Continuing nursing education: An analysis of the relationship between benefits, participation and socialization of registered nurses in southeastern Virginia

There has been limited research on the benefits nurses\u27 derive from participation in continuing nursing education (CNE). Researchers have investigated sociodemographic and attitudinal characteristics of CNE participants or the effects of CNE on nursing practice.;The purpose of this study was to determine what factors influenced registered nurses in the Southeastern region of Virginia to participate or not to participate in CNE. Specifically, this study investigated the relationship of socialization (defined as level of nursing education, reading of professional nursing journals and professional nursing memberships), benefits (defined as either personal or social/professional type) derived from CNE attendance, the importance or non-importance of these derived benefits and participation or nonparticipation in CNE. Respondents\u27 socialization was characterized as either high or low for the purposes of this study.;The theoretical framework used in this study was the Expectancy Valence Model of Participation (Rubenson, 1977). Valence was described as anticipated satisfaction (i.e. the benefits accrued); it was viewed as the positive and negative values of the effects of participation. Expectancy was defined as an expectation that particular actions would lead to certain outcomes; it related to individuals\u27 perceptions of themselves as successful participants.;Data for the study were collected through the use of two questionnaires which were mailed to a sample of 400 registered nurses selected by systematic sampling. One hundred and fifty-five responses were received (38.75%). Data were analyzed by Statistical Analysis Systems (SAS) software using descriptive statistics, Chi square analysis and log linear analysis.;Findings indicated that level of socialization and participation in CNE were positively related. The importance of benefits derived from CNE participation and participation in CNE were not related. Level of socialization, importance of benefits derived from CNE participation and participation in CNE were positively related. High levels of socialization were related to participation in CNE while benefits of CNE were not related

Hubble Space Telescope Fine Guidance Sensor Parallaxes For Four Classical Novae

We have used data obtained with the Fine Guidance Sensors on the Hubble Space Telescope to derive precise astrometric parallaxes for four classical novae: V603 Aql, DQ Her, GK Per, and RR Pic. All four objects exceeded the Eddington limit at visual maximum. Re-examination of the original light curve data for V603 Aql and GK Per has led us to conclude that their visual maxima were slightly brighter than commonly assumed. With known distances, we examine the various maximum magnitude-rate of decline relationships that have been established for classical novae. We find that these four objects show a similar level of scatter about these relationships as seen in larger samples of novae whose distances were determined using indirect techniques. We also examine the nebular expansion parallax method and find that it fails for three of the four objects. In each case it was possible to find an explanation for the failure of that technique to give precise distance estimates. DQ Her appears to suffer from an anomalously high extinction when compared to field stars on its sight line. We suggest that this is likely due to local material, which may also be the source of the IRAS detections of this object.NASA from the Space Telescope Science Institute AR12617NASA NAS 5-26555McDonald Observator

The Internal Proper Motions Of Stars In The Open Cluster M35

Relative proper motions, based on 108 orbits of Hubble Space Telescope Fine Guidance Sensor data extending from 1992 to 2006, are reported for 74 stars in the open cluster M35 (NGC 2168). A subset of 22 of these objects are then used to compute the cluster's internal proper motion dispersions in both right ascension and declination. We find that these dispersions are equal to within their measurement errors. The average one-dimensional dispersion is 0.018 +/- 0.002 arcsec century(-1). When combined with the M35 radial velocity dispersion of 0.65 +/- 0.10 km s(-1) found by Geller et al., this produces a cluster distance of 762 +/- 145 pc. Using isochrone fits to the cluster main sequence, this distance suggests that M35 has an age of about 133 Myr. Although this age is consistent with that typically found for M35, the formal error in the dynamical distance of +/- 19% can accommodate ages between 65 Myr and 201 Myr.McDonald Observator

The development of an indigenous knowledge program in a New Zealand Maori-language immersion school

In 1985, Te Wharekura o Rakaumangamanga initiated a Maori-language immersion program for children ages 5 through 18. In recent years, a program based on Waikato-Tainui tribal epistemology has been incorporated into the language immersion program. This article describes the community context and the language immersion and tribal knowledge programs. We consider the relationship of these programs to individual and tribal self-determination and to theories of minority achievement, particularly the work of John Ogbu

Phonotaxis in crickets and robots

Journal ArticleOver the past decade, we have built and tested several robot models to investigate a particular biological behavior, the sound localizing (phonotaxis) ability of the cricket. This work has had several purposes. One is to develop robotic technology, such as novel sensors and control systems, by copying biology. However, the primary motivation is the "reverse"-to use the technology to develop understanding of biological systems-in particular, how neural circuits control sensorimotor behavior. This is effectively a new methodology for biological modeling, discussed in Webb (to appear). In this chapter, the aim is to provide a summary of the problems addressed and the key results to date. (More-detailed presentations of the biological background and the implementations can be found in Lund, Webb, and Hallam, 1997, 1998; Webb and Scutt, 2000; and Webb and Harrison, 2000.