Student Giving Intramuscular Injections

Student Giving Intramuscular Injections This paper particularly focuses on my experience of learning from reflection on giving intramuscular (IM) injections, using Gibbss (1988) reflective model. I demonstrate how practice anxiety, as a student nurse, can be dealt with through effective mentoring. I chose the seminal theory of Gibbs reflection on practice, as it illustrates six significant stages; description, feelings, evaluation, analysis of the incident, conclusion and an action plan Ghaye and Lillyman (1997). Gibbs cycle is used throughout the process of reflecting on the incident to help me make sense of my practice and understand what l could do differently to enhance good practice. I use my experience from a placement simulation as I could not be on actual placement due to unforeseen circumstances. Reflection is a process through which healthcare practitioners and students can learn from experience and use the knowledge to inform and improve practice Schon, (1983). The ability to reflect on ones actions is particularly imperative in clinical practice and discourse. As Jarvis (1992) asserted, there is no consensus on the definition of reflection as it is a broad concept. Reid (1993, p305.) define reflection as; a course of action reviewing an occurrence of practice to describe, analyse, evaluate and so inform learning about practice Schon (1983) identified two types of reflection which are; reflection in action, which takes place during the event where the practitioner may not be aware that it is happening and reflection on action, which takes place after the event. Jasper (2003) concluded upon the vitality of reflecting on action, as it transforms experience into knowledge which enhances good clinical practice. Description During my first placement simulation, I practised giving intramuscular injection, is the best tolerated form or injection, and the safest way of injecting medication into a patient Shepherd, (2002). Within the first week of my placement simulation, I was offered the opportunity to practise administering an injection on a dummy. However, as a student, I was cautious and anxious, feeling that I was not competent enough. I discussed my concerns with the lecturer who was empathetic and helped formulate a plan to conquer my doubts. The plan involved a step-by-step conversation of the procedure of administering intramuscular medication, preparing the medication on numerous occasions and practising the injection technique on a dummy. Throughout these stages I was given the opportunity to discuss any questions, feelings or concerns that arose. Once confident enough to do so, under the supervision of the lecturer, I administered an IM injection to a dummy. I recorded my intervention in a refl ective journal. After giving the injection, I was given feedback and the opportunity to discuss my feelings which was valuable and of significance. Feelings As a novice, I never really enjoy giving injections, but after my second practise, good compliments from colleagues and lecturer my confidence increased. Most importantly, l kept thinking, if l gave the injection to an unwilling patient, how awful would I feel? I reminded myself, ethically, what is it like to carry out a therapeutic procedure that inflicts pain on another human being? All these challenges came to my mind before giving the injection. I began to feel quite anxious and nervous, wanting to delay the procedure for as long as possible hoping my anxiety would decrease. I believe the build up of nervousness beforehand is common, particularly for beginners like me. I prepared the injection using the necessary mathematical calculations, picked the right syringe and the right injection for the procedure. I then administered with my lecturer observing my technique, confidence and competence. Evaluation My preliminary anxiety about administering the injection was normal but as a student nurse, I ought to learn the technique and procedure of IM injections. This anxious behaviour could be explained in relation to the Joharis Window (Luft 1969). As in Joharis window, before being confronted with having to administer injection, I experienced an unknown area, whereby my fears and anxieties were anonymous to me and to others [my lecture]. Because I lacked self-awareness regarding these anxieties, I was unable to begin addressing my anxieties around administering the injection. This made me continue to avoid this area of practice, and as a result I did not develop this clinical skill before this incident. By the end of the incident, my feelings were known to me and others [my lecturer]. By disclosing my anxieties and fears to my lecturer and receiving feedback, my awareness of these issues increased. My lecturer commented on what l did right, wrong and what l could have done differently. R esultantly, I was able to address my feelings, areas of strengths, weaknesses and begin to develop the skill of administering injections. Analysis Department of Health (2008) identified lecturers as qualified nurses, who facilitate learning and supervise students. Mentoring also involves the assessment of the student in the practice setting NMC (2008). The interaction between mentor/lecturers and students is answer to minimise practice anxiety and professional intervention is often required to reduce any anxieties. This was resonant in my experience with my mentor while carrying out this procedure. Critically reflecting and understanding my feelings around giving the IM and after the procedure makes me think and evaluate what l ought to do differently in the future. This will enhance my technique and practice while also benefiting patient care. I am now aware of my competence as my mentor highly commended on my confidence, technique quality and the communication that l maintained with her throughout the procedure. Conclusion The description given in this paper is a general and subjective one that attempts to address my feeling and experience of giving the IM. It also aims at indentifying patterns and schemes in the experience of individuals in a similar context of giving IM for the first time. I believe, my experience will help educators to better understand the meaning of the anxiety that is observed as students undertake the act of giving their first injections. It will also help other students reflect and come to understand the meaning of that experience and not feel overwhelmed by this crucial initial experience. Action Plan I created an action plan to improve my practice and set out a course of action should a similar incident occur? Recording an entry in a reflective journal enabled me to record areas of practice that I want to develop and will allow me to track my progress regarding the administration of IM injections (Jack and Smith 2007).I also developed listening skills. Stickley and Freshwater (2006) argue that effective communication, which involves active listening, is an essential nursing skill, because of its beneficial effects on the patients experience. Word Court: 1100

Two Girls with the Courage to Change their World

Although most humans are born free, they can live life bound by the barriers and expectations of society. The novels The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie and Sister Wife focus on female protagonists who break out of the moulds their societies place them in and form their own identities. In this essay, I will argue that these novels show how feminism has a positive impact on society and on the individuals who practise it. To do this, I will analyze how the cultures restricted females, how each protagonist resisted conformity, and the successful conclusion each character reached. In The Sweetness of the Bottom of the Pie, the main character, Flavia DeLuce, epitomizes the struggles women faced for equality in England during the 1950’s. In the aftermath of World War II, a new emphasis was placed on the nuclear family as the foundation of society. Although during the war many women worked outside the home and participated in the war effort, after its end they were encouraged to assume roles of wives and mothers as the government aimed to re-establish domesticity as women’s primary occupation. The fictional town of Bishops Lacey was no different. Women were expected to perform domestic work or jobs considered to be specific to their gender, such as a cook or librarian, and men were expected to perform the superior roles, such as detectives, professors or priests. The society Flavia was raised in expected females to be dependent and accepting of their male superiors. Flavia, the protagonist of the novel, can be described as an independent, self-reliant, and persistent eleven year old. Throughout the novel, her feminist qualities and resistance to the moulds of her culture are evident. Flavia verbally declares on several occasions that she is just as capable, if not more so, than her male counterparts: â€Å"Yes, I’d solve this case and present it to him wrapped up in gaily colored ribbons† (95). In this statement Flavia affirms her belief that she has the ability to solve the case just as effectively as the male detectives. Similarly, Sister Wife‘s main character, Celeste, questions the inferior place of women and their lack of rights in the context of a polygamous community. Celeste was born in Unity, home to The Movement, a conservative religious group that lives apart from mainstream, modern society. Unity is a society based on conformity and unwavering obedience, especially when it comes to women. Women in this society are not granted the option to choose; before they are born, their roles in society are already planned, â€Å"Fathers and mothers †¦ from the time your daughter can crawl, you must teach her that she does not belong to you but to the prophet and the man the prophet will assign her to in marriage. Only these men†¦ can take your daughters to the highest degree of the celestial kingdom† (33). This statement, spoken by the prophet, clearly shows the roles of women in Unity and their dependence on the male figures that dominate their society. Celeste, who can be described as an opinionated and individualistic young girl, has to hide aspects of her natural personality to find acceptance in Unity. Celeste begins to question the ways of The Movement as the day when she will be assigned to a husband draws near. She does not want to be married at 15; she seeks higher aspirations, such as â€Å"an education, a career, to fall in love and chose her own husband, to be independent and think for herself† (264). However, Unity would never permit Celeste to do any more than become a celestial wife. A celestial wife is a term commonly used in polygamous communities meaning heavenly or holy wife; a woman can be considered a celestial wife when their husband marries more than one women. This forces Celeste to decide whether to conform to the roles laid out for her, or to resist her male dominated society. In the novel The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, Flavia, contrary to Celeste, avidly verbally and physically, defies her male dominated society. Flavia hates being undermined and judged based on her gender instead of her abilities; â€Å"’why it’s only a girl,’ ‘I could’ve slapped his face,’† (242). These statements occur after Flavia is caught breaking into a boys boarding school. When a teacher notices her he calls the police, assuming that she was a boy and therefore a legitimate threat to security. However, when he discovers that she is a girl, he apologizes for alerting the cops and claims that if he knew, he could have easily dealt with the situation. In Bishops Lacey, many male figures decide the scope of Flavia’s abilities before they get to know her; as a result Flavia receives great joy in proving them wrong. In the beginning of the novel, Flavia discovers a dead body in her front yard. Instead of initiating the expected female response of running to get help, Flavia kneels over the body and exclaims, â€Å"I wish I could say I was scared, but I wasn’t. Quite the contrary. This was by far the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life† (29). Although Flavia wakes Dogger, a maintenance worker in the De Luce home, she takes care of the dead body herself. Flavia calls the police, confirms that the victim is dead, and is the first to greet the detectives when they arrive. Her natural ability to remain calm and take control of the situation is very uncharacteristic of the females in Bishops Lacey. Ms. Mullet’s response to the situation is much less refined: â€Å"Oh, good Lord! † (14). Later, when Flavia’s father is charged with the murder, she cannot just watch as men try to wrongly convict him of the crime: â€Å"My duty was to my father and it had fallen upon my shoulders to help him† (152). Despite the detective’s setbacks, Flavia begins to unravel the mystery which will free her father and prove that she is just as capable of solving the case. During her journey to discover the truth, Flavia ignores the rules created by the men in her life, such as ignoring the detective’s obvious worry for her safety, her father’s pleas for her to â€Å"Go home,† and unlawfully breaking into a hotel room and a clock tower (173). Flavia’s determination and unwillingness to rely on men are admiral qualities; however, they do place her in serious danger. Near the end of the mystery Flavia is kidnapped by the murderer Frank Pemberton. Although this is the first time in the novel she shows fear, Flavia still refuses to submit to his demands. Despite the fact that she is physically bound and unable to resist, she believes she can still conquer Pemberton with her wit. Throughout the novel Sister Wife, Celeste also defies the male dominance in her society; however, she does this in a much subtler way. Through the majority of the novel, Celeste mentally resents the restrictions and roles of women in her society; however, physically, she seems to follow and obey the laws laid down by men. This is one of the major differences between the two characters, as Flavia could be characterized as a woman of action whereas Celeste could be described as a woman of thoughts. At the beginning of the novel, Celeste seems to be the perfect daughter: she is obedient and respectful of her culture. However as more of her character is revealed, the reader discovers that Celeste is consumed with thoughts of a life outside Unity. Within the community, Celeste’s lifestyle is so structured that â€Å"a person doesn’t really need to think at all† (11). Yet, Celeste still doubts the system and finds it impossible to accept the prophet’s laws without questioning them: â€Å"God is not in the religious ranting, he’s not in the rules or the sacred book. He is here in this beauty of this divine morning† (129). When Celeste meets a young, attractive boy named Jon, she begins to believe that she should have the right to fall in love with a boy her own age. Although Celeste and Jon’s relationship is banned in Unity and considered blasphemy, neither character can stop romantically seeing the other. Celeste wonders whether â€Å"it’s time for her to change things†¦. Refuse to be assigned to a husband† (49). This shows Celeste’s feminist tendencies and her subtle way of resisting her society. However, Celeste’s loyalty and love for her family prevents her from acting on her desires. When Celeste and Jon are caught, he begs her to leave with him: â€Å"’Celeste you know you don’t want this life’†; she responds: â€Å"‘But I also know that I cannot disgrace my family’† (142). After Jon’s departure, the whole community becomes aware of Celeste’s indiscretion and Celeste reaches a new level of despair. She laments that â€Å"What Daddy wants is right for him. Nobody asked me if being a celestial wife was right for me; if they had I would have said no† (148). Celeste begins to feel like a caged animal and every movement becomes an effort. This leads the reader to conclude that without the right to think independently and make decisions for oneself, people can lose the very essence of what makes them human. The days begin to blur for Celeste and soon she finds herself engaged to Jon’s father. It does not matter how much she is repulsed by the idea of her new husband; Celeste cannot leave Unity and in the end she chooses to marry the one the Lord reveals for her. In the end, Flavia’s resistance to the gender inequality in her society changes Bishops Lacey forever. When sitting in a room alone with a raging murderer, Flavia realizes that there are no miracles in Bishops Lacey. If she wants to live she â€Å"must make things happen for herself† (315). Flavia knows that â€Å"humans were incapable of accepting their own helplessness,† (316) and as a result they have become survivors. She was not giving up without a fight, and although she knew that she could not escape alone, she physically fought Pemberton with everything she had. Flavia proclaimed that â€Å"Napoleon had once called the English a nation of shopkeepers†¦ but we were a nation of survivors, and I, Flavia Sabina De Luce, could see it even in myself,† (331). Even as the strength leaves her body, Flavia stalls Pemberton using her knowledge of the murders he had committed, hopefully buying her rescuer the time he needs. In moments, Dogger arrives, freeing Flavia from Pemberton’s grasp. When Flavia is freed from the pit she had been concealed in, the residents of Bishops Lacey no longer view her as just a girl. They regard her as â€Å"somehow a different Flavia than the one†, they knew â€Å"only two days ago† (349). Flavia will forever be remembered as the girl with enough courage to defy all the odds and uncover the truth. The symbolism of her heroic journey is evident as Pemberton is arrested in complete darkness and her father is released in the light that followed. The idea of darkness becoming light also symbolized the rebirth of Bishops Lacey, as their previous view that â€Å"females were disadvantaged by nature† (275) had been proven false by Flavia’s actions. In the weeks that follow her kidnapping, Flavia comes to be perceived as an equal in her community, consulted by the detectives and police. As a result her independence flourishes. In contrast, Celeste’s resistance to the gender inequality in her society changes her life forever by providing her with enough strength to follow her dreams. Celeste does not find any more happiness in married life than in life with her biological family and feels as though she has â€Å"been sentenced to a life without hope. My heart feels as though it will never heal† (246). This statement reveals the psychological realities of many women trapped within the system of polygamy. To keep a level of sanity, Celeste creates Inukshuks; this allows her to regain some control in her life and feel connected to the earth. As male dominance leaves little room for female imagination, Celeste manages to express herself through her creations and this ends up saving her soul: â€Å"When I concentrate on rocks, I forget everything else, and for those short hours I experience peace† (246). The idea of using an element of creation to explain one’s society and her place in it is a common theme shared by both novels. In The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, Flavia uses chemistry to express her creativity and knowledge, using chemical analogies to explain her world. After only a few months of marriage, Celeste becomes pregnant, and as a result, her devastation increased because a child would forever bind her to Unity. But on the first day of spring her daughter, Hope, is born, and suddenly everything in Celeste’s world changes. She wants her daughter to have everything she did not have: â€Å"I may not have been strong enough to leave Unity for myself, but in this moment I know that I will find the strength to do it for her† (264). Celeste’s dream of escape become reality when she leaves Unity a few months after her daughter is born. The courage to believe that society should have a place where everyone is equal is the foundation of feminism in both the novels Sister Wife and The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. The two female protagonists defy the male dominance in their societies and discover who they truly are. Each character faces the obstacle of a very repressive culture and yet, are able to summon the courage of the feminists who lived before them to resolve the conflicts of their time. Though Flavia’s resolution had more of an immediate impact than Celeste’s, by leaving Unity, Celeste set a new precedent for girls in polygamous communities and helped others realize that there is a way out. Therefore, it is justified to claim that both girls resolved aspects of gender inequality in their societies. These unique women have positively impacted society and contributed to the rights and freedoms modern women enjoy.

Exxon Mobil Stock Analysis

STOCK ANALYSIS REPORT – Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) –August 15th , 2011 [pic] Industry: Oil and Gas Operations Sector: Energy Recommendation: SELL Price: $74. 29 (as of  Ã‚  August 15th 2011, 4:00pm ET) Intrinsic Value: $52. 10 or 42. 6% overvalued Fundamentals Grade: A Investment Style: Large Cap Blend CORPORATE INFORMATION [pic] Location: 5959 Las Colinas Boulevard Irving, TX 75039 Phone: 972-4441000 Fax: 972-4441348 Web Site: http://www. exxonmobil. com/ Employees: 83,000 Exchange: NYSE BUSINESS SUMMARY Exxon Mobil Corporation (Exxon Mobil) through its divisions and affiliates is engaged in exploration for, and production of, crude oil and natural gas, manufacture of petroleum products and transportation and sale of crude oil, natural gas and petroleum products. †¢ ExxonMobil is the largest integrated oil company, with operations in over 200 countries. This globally diversified enterprise produces superior returns in its business segments when compared to other major oil and gas companies. †¢ Exxon has a strong balance sheet with a cash position of approximately $13B and 0. 7 Debt-to equity. Exxon has the liquidity and credit to invest in high return projects around the world. †¢ Prices for oil and gas are expected to rise in the foreseeable future. Emerging market growth and increasing need for energy will place upward pressure on prices. Exxon will benefit as the world’s largest oil and gas company (by reserves, excluding national oil companies). The average industry return is 27%, which is greater than that of S&P500 (21%). †¢ Exxon’s all-stock purchase of XTO Energy is dilutive to share holders and not expected to increase EPS in 2011 or 2012. Exxon’s size and breadth of operations make it difficult to find investments large enough to produce market beating growth. We expect Exxon’s growth to slightly lag the overall economy, especially smaller exploration and production companies that have better investment opportunities relative to their size. †¢ Exxon’s inability to organically replace reserves means that it must acquire oil and gas assets to supply its operations with replacements for the reserves it consumes. Acquired assets will likely come at a higher price and produce a lower return. Production from Exxon’s Upstream segment (exploration and production of oil and gas) has been declining (down 30% since 2006). While the acquisition of XTO will replace some of this lost production, it is expected that the company will continue to experience declining production from its existing fields. KEY STATISTICS |Market Cap (intraday)5: |360. 57B | |Enterprise Value (Aug 17, 2011)3: |363. 1B | |Trailing P/E (ttm, intraday): |9. 78 | |Forward P/E (fye Dec 31, 2012)1: |8. 21 | |PEG Ratio (5 yr expected)1: |1. 32 | |Price/Sales (ttm): |0. 91 | |Price/Book (mrq): |2. 0 | |Enterprise Value/Revenue (ttm)3: |0. 93 | |Institutional Ownership |49. 12% | |Earnings Yield |9. 28% | |Return on equity (RoE) |24. 69% | |36 month Beta |0. 9 | |Dividend Yield |2. 48% | |Profit Margin |8. 51% | |Current Ratio |0. 97 | |Debt to equity ratio |0. 07 | [1]Source: Yahoo finance; http://ycharts. om/companies/XOM/return_on_equity ANALYSIS Exxon Mobil (XOM) is the largest market capitalized oil company in the world which in 2008 obtained the highest quarterly and annual profit in United States history. The Company plans to invest $125 billion over the next five years to develop new technology, deliver new Upstream projects, increase refining capacity, and grow their Chemical business. Exxon Mobil’s revenue and profit have increased 60% and 79% respectively in the last 5 years. The Company exhibits a healthy profit margin and return on equity of 8. 51% and 20. 4% respectively and maintains an above average earnings yield of 10. 27%. Exxon Mobil has plenty of liquidity enabling the Company to pay all its long-term debt in less than three months on profit alone. Exxon Mobil is valued at $52. 1 as of August 15th 2011. The Company is 42. 61% overvalued for the current price of $74. 29. The PB ratio is slightly above the industry average of 2. 0. Risks to Exxon Mobil include depreciating reserves, decreasing number of new oil fields, adverse environmental impacts, government regulations, geopolitical risks, market volatility, macroeconomic difficulties, etc. Balance Sheet The balance sheet of XOM is pristine. Debt comprises only 9% of total capital, and in a business that is very capital intensive, that’s a great sign. The current ratio is low at 0. 94, slightly lower than the generally accepted â€Å"safe† level of 1. $30 billion in earnings in 2010 is more than enough to repay the roughly $15 billion in total debt the company has in only a few years. Return on Equity The return on equity closely followed the rise of oil prices up until 2008, the fall in 2008- 2009 and the subsequent increase ever since. Right now Exxon-Mobil has a high return on equity of 20%. Given the high oil prices, I expect ROE to reach its 2008 highs this year. Rather than focus on absolute values for this indicator, I generally want to see at least a stable return on equity over time. Dividends Exxon Mobil has paid an increasing dividend for the past 27 years, and according to their website, averaged 5. 7% over that time period. The most recent increase came on April 27 of this year, when they raised the quarterly payout 6. 8% from $0. 44 to $0. 47 a share. This is an annual raise from $1. 74 to $1. 88, or 8%. Projections: 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Dividends Per Share $1. 4 $2. 00 $2. 04 $2. 07 $2. 10 Dividend Growth 11. 7% 2. 7% 2. 4% 1. 3% 1. 3% DIRECT COMPETITOR COMPARISON | |COP |CVX |XOM |Industry | |Market Cap: |91. 75B |195. 65B |360. 57B |26. 52B | |Employees: |29,900 |62,000 |83,600 |11. 00K | |Qtrly Rev Growth (yoy): |45. 70% |30. 60% |36. 30% |8. 0% | |Revenue (ttm): |210. 76B |216. 90B |392. 72B |18. 63B | |Gross Margin (ttm): |23. 43% |32. 58% |31. 45% | 32. 51% | |EBITDA (ttm): |28. 78B |45. 90B |65. 78B |4. 19B | |Operating Margin (ttm): |9. 46% |15. 07% |12. 74% |11. 65% | |Net Income (ttm): |11. 3B |23. 01B |37. 93B |N/A | |EPS (ttm): |7. 93 |11. 45 |7. 59 |2. 46 | |P/E (ttm): |8. 43 |8. 53 |9. 78 |12. 94 | |PEG (5 yr expected): |6. 21 |1. 61 |1. 32 |1. 14 | |P/S (ttm): |0. 43 |0. 90 |0. 91 |1. 39 | P/E ratios are higher for firms with strong growth prospects, other things held constant, but they are lower for riskier firms. All the three companies have P/E lower than the Industry average. Profit margin is very useful when comparing  companies in similar industries. A higher profit margin indicates a more profitable company that  has better control over  its costs compared to  its competitors. Here again, XOM has a relatively good control of cost. As per the comparison of the ratios with industry average, Exxon Mobil is high performing company with higher ratios than industry standards. Current Market Price (as of 08/17/11) of the Stocks: |  Company name |Current Market Price | |Chevron Corp |$92. 02 | |ConocoPhillips |$62. 29 | |Exxon Mobil |$74. 29 | EXXON MOBIL’S INTRINSIC VALUE: †¢ Current US 90 days Treasury Bill – Rate of Return: 3. 5%   †¢ Historical return on long term Treasury Bond = 5. 8% †¢ Long term risk free rate = rRF = 5. 8% (historical return) Return for the market or an average stock(rM): For this project, it is assumed that the historical rate of return for the S&P500   is same as the market risk = 10. 4%. I am using CAPM method to estimate the market risk premium and calculating the historical risk premium by comparing historical to historical rates. The historical risk premium is 10. 4 -5. 8 = 4. 6% Required Return on Common Stock Required return on common stock (rS) for Exxon Mobil rS = rRF + (rM – rRF)*b = 5. 8% + (10. 4% – 5. 8%) * 0. 49   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   = 8. 05% Dividend Growth Model: Common stocks provide an expected future cash flow stream, and a stock’s value is found as the present value of the expected future cash flow stream. The expected final stock price includes the return of the original investment plus an expected capital gain. The expected cash flow consists of two elements: 1. the dividends expected in each year. 2. the price investors expect to receive when they sell the stock. Formula1:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   P hat 0 = D1/rS – g Where P hat 0 = intrinsic value of the stock today as seen by the investor D1 = D0 (1 + g) = expected dividend in the first year. D0 = recent dividend paid g = expected dividend growth rate. rS = required rate of return Formula2: r hat S = D1/P0 + g Where r hat S = expected rate of return D1/P0 = expected dividend yield P0 = actual market price of the stock today. g = expected growth rate or capital gains yield. One would buy the stock only if expected rate of return is equal to or greater than required rate of return. For Exxon Mobil: D0 = $1. 8; g = 5. 7 %; rS = 8. 05% P0 = 1. 38 (1+ 0. 057)/ (0. 085 – 0. 057) = 1. 457/ 0. 0280 = $52. 1 The current price is greater than intrinsic value, the Exxon Mobil stock is overvalued by $22. 20 r hat S = 1. 96% + 5. 7% = 7. 66% The expected rate of return is less than required rate of return, which means investor will not buy. Conclusion: SELL Comparing the averaged value of $52. 10 a nd the closing price on 08/15/11 of $74. 29, XOM is adversely overpriced price, with an approximate 42. 6% difference. At this point in time, I think Exxon Mobil’s risks outweigh the potential opportunity here. While I feel the dividend is safe (at a 25% payout ratio) and the current yield is adequate (2. 48%), the Company's ability to increase the payout and create outsized returns for investors is limited by the Company's cyclical market and weak consensus estimates. Sources: †¢ http://financialanalysisonline. com/ †¢ http://www. thedividendpig. com/? p=1395 †¢ http://investing. money. msn. com/investments/stock-price? symbol=xom †¢ http://www. stock-analysis-on. net/NYSE/Company/Exxon-Mobil-Corp/Valuation/Ratios#Current-Valuation-Ratios †¢ http://www. dailyfinance. com/2011/08/08/big-oil-outlook-major-oil-stocks-with-bullish-opti/? ource=TheMotleyFool †¢ http://www. exxonmobil. com/Corporate/Files/news_pubs_sar_2010. pdf †¢ http://www. exxonmobil. com/corporate/investor_dividend. aspx †¢ http://ycharts. com/companies/XOM/price_to_book_value †¢ http://financialanalysisonline. com ———————– [1] 1 Data provided by Thomson Reuters 2 Data provided by EDGAR Online 3 Data derived from multiple sources or calculated by Yahoo! Finance 4 Data provided by Morningstar, Inc. 5 Shares outstanding is taken from the most recently filed quarterly or annual report and Market Cap is calculated using shares outstanding.

Who Invented the Acoustic and Electric Guitars

One of the mysteries of the music world has long been who, exactly, invented the guitar. The Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Persians had stringed instruments, but it wasnt until the relatively modern era that we can begin to point to Europeans Antonio Torres and Christian Frederick Martin as key to the development of acoustic guitars. Decades later, American George Beauchamp and his cohorts played an important role in the invention of the electric. Ancient Guitars Stringed instruments were used as accompaniments to storytellers and singers throughout the ancient world. The earliest are known as bowl harps, which eventually evolved into a more complex instrument known as a tanbur. The Persians had their version, chartars, while the  Ancient Greeks strummed along on lap harps known as kitharas. The oldest guitar-like instrument, dating back about 3,500 years, can be viewed today at the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in  Cairo. It belonged to an Egyptian court singer by the name of Har-Mose. Origins of the Modern Guitar In the 1960s, a Dr. Michael Kasha debunked a long-held belief that the modern guitar originated from these harp-like instruments developed by ancient cultures. Kasha (1920–2013) was a chemist, physicist, and teacher whose specialty was traveling  the world and tracing the history of the guitar. Thanks to his research, we know the origins of what would eventually evolve into the guitar. A guitar is a musical instrument with a flat-backed rounded body that narrows in the middle, a long fretted neck, and usually six strings. It is European in origin: Moorish, to be specific, an offshoot of that cultures lute, or oud. Classical Acoustic Guitars Finally, we have a specific name. The form of the modern classical guitar is credited to Spanish guitar maker Antonio Torres circa 1850. Torres increased the size of the guitar body, altered its proportions, and invented the fan top bracing pattern. Bracing, which  refers to  the internal pattern of wood reinforcements used to secure the guitars  top and back and prevent the instrument from collapsing under tension, is an important factor in how the guitar sounds. Torres design greatly improved the volume, tone, and projection of the instrument, and it has remained essentially unchanged since. At around the same time that Torres started making his breakthrough fan-braced guitars in Spain, German immigrants to the U.S. had begun making guitars with X-braced tops. This style of the brace is generally attributed to Christian Frederick Martin, who in 1830 made the first guitar to be used in the United States. X-bracing became the style of choice once steel string guitars made their appearance in 1900.   The Body Electric When musician George Beauchamp, playing in the late 1920s, realized that the acoustic guitar was too soft to project in a band setting, he got the idea to electrify, and eventually amplify, the sound. Working with Adolph Rickenbacker, an electrical engineer, Beauchamp and his business partner, Paul Barth, developed an  electromagnetic device that picked up the vibrations of the guitar strings and converted these vibrations into an electrical signal, which was then amplified and played through speakers.  Thus the electric guitar was born, along with the dreams of young people around the world.

Tom Brokaw’s The Greatest Generation Essay - 1419 Words

Tom Brokaw’s The Greatest Generation In Tom Brokaw’s book, The Greatest Generation, the author portrays ordinary people of a certain generation as having qualities of greatness and heroism. He tells stories of average people that lived inspiring lives through many hardships, and declares today’s society as the beneficiary of their challenging work and commitment. Brokaw’s generous and proficient use of imagery helps to persuade the reader to believe that the people of â€Å"the greatest generation† are, indeed, heroic. He defines the strength and resilience of â€Å"the greatest generation† by what they were able to confront and overcome. â€Å"†¦when the nation was balanced precariously between the darkness of the Great Depression on one side and†¦show more content†¦They traveled thousands of miles over the harsh seas to enter what was, to them, the unknown. â€Å"What those unsuspecting infants could not have realized, of course, was that these were temporary conditions, a false spring to life that would be buffeted by winds of change dangerous and unpredictable, so fierce that they threatened not just America but the very future of the planet.†(p4) Brokaw’s use of imagery here helps the reader understand the drastic nature of the change that occurred in the world between the 1920s and 1940s. He is stating that the youth of our nation was living in a safe-harbor for only a short period of time, almost as if under false pretenses, and that this promising future of America veered radically off a path as they had to face the unprecedented crash of the stock market, with damage so great that over a thousand banks would close, millions of people would become unemployed and homeless, and an overwhelming sense of economic calamity would sweep the feet out from under their fragile vision of security. Brokaw described this in the c hapter titled â€Å"The Time of their Lives,† as a time when â€Å"A mass of homeless and unemployed drifted across the American landscape.† (p7) This gives the reader an image of millions of people hopelessly wandering the country in search for work to survive. TheShow MoreRelatedLiterary Analysis of The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw Essay456 Words   |  2 PagesLiterary Analysis of The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw They came of age during the Great Depression and the Second World War and went on to build modern America; men and women whose everyday lives of duty, honor, achievement, and courage made our nation the greatest on earth. This quote is fittingly descriptive of the achievements and importance the post World War II generation had on us. In Tom Brokaws Book, The Greatest Generation, Brokaw describes in a very personal and detailedRead MoreThe American Flag Essay1176 Words   |  5 Pages One more point is this: we need to have the up most respect for our country. This includes respecting the symbols of our country. Tom Brokaws book, An Album of Memories, is a collection of letters from those affected by the Depression and WWII. The people writing these letters are from loved ones of those who died and from some people that survived the war and depression. One man,Read MoreGreatest Generations, Tom Brokaw2955 Words   |  12 Pagesï » ¿The book â€Å"The Greatest Generation†, by Tom Brokaw, is about the men and women who were born in the 1920’s and how they are what he deems to be the greatest generation thus far. He believes this generation is so tremendous because of the fact they did not demand respect for what they did and went through. Though may sacrificed as much as their lives, they do not think higher of themselves. Even through all their struggling they managed to have enough strength leave everything behind and fight for

Audit Letter Example - 856 Words

I am writing to apply for the position of VPSG 3.2 Auditor where I can further utilize my skills, strengths and experience. With regards to qualifications and experience, I am a Monash University (Clayton Campus) graduate with a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Finance). I am a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA) qualified professional of CPA Australia. I am currently working as a VPSG 3.1 Auditor in VAGO, where I perform financial audit on the financial information of public sector entities. Previously, I have worked in Deloitte, KPMG and various contract positions. I have audited major private and public sector entities such as Department of Justice and Regulation (DJR), Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation†¦show more content†¦I have prioritized high risk and critical audit sections and have planned my audit in an organized and methodical manner. For example, I prioritized the audit of Related Parties disclosure and the client’s application of streamlined reporting in 2016/17 in accordance to the updated DTF reporting guidance while planning ahead for other audit sections based on the time allocated. By performing reviews on my working papers prior to submission, this has allowed me to assess and amend my working papers to ensure that all necessary information is present and has been thoroughly analyzed and concluded according to the audit procedures set. With this approach, I have completed my assigned audit tasks with quality in a timely manner. I then take accountability by addressing any feedbacks received from client and audit team. With the experience on hand, I am able to exercise my professional judgment to identify and report any emerging issues, risks and opportunities. For example, I identified that reliance on DJR’s payroll controls by smaller entities were not fully covered in DJR’s control testing. 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Predictors of Nurses’ Licensure Examination free essay sample

Abstract The Nurses’ licensure examination is conducted by the Professional Regulatory Commission to screen Nursing graduates who will be licensed to practice the nursing profession. The study determined the predictors of licensure examination performance of nursing graduates. The study used the descriptive design using inferential techniques. Some 163 graduates were studied based on their College Entrance Examination performance on IQ test, nursing aptitude test, the composite score of science, math and English tests, college grade point average and pre-board examination performance and the correlations of these variables with licensure examination performance. Results revealed that all variables significantly correlated with licensure examination performance but only two significantly predicted licensure performance, college grade point average and pre-board examination. The study concludes that students’ academic performance in their baccalaureate program and their performance in the pre-board examination are significant bases in determining the success and failure of students’ licensure examination performance. Keywords Nurses licensure, exam performance, predictors of exam passing 130 Predictors of Nurses’ Licensure Examination Performance of Graduates in Cebu Normal University, Philippines Ong, Palompon Banico INTRODUCTION The need to pass the board examination is propelled by the legal requirement that the practice of the nursing profession in the Philippines requires the passing of the Nurses’ Licensure Examination as mandated in Section 12, Article IV of the Philippine Nursing Act 2002 or Republic Act 9173. The Philippine nursing education is regulated by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) for the purpose of rationalizing nursing education in the country which aims to provide quality health services and keep pace with global competitiveness. CHED Memorandum Order No. 30 was promulgated in 2007. This writ contains the updated policies and standards for nursing education. However, this law was amended through CHED Memorandum Order No. 14, series of 2009 which strengthens the regulation of the offering of nursing education in the country and the improvement of the nursing curricula in line with the Bologna accord. At the formulation of this research, the demand for the nursing profession had continued to rise. Proliferation had been observed for new nursing schools and review centers. Such phenomena came into being due to the persistent motivation of nursing aspirants to enroll in nursing as a means of earning better abroad and their persistent goal to pass the nurses’ licensure examination. In the year 2009, there was a slow decrease in the nursing education enrollment as an effect of the reduction of demand for nurses abroad due to global economic crisis and nationalization policies of countries. Professional Licensure Examinations serve as a means of maintaining the quality of professionals after they had been trained and schooled in their respective institution. Such an examination measures the competencies of a professional who is believed to have acquired the necessary skills, knowledge and attitude in the practice of their respective profession. Cebu Normal University (CNU) has as its mission to produce quality education to all students. Through the performance of the nursing graduates in the Nurses’ Licensure Examination, such mission can be measured. For the 25 years, CNU College of Nursing has been consistent in producing top-notchers and a passing percentage higher 131 Asian Journal of Health than the national passing rate of above ninety percent. It has also been recognized as one of the top four performing schools in the Philippines (PRC Certificates, 2003, 2004, 2005). Observations were gathered thatboard performance in the NLE is due to the students who were screened prior to their entry into the university. Others commented that the university may have a very competent set of faculty members. With these queries in mind, the researchers tried to determine the predictors of the CNU nursing students’ performance in the Nurses’ Licensure Examination in the school year 2006-2007. FRAMEWORK Attribution theory (Weiner, 1980, 1992 cited by Lin and Bill 2003) is considered one of the most influential contemporary theories with implications for academic motivation. This theory incorporates behavior modification since it emphasizes that learners are strongly motivated by the pleasant outcome of feeling good about themselves. It further incorporates cognitive theory and self-efficacy theory in the sense that it emphasizes that learners’ current self-perceptions will strongly influence the ways in which they will interpret the success or failure of their current efforts. Hence their future tendency to perform these same behaviors. According to attribution theory, the explanations that people tend to make to explain success or failure can be analyzed in terms of three sets of characteristics: First, the cause of the success or failure may be internal or external. That is, professionals may succeed or fail because of factors in their origin within themselves or because of factors that originate in the environment. Second, the cause of the success or failure may be either stable or unstable. If the cause is stable, the outcome is likely to be the same if the same behavior is found on another occasion. If it is unstable, the outcome is likely to be different on another occasion. Third, the cause of the success or failure may be either controllable or uncontrollable. A controllable factor is one which can alter if desired. An uncontrollable factor is one that cannot easily bealtered. An important assumption of attribution theory is that people will interpret their environment in such a way as to maintain a positive self132 Predictors of Nurses’ Licensure Examination Performance of Graduates in Cebu Normal University, Philippines Ong, Palompon Banico image. That is, they will attribute their successes or failures to factors that will enable them to feel as good as possible about themselves. In general, this means that when learners succeed at an academic task, they are likely to want to attribute this success to their own efforts or abilities; but when they fail, they will want to attribute their failure to factors over which they have no control, such as bad teaching or bad luck. The basic principle of attribution theory as it applies to motivation is that a person’s own perceptions or attributions for success or failure determine the amount of effort the person will expend on that activity in the future. The performances of students in an examination can be attributed to some factors. In a study done by Besinque, Wong, Louie and Rho (2000) on the predictors of success rate in the California State Board of Pharmacy Licensure Examination; they have correlated demographic variables, preparation for the examination, study habits and grade point average with the success in the examination. From among the variables, grade point average was identified as an important factor in predicting success in licensure examination. Hilario (2000) studied the factors influencing the licensure examination of teacher education institutions in the Cordillera Administrative Region. It was found that faculty qualification and curricula do not significantly influence the performance of the institutions in the licensure examination. Admission and retention policy of the institution has a significant positive influence on the performance in the examination. Naron and Wedlack (1991) ventured on an ex post facto study on the predictive variables on National Council for Licensure Examination for Registered Nurse (NCLEX–RN) performance of students in Chicago Illinois’ Olive-Harvey College. The study found that from among the variables nursing grades and grades in pre-nursing courses had significant influence over their performance in the examination. McClelland (1992) also undertook a study on academic variables affecting the performance of baccalaureate nursing graduates on NCLEX-RN. But aside from the pre-nursing grade point average, American College Testing scores, which serve as their entrance examination, also predict NCLEX-RN performance. These same variables were also identified in the study of Lin Fung (2003). 133 Asian Journal of Health From the literature, most of the studies found grade point average and qualifying examination in college as predictors of licensure examination performance. Admission and retention policies also predict the performance. Faculty qualification was not significantly related with examination performance. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY This study aimed to determine the predictors for Nurses’ Licensure Examination performance of the graduates of Cebu Normal University College of Nursing. MATERIALS AND METHODS A descriptive-correlation ex post facto research was utilized in which data on College Entrance Examination, Pre-board examinations and Nurses’ Licensure Examination results were retrieved from the previous records. This study took place in Cebu Normal University College of Nursing. This locale was chosen since the researchers were clinical instructors in this institution and they believed that as clinical instructors, it was their responsibility to guide students. The unit of analysis in the study was the individual results of the college entrance examination, grade point average and Nurses’ Licensure Examination performance of nurse graduates of Batch 2007 in Cebu Normal University. The total number of graduates in S. Y. 2006-07 was 170. The entire batch was included as part of the study, however, there were some incomplete data presented, thus the total sample size is 163. Research Instrument The data on the results of the College Entrance Examination were requested from the Testing Center of Cebu Normal University, college grade point average of the respondents were requested from the University Registrar and the pre-board examination scores were obtained from the review coordinator of the College of Nursing and 134 Predictors of Nurses’ Licensure Examination Performance of Graduates in Cebu Normal University, Philippines Ong, Palompon Banico Inter-trends Review Center. Nurses’ Licensure Examination (NLE) scores were obtained from the Philippine Regulations Commission (PRC). Data Gathering Procedure The data gathering commenced when Batch 2007 graduates gave their written consent to allow the researchers to obtain their records from the university and PRC. These consent forms were attached for the approval of the president of the university and the PRC Regional Officer. Data gathering took three months due to the difficulty in retrieving the results in the Testing Center in which the psychometrician has to select the results of the respondents out of three thousand applicants. Moreover, the researchers waited for the results of the Nurses’ Licensure Examination which was mailed to the PRC National Office. Data Analysis Since the variables were treated as interval data, the mean and standard deviation were utilized to determine the profile. In interpreting IQ scores, Nursing Aptitude Test and Composite scores in the entrance examination a percentile classification was used based on Philippine Psychological Corporation: 97-99 very superior, 90-96 superior, 75-89 above average, 60-74 high average, 40-59 average, 24-39 low average, 10-23 below average, 4-9 low and 1-3 very low. In correlating the variables with performance in the Nurses’ Licensure Examination, Pearson r was utilized. To determine which variable predict licensure examination performance, the significantly correlated variables were entered into the multiple linear regression analysis. All correlations were interpreted as significant at 0. 05 levels. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Mean performance of the respondents in the respective test in the Nurses’ Licensure Examination on June 2007, College Entrance Examination and College Grade Point Average are presented in Table 1. 135 Asian Journal of Health Table 1. Mean performance of nurse graduates (N=163) Performance Mean Standard Deviation NLE Performance by test area: Nursing Practice I Nursing Practice II Nursing Practice III Nursing Practice IV Nursing Practice V 84. 14 80. 96 80. 21 77. 28 78. 82 3. 20 3. 85 2. 80 3. 87 4. 28 General NLE Performance 80. 26 2. 74 CEE: IQ Test 81. 9 9. 23 CEE: Nursing Aptitude Test 78. 95 17. 46 CEE Composite Score 89. 20 9. 55 College Grade Point Average (CGPA) 83. 10 2. 50 Pre-board Examination 70. 71 2. 07 NLE – Nurses Licensure Examination CEE – College Entrance Examination The Nurses’ Licensure Examination is composed of five test areas at 100 items each in which major nursing subjects are integrated in each test area. Nursing Practice I consisted of test items derived from Fundamentals in Nursing, Research, Leadership and Management and Nursing Ethics and Jurisprudence; Nursing Practice II is composed of concepts from Community Health Nursing and normal Maternal and Child Nursing; Nursing Practice III is taken from the concepts of abnormalities in Maternal and Child Nursing and part of MedicalSurgical Nursing; Nursing Practice IV is composed of concepts on major Medical-Surgical cases and Nursing Practice V is from Mental Health Nursing. The test area which had the highest mean score among the respondents was Nursing Practice I and the lowest was Nursing Practice IV within the cut-off score for passing in the NLE of 75%. However, it was noted that the score in Nursing Practice IV was low since this was 136 Predictors of Nurses’ Licensure Examination Performance of Graduates in Cebu Normal University, Philippines Ong, Palompon Banico the test area which had the biggest coverage and has been noted as most difficult among the concepts included which is Medical-Surgical Nursing. The score which showed the greatest variability was Nursing Practice V while the rest have shown homogeneity in their scores which indicated that competence in mental health nursing has not fully been attained by most of the graduates. This is an expected finding since mental health nursing is a highly specialized course which further implies that more emphasis should be given on theoretical mastery and clinical skills competence. This, however, has been addressed to by the CMO 14, s. 2009 which offers mental health nursing as separate 3-unit course for third year students. On the overall licensure examination mean score, they had acquired more than the passing score requirement of 75% which implied that majority of the graduates passed the examination having attained 98% passing percentage during the June 2007 licensure examination. From the independent variables in this study, the College Entrance Examination of Cebu Normal University has the components of the IQ Test (OLSAT), Nursing Aptitude Test (NAT) and the composite scores of English, Math, reading comprehension examinations. The mean scores of IQ test, aptitude test in nursing and the composite scores were all above average. This indicates that nursing students who qualified for enrollment were highly intellectual and were expected to adjust to the academic demand of nursing as a course of the study. Furthermore, the grade point average of the respondents when they graduated in their Bachelor in Nursing was above average which implied that respondents had shown academic performance beyond the minimum passing rate of 75%. With the entrance examination results and the grade point average, it can be deduced that students in nursing are selected highly intellectual personalities. However, the mean score of the pre-board examination of the respondents showed a failing mark at 70% which was lower than the passing rate in the Nurses Licensure Examination at 75%. This finding runs contrary to the expected performance of the respondents in the pre-board examination since their IQ, entrance examination, aptitude scores, grade point average in college and even their actual Nurses Licensure Examination performance had shown above average results. Based on these findings, it is inferred that the preboard examination is more difficult than the actual NLE taken by the respondents. 137 Asian Journal of Health Table 2. Correlations with NLE performance (N=163) r coefficient CEE: IQ Test (OLSAT) CEE: Nursing Aptitude Test CEE Composite Score College GPA Preboard Performance p-level 0. 47 0. 50s 0. 60s 0. 65s 0. 48s 0. 00 0. 00 0. 00 0. 00 0. 00 s s significant correlation at p=0. 50 NLE – Nurses Licensure Examination GPA – Grade Point Average CEE – College Entrance Examination The null hypotheses that there are no significant correlations of students’ NLE performance with their college entrance examination performance (IQ, NAT, composite), college GPA and pre-board performance were tested. It was gleaned from table 2 that all the independent variables were significantly correlated with the respondents’ NLE performance. Students’ performance in the entrance examination upon entry to the university, their IQ, aptitude in nursing, academic achievement in college contributes to the success or failure of the respondents in the board examination. With the null hypotheses rejected, it is inferred that students who performed better in the entrance examination, college academic achievement and preboard examination perform better in the licensure examination. It is further implied that the quality of admission and retention policies of an institution is an important consideration that every college or university should strengthen in relation to their aspiration to have better licensure examination performance. These findings support the results of the studies of Hilario (2000), Naron and Wedlack(1991)that admission and retention policies in an institution play a significant factor in the students’ success in the licensure examination. The admission tests given to college aspirants measures the capacity of the students to surpass the difficulties and challenges which a particular course provide. It determines whether 138 Predictors of Nurses’ Licensure Examination Performance of Graduates in Cebu Normal University, Philippines Ong, Palompon Banico a student is fit to enroll in the course having gone through with the aptitude test since one’s interest in the course taken can influence the students’ performance in the college years. Thus, nursing colleges should be vigilant of the consequences which may arise if and when admission measurements are not reasonably imposed to college aspirants especially in nursing education. Moreover, it is noted that grade point average in college which shows the academic achievement of the student is highly correlated with NLE performance; hence, colleges of nursing should determine those who have attained the terminal competencies expected in a particular college level. If and when a student has not passed the standards of a particular course or subject, that student should be retained accordingly so that the student will be given the chance to master the competencies expected before being promoted to the next year level. Table 3. Multiple linear regression analysis of the independent variables as predictors of NLE Predictor Variables Constant IQ Test* Nursing Aptitude Test CEE Composite Score College GPA Preboard Performance coefficient t p 21. 38 0. 01 0. 01 0. 07 0. 39 0. 27 3. 41 0. 28 0. 70 1. 88 4. 63 3. 13 .00 .78 .48 .06 .00 .00 R2 52. 3% *Ten unusual observations noted in IQ test and NLE Scores When all independent variables were entered into the regression model, it was noted that only college GPA and pre-board performance showed significant predictive values with college GPA as the principal predictive variable. It is viewed that students’ learning in the classroom and clinical exposures in their four years in nursing predicted their performance in the licensure examination, plus the immediate influence of students’ performance in the pre-board examination 139 Asian Journal of Health consisted a strong predictive power of these variables at 52. 3% (R2). Besinque, et al. (2002) presented the same predictive ability of college grade point average in students’ success in the licensure examination. These findings are due to the fact that within the four years of college education of nursing students, they have specific competencies which they have acquired. When they graduate, they have mastered all these competencies to be declared as recipients of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree holder. The Board of Nursing NLE Test Framework has emphasized that the examinations are competency-based thus; the academic achievement in the four years of learning can indeed be a great factor that will predict the NLE performance. Furthermore, the pre-board examinations as presumed to be competency-based in nature since these are test simulations of the actual NLE examination to prepare the students for real examination. Thus, the students’ performance in the pre-board examination can contribute to the predictions of how they will perform in the actual examination. Moreover, the analysis showed ten unusual observations in the IQ tests scores and licensure examination performance. Most of them showed low IQ scores with high licensure examination performance which indicates that IQ test result is not a good predictor of licensure examination performance. It is noted that the variables included in this study are the studentrelated factors only, not considering the multifactorial influence of one’s success or failure in the licensure examination such as the teacher factor and environmental factor. It is on these factors that the researchers attribute the other 48% which is not accounted for by the effect of students’ college GPA and pre-board performance. CONCLUSION Student’s capabilities such as IQ, aptitude towards a future task, academic performance and preboard examination performance influence the licensure examination performance of the students. Moreover, from these variables, students’ academic performance and the rigid scrutiny of their possible performance in the licensure examination through the preboard examination are the best predictors of their success. 140 Predictors of Nurses’ Licensure Examination Performance of Graduates in Cebu Normal University, Philippines Ong, Palompon Banico RECOMMENDATIONS It is therefore recommended that nursing colleges should strengthen their admission and retention policies, curricular offering and delivery to maximize the students’ learning during their college training years. Moreover, administeringpreboard examinations should be practiced by colleges as this has shown an important contribution in predicting students’ success in the licensure examination. LITERATURE CITED Besinque, K. ; W. Wong,W. Louie, and J. Rho 2000 Predictors of success rate in the California State Board of Pharmacy Licensure Examination. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. Vol. 64, Spring 2000 Hilario, I. 2000 Factors influencing the licensure examination performance of teacher education institutions in the Cordillera Administrative Region. Unpublished Dissertation. St. Louise University, Baguio City.