Using the Internet for nursing administration

Collaborative practice: usability of text-based, electronic patient care guidelines

The Intermountain Healthcare system has developed a text-based, electronic reference system for nonphysician staff to provide patient care guidelines intended to reduce variability in bedside care processes and improve patient outcomes. Implementation issues with two interface tools used to deploy the electronic documents at the bedside have caused difficulty with document accessibility. A third interface tool (Viewer) was designed to solve the accessibility problems. This study was designed to compare the time spent searching for information and success of information retrieval from all three interfaces before clinical deployment of the Viewer interface. Study results were used by nursing leadership in a decision to continue supporting the electronic dissemination of text-based practice guidelines for nonphysician staff within our health system's acute care settings.

The Internet and clinical psychology: a general review of the implications

The Internet has grown exponentially from its original conception and now takes the form of a vast network of interconnected computers. It encompasses such a wide arena within science that its impact cannot be ignored. This article reviews some of the areas where the Internet is relevant to Clinical Psychology. Three main areas identified and expanded upon are (i) use of the Internet as a communication medium within this domain, (ii) teaching of the discipline, and (iii) use of the Internet as a tool for psychological research. Within these three areas, examples of the applicability of the Internet are discussed as well as its limitations. In summary, use of the Internet within the psychological domain has many advantages and as such should be embraced by the clinical psychologist.