nursing, through treatment, therapy, education, rehabilitation and health promotion; Nursing is achieved through dialogue interpersonal environment and good verbal communication skills (Kasper, et al, 2011).

Understanding communication theory is important in the field of nursing.  By understanding communication theory a nurse can better communicate at all levels.  By understanding how the message is passed and received, processed and returned in an exchange of information, the nurse can constantly assess the understanding of information shared. Understanding the target audience, the types of communication available and the advantages of these, can aid the nurse in choosing a delivery method or environment for communication to occur. A nurse is better equipped to communicate in an environment which is often fast paced and with a target audience that can have communication impairments or with other health professionals where the language and culture is structured, if they have a good knowledge of communication theory and can develop good communication skills as a result.

 

References

Bach, S and Grant, A, 2005, communication and interpersonal skills for nurses Learning matters. USA.

 

Brereton, M 1995, Communication in nursing: the theory-practice relationship. Journal of Advanced Nursing vol21 314-324.

 

Eunson, B 2008, communicating in the 21st century, 2nd edn, John Wiley & Sons Australia Ltd., Milton, pp. 343–75, 379–81.

 

Kasper, Legare, Scheibler & Geiger, 2011, Turning Signals into meaning – ‘Shared decision making’ meets communication theory. Health expectations vol 15 3-33.

 

Kossen,C, KiernanE, & Lawrence,J, 2013, Communicating for Success Pearson. Australia .

 

O’Halloran, Worrall & Hickson, 2012, Stroke patients communicating their healthcare needs in hospital: a study within the ICF framework International journal of language and communication disorders vol47no2, 130-143.

 

Salmon & Young, 2011, Creativity in clinical communication: from communication skills to skilled communication. Medical education vol 45 217-226.

 

Walsh, K, Jordon, Z, & Apolloni, 2009, The problematic art of conversation: communication and health practice evolution.  Practice Development in Health Care Vol 8 issue 3 166-179.

 

Woods, JT 2012, Communication in our lives, 6th edn, Wadsworth, Boston, Massachusetts, pp. 172–98.

 

 

 

 

Setting up a food bank in Tennant Creek , NT

WOW
super excited hoping to set up a foodbank in Tennant Creek
With the help of Food bank Australia

there are many people here who need help
and who regulary go with out food, the most effected are the young and elderly

fingers crossed its all set up and working in the new year !!

Request for a food bank service in Tennant Creek

Produced by Rochelle Lindsay

6/1/2015

 

Rochelle Lindsay is a Chronic Disease Coordinator at Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation, in her work capacity Rochelle visits sick, vulnerable clients around Tennant Creek and the various Community Living Areas known as “Town Camps” around Tennant Creek.

 

 

Table of contents

 

Executive summary                           ​​​​3

Report ​​​​​​​4

Recommendations ​​​​​​7

Appendix A – Christmas food donations 

                         By Sam Gubicak ​​​​8

Appendix B – Application Form ​​​​11

 

 

 

 

In Australia 

105,000

People are currently homeless

 

2.2 million

Australians live in poverty

 

10.9%

Of children live in poverty

 

1 in 4

Pensioners live in or close to 

Poverty

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Executive summary

The health status of the residents of the Barkly are ranked among the worst in the World.

In the 2011 census there were a total of 3 571 people with 52.1 % identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2014).  In 2011 there was a 7 % unemployment rate in the labour force and only 41% of youth between 15- 19 were engaged in either or both study and paid work (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2014).

There is a large rate of homelessness that is not reflected in the census, the census states the average household contains 2.9 people (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2014). Many people move between homes and communities and often sleep outside or on the verandas of relative’s houses.  The overcrowding causes issues with hygiene, safety and availability of food.  Many people have their money and food stolen by relatives on a regular basis, many elderly especially those experiencing dementia are often the victim of theft with their pension being stolen, and even their Meals on Wheels delivered by home and Community Care Services.  Some elderly are admitted to hospital with malnutrition because of this.

Unfortunately statistics are difficult to find on these issues.

It cannot be assumed that everyone receives some type of income, as it has recently come to my attention that some young people have never worked or signed up for Centrelink benefitsand therefore rely on friends and family for food, shelter and clothing.

Key social inequalities lie in the circumstances Aboriginal people face such as intrinsic issuesrelating to poverty, unemployment, low socioeconomic status and poor living conditionswhich underpin their general mental, social and physical wellbeing.

 

 

 

 

 

Report

There is much anecdotal evidence surrounding the housing issues and poverty of many of the residents of Tennant Creek.

Many people will live in houses with 12 – 15 people.  There are a number of Tennant Creek residents that are homeless. Recently a number of people have moved into the old tin sheds atthe ‘drive in camp’ (further along behind the showgrounds) where there is no power, access to water; they sleep on the floor and if lucky they have sleeping bags to use.  People living in this location must hike daily into town to obtain food and water, and use the Women’s and Men’s Centre to wash their clothes and shower. Many of these people are elderly or have chronic disease and even require dialysis three times a week.

Many go without food and power for days at a time.

These people include the elderly, young children and pregnant women.  Because of the lack of food they don’t take their medications or because of the lack of food it makes there medical condition worse.

CatholicCareNT in Tennant Creek provides money management services and also providesemergency relief food vouchers to the value of up to $100 per person; an income statement must be produced.

The Women’s Refuge provides women and children with food vouchers and power cards to a limited degree, an income statement must also be produced.

Many people give money and aid to people out of their own pockets. Doctors and nurses in Tennant Creek will often go above and beyond, giving money out of their own pockets,delivering medical care in their own time. As do many other residents in Tennant Creek.

The food prices at Food Barn have increased over the years and many families find it difficult to get all their food in Tennant Creek. 

Due to disadvantages described above, including poorer education outcomes many Aboriginal people have limited budgeting skills and run through their limited income in just a few days leaving them short for the rest of the week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summary

 

There is a desperate need for assistance for the vulnerable people of Tennant Creek.

One such solution is a food bank service, this is a setup which provides food to people in need for a small price or donation.

The service would be in collaboration with Food Bank NT, a non-denominational, non-profit organisation which acts as a pantry to the charities and community groups who provide food to the vulnerable. (Food bank Australia, 2014)

A food bank service in Tennant Creek would allow vulnerable people to access food when they have limited resources.

The food bank service would be set up in such a way that people would buy the food for a small amount or donation. The reasons for this are twofold , firstly the costs of freight and storage need to be taken into account , secondly giving away free food  may be subject to abuse of the service  - for example if people know they can get free food then they could spend their money on alcohol instead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recommendations 

 

There appears to be a legitimate need for a food bank services in Tennant Creek:

- A food bank in Tennant Creek would need to be run through a benevolent organisation with public liability and need to demonstrate safe food handling processes.

- To sign up, an application form would need to be filled out and certain criteria met 

- Given the remote location it is recommended that ambient food be provided ( i.e. food that can be stored at room temperature such as tinned food items).

- Food bank charge a handling fee for food (approximately 71c/kg), and would be willing to work with the administering organization(s) to help with transport. Food bank can deliver food based on need (e.g. pallet of food), the food can be ordered online once registration is complete.

- The main issue for setting up a food bank service in Tennant Creek involvesfinding appropriate staff and funding for operations. A not- for-profit organisation with public liability insurance would need to be approached.

- Support from local businesses and organisations would be sought to operations.

- A venue would need to be sourced to store food.

- A food bank service would be operated based on need, initially once per month and afterhours with volunteers forming the workforce.

- Food will be delivered to allocated pick-up points around Tennant Creek using a utility vehicle.

 

 

 

 

Proposed Budget

Funding is required for transport, coverings food handling cost and storage.

• Transport 

• Food handling 71c /kg as per FoodBank NT

• Storage

• Fuel costs

Appendix A 

 

 

22.12.2014  

FoodbankNT Christmas Appeal in Tennant Creek 

 

Report by Sam Gubicak 

 

The 2014 FoodbankNT Christmas appeal was run as a partnership between Foodbank NT, Power and Water Corporation and delivered by volunteers from Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation and CatholicCare NT. 

A total 21.5kg of food items were donated to the Christmas Appeal in Tennant Creek. Food items comprised on tinned meat/fish/vegetables, cereal, muesli bars, tea, biscuits and cooking sauces. 

Food was delivered on 22nd December to 9 households. 31 people were identified to be at home in the households at the time of delivery; some households had only elderly occupants, while others had adults and several children/youth. In total there were at least 18 households identified as being at risk, unfortunately there was not enough food items available to go around to everyone. 

Rochelle Lindsay, a Tennant Creek local and Chronic Care Coordinator at Anyinginyi reports that “often times during the course of working in the community there are many people who are identified to be hungry and this is a major barrier to achieving good health and combating chronic illness”. “It is often the elderly and the young that miss out”, Rochelle reports “after having seen the need that exists, the possibility of having a regular Foodbank service in Tennant Creek is being considered”. Various local Organisations and Member of Barkly, Gerry McCarthy, have already indicated an interest in setting up a Foodbank service. The need for assistance with food/ emergency relief is further supported by experience at Catholic CareNT in Tennant Creek, where the Money Management Program operates an Emergency Relief food voucher system. In 2013 food vouchers were given to at least 350 people, with approximately 10 clients per week visiting the Catholic CareNT Office to apply for food vouchers. 

 

 

Photos: Volunteers Marjorie and Rochelle from Anyinginyi (bottom), Sam from CatholicCareNT (top) 

 

 

 

was the development of agriculture the worst mistake in human history?

ANT1000

Assessment 2

Major Essay

 

Discuss the conditions (how and why) under which hunter-gatherers began domesticating plants and animals. Closely examine one case study as part of your answer.

 

 

World Archaeology: An Introduction

Due date: 17^th October 2014

Submitted by: Rochelle Lindsay

Student number: W0047085

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This assignment will explore hunter gather societies and their transition to farming.  This assignment will look at how and why hunter gathers began domesticating plants and animals.  In particular the Levant.  Hunter -gathers societies always existed in various forms, it was the only means of subsistence, over the centuries the techniques improved (Feder, 2014).  Around 10000 – 12000 years ago at the end of the Pleistocene period and when the Holocene period began, which continues to this day (Feder, 2014).  There was a shift and Hunter- gathers began to domesticate animals and plants, this is known as the Neolithic or agricultural revolution (Feder, 2014).

Archaic Homo sapiens were hunter -gathers, or foraging cultures.  Hunter- gathers were a group of people, usually small family units that would hunt and gather wild food sources such as animals and plants (Redding, 1998).  Often the men would hunt wild animals and the women would gather edible plants, Hunter- gathers did not keep animals or grow food (Redding, 1998). Hunter -gathers were often migratory moving where the food sources were or following the migrations of the wild animals (Redding, 1998). Their survival depended on their ability to hunt wild game and identify edible plants including fruits and berries. Hunter -gathers used tools they made using rocks, wood and animal hide, such as stone axes and spears, to help with hunting and gathering (Redding, 1998; Price 1987).  In coastal areas fishing was a good source of food and the Homo sapiens in those areas made nets and spears to assist (Feder, 2014). During this time, Homo sapiens spent most of their time and resources in survival mode, seeking food and shelter, making tools. During the Pleistocene period the climate was cold, this period was marked by repeated glacial cycles (Blummer & Byrne, 1991; Feder, 2014). Homo sapiens needed large areas of land to support them; permanent camps were only possible if the food sources were reliable and sustainable.  Hunter -gathers could only poses what they could carry with them. The agricultural revolution marked a change for Homo sapiens that had far reaching consequences and impacted on cultural evolution (Redding, 1985).

During the end of the Pleistocene period or the beginning of the Holocene period the climate changed, the ice age ended (Feder, 2014). In some parts of the world areas became tropical, semi arid or arid.  With this change food sources became easier to find, vegetation grew more readily. As the climate grew warmer the need for finding shelter and warmth lessoned. As food sources became easier to find the need for survival became easier (Redding, 1985).

Interestingly changes from Hunter -gather to farmer occurred in separate parts of the world over roughly the same time periods , between 1200 and 8000 B.P. domestication of plants occurred in several parts of the world (Blumler & Byrne, 1991). Domestication of plants and animals required a number of factors to be present including environmental and human capacity (Zeder, 2006).Gathering edible foods is a productive means of survival.  Experienced gathers would have needed and had a great knowledge of plant resources (Blumler & Byrne, 1991). It is believed by anthropologists that these gathers would have come to understand plant reproduction and that the planting of seeds would have led to new plant growth (Blummer & Byrne, 1991).

 Anthropologists and Archaeologists suggest agriculture occurred due to the climate changes, mega fauna began to die out but mammals such as bison flourished and plants all over the world grew more readily (Redding, 1985; Blummer & Byrne, 1991).  There are no written records of the transition period between 8000 and 5000 B.C when many animals were first domesticated and plants were cultivated on a regular basis, it is uncertain why or how people adopted new ways of producing food (Matheny & Gurr, 1983).  It is thought that climatic changes associated with the last of the glaciers at the end of the Pleistocene period, may have played an important role (Feder, 2014).  These climatic changes ensured the migration of many larger animals to northern grazing lands.  They also left a dwindling supply of animals for human hunters in areas such as the Middle East, which is where agriculture first arose and many animals were first domesticated (Gould, 1985).  Climatic changes also led to changes in the growing and distribution patterns of wild cereals and other crops on which hunters and gatherers depended (Gould, 1985). It is likely that the shift to sedentary farming was prompted in part by an increase in human populations in certain areas. It is possible that the population growth was caused by changes in the climate and plant and animal life, forcing Hunter-gathers to move into other areas. During this time Hunting and gathering likely reached higher productivitiy prompting population growth (Gould, 1985). Peoples like the Natufians found that by harvesting grain intensively their community populations could increase, as the population grew, more  attention had to be given to the grain harvest, which eventually led to the conscious and systematic cultivation of plants and thus the agricultural revolution (Gould, 1985; Bar-yosef, 1998).  Recent theories also suggest that humans themselves were motivated in the process and were active in bringing about changes in social, ideological and economic conditions (Price, 1987).  These changes would have occurred slowly and Flinlayson (2014), suggests that hunter gather ideologies would have existed long into the development of agricultural societies.

 

The change from Hunter -gather to farmer would have been very gradual.  Henry (1985) suggests that simple Hunter- gather societies, those that moved to find food, that dealt with stressors by moving to a new area or reducing their population groups gave way to complex Hunter -gather societies that were more geographically fixed and dealt with stressors by increasing population groups and diversifying resources and developing structures social situations this in turn gave way to agricultural societies.  At first a large part of the diet would have relied on old familiar food sources.  Domesticated plants and animals started in Asia and slowly spread out across the world (Blumler & Byrne, 1991; Price, 2000). Western Asia and parts of Africa known as the Fertile Crescent start domesticating wheat, barley, chickpeas, peas, beans, flax and bitter vetch. Sheep and goat were also domesticated, although slightly after the crops (Blumler & Byrne, 1991; Price, 2000).From here agriculture spread out across the world eventually reaching Europe.  Only a few groups remained hunter gathers until recently including the Australian Aboriginals and some tribes in North America (Feder, 2014).

The Natufians an Epipaleolothic culture (14000 to 9800 years ago) lived in Levent  – the Eastern Mediterranean, also part of the Fertile Crescent, which is where early agriculture began ( Henry, 1985 , Feder, 2013  ).  There is evidence to suggest people arrived there from the near east and found large low lying fertile lands.  Long term communities or settlements developed and these communities were largely dependent on harvesting food (Henry, 1985). The first known area of animal domestication or animals kept for meat is at Shandiar where Archaeologists found pits with sheep bones, the sheep being or around 12 months of age at time of death, soon after in this area goats are also kept (Feder, 2013).  Shandiar is located along what is known as the Fertile Crescent a region that has fertile lands in otherwise arid landscapes (Feder, 2014; Byrd, 1989).  The domestication of dogs – wild wolves that ever eventually tamed over the generations were among the first animals domesticated including sheep and goats, cattle were not domesticated until 8000-9000 years ago (Feder, 2014). Natufian’s hunted gazelle deer, wild boar as well as water fowl and fish along the coastal areas.

In this area there was an abundance of wild cereal grasses, such as wheat and barley. As discussed earlier hunter gathers would have had an extensive knowledge of plants and over generations would have been able to determine the most easily grown the better tasting plants, collected and stored those seeds and grown them the next season, this over time changed the genetic makeup of the plants (Zeder, 2006; Blumler & Byrne, 1991).  The Natufian’s experienced a cold period known as the Younger Dryas period – 12900-11600 years ago.  It is likely that the cold snap reduced the abundance of wild cereals and legumes, nuts and animals that the Natufian’s had become accustomed too.  It is thought that during this period the Natufian’s started to artificially increase the abundance of plant food, possibly by planting seeds and attending to them (Bar-Yosef, 1998).  This is likely the reason for the advance in agriculture.

Fedder (2013) suggests that in the Levant foraging foods would have required a more sedentary life because of a stable food source, while at the same time allowing for a sedentary way of life.  The wild seeds found in the woodland areas of the Levant provided humans the carbohydrates and proteins they needed.  Archaeologists have uncovered sickles made of goat horn, sickles are curved blades attached to handles allowing the person to easily harvest the cereal grasses.  Other artefacts found include mortal and pester for grinding seeds (Bar-Yosef, 1998). The Natufian’s intensely collected and stored food and seeds. Storage structures were built above the flood plains of the Levant to sore the food in these are cylindrical structures with wooden raised floors  (Bar-Yosef, 1998).  Housing structures were built with stone foundations suggesting long term use (Bar-Yosef, 1998).  There is evidence of more elaborate burials, personal adornment including shells and bone and works of art have also been recovered. This suggests further development of culture (Bar-Yosef, 1998)

In conclusion a number of factors lead to the development of agriculture including climate change, population increase and human capacity.  While agriculture in some form occurred all over the world in roughly the same time frame the earliest evidence of agriculture is at the Levant in the naturfrian culture.  Plants and animals were slowly domesticated. The advent of agriculture led to food surplus, growth in population more structured societies and advancement’s in technologies and arts. Although the end of the ice age during the last of the Plestoine period prompted vegetation to grow more readily and animals to migrate and some to even flourish it was The Younger Dras period – a cold snap that likely reduced crop production that prompted humans at Levant to actively start farming.

 

 

 

 

Reference List

Bar-Yosef, O 1998, 'The natufian culture in the Levant, threshold to the origins of agriculture', Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues News and Reviews, vol. 6, pp. 159-177

Blumler, MA, & Byrne, R 1991, 'The ecological genetics of domestication and the origins of agriculture', Current Anthropology, vol. 32, pp. 23-54, JSTOR.

Byrd, B. 1989, ‘The Natufian: Settlement Variability and Economic adaptations in the Levant at the end of the Pleistocene’, Journal of world prehistory, Vol 3 pp 18-28.

Feder, KL 2014, The Past in Perspective: An Introduction to Human Prehistory, 6^th edn,Oxford University Press, New York.

Flinlayson, B 2014, The ‘complex Hunter-gather’ and the Transition to Farming. Blannflakes to Bushmills. Viewed 01/10/2014 www.academia.edu

Gould, R 1985, '"Now let's invent agriculture ...": a critical review of concepts of complexity among hunter-gatherers', in TD Price, & JA Brown (eds.), Prehistoric hunter-gatherers: the emergence of cultural complexity, Academic Press, Orlando, Florida, pp. 427-434.

Henry, DO 1985, 'Preagricultural sedentism: the Natufian example', in TD Price, & JA Brown (eds.), Prehistoric hunter-gatherers: the emergence of cultural complexity, Academic Press, Orlando, Florida, pp. 365-384.

Matheny, RT, & Gurr, DL 1983, 'Variation in prehistoric agricultural systems of the new world', Annual Review of Anthropology, vol. 12, pp. 79-103, EBSCOhost, Academic Search Complete, item: 11240752.

Price, TD 1987, 'The Mesolithic of Western Europe', Journal of World Prehistory, vol. 1, pp. 225-305.

Price, TD 2000, 'Lessons in the transition to agriculture', in TD Price (ed.), Europe's first farmers, Cambridge University Press, New York, New York, pp. 301-318.

Redding, RW 1988, 'A general explanation of subsistence change: from hunting and gathering to food production', Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, vol. 7, pp. 56-97.

Zeder, MA 2006, 'Central questions in the domestication of plants and animals', Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues News and Reviews, vol. 15, pp. 105-117, Wiley Online Library.