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PubMedDate not supplied

Computer courses in the undergraduate nursing curriculum in Turkey.

This study surveys computer courses in undergraduate nursing schools in Turkey. To accomplish this, the investigator gave an assignment to first-year students at the Ege University School of Nursing as part of a computer course in 2003-2004. The assignment consisted of having students use their computer skills and do research on the Internet to obtain information about computer classes at other Turkish nursing schools. The objective of this assignment was to correspond by e-mail with first-year students at these institutions. Because of this assignment, at least 70 contacts were established, and information has been exchanged between nursing students at 45 different universities in Turkey. This study shows that one method used by undergraduate nursing schools in Turkey to educate their students in modern nursing practices is to integrate computer courses in their curricula, thereby providing students important practical technology skills.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Microcomputer education for nursing: an approach to microcomputer education in a large tertiary care center.

Communication skills needed for the healthcare environment are changing. In the past, poor reading and writing skills made it difficult to use a paper chart. Current computer technology provides many new opportunities for communicating in the clinical setting. Computer literacy has become a necessary skill for efficient use of clinical computer systems. At this large tertiary care setting, a survey was developed and distributed to staff to assess learner needs. Nursing staff identified educational needs for basic computer knowledge, the ability to move between computer functions, and the skills to navigate through specific applications. Based on survey analysis, three educational classes were constructed that addressed the department's specific needs.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2000

[Physicians' assessment of computerized prescribing].

Prescription errors are a major source of preventable adverse drug events. Computerized prescribing (CP) which screens physicians' order for mistakes, drug-allergy, drug-disease, drug-laboratory and drug-drug interactions can prevent many of these errors and improve quality of care. However, computerized systems are often time-consuming, difficult to handle, and may create their own mistakes. Following the introduction of CP on an internal medicine ward, we administered a questionnaire to evaluate physicians' opinions about the new system. The survey assessed computer literacy, ease of using CP, effects on time management, opinion of users regarding error prevention, and usefulness of the information provided. Opinions were generally favorable; most users felt that CP makes their work more accurate, reduces errors, is easy to learn and to use, and provides important and useful information. Physicians were most critical of equipment failure and drugs and dosages not included in the CP program, a result of rapid development of the system. Errors resulting from the use of CP were considered minimal. Comparison of physicians, with and without previous experience with computer work, as well as local and foreign graduates, revealed minor differences. But once physicians learn to work with a well-organized CP system and computerized work stations, they appreciate the order, safety and knowledge they provide.

Clinical Pharmacy Information Systems↗
PubMed2003

A national research agenda for the postsecondary education of deaf and hard of hearing students: a road map for the future.

This article describes converging nationwide changes in the postsecondary education of students with hearing loss during the past 30 years. Simultaneous trends in the economy, labor force, and business practices have magnified the need for literacy, postsecondary training, and career skills. These conditions stimulated institutional and professional activities that led to drafting a National Research Agenda report to guide development of federally funded research projects in postsecondary education. These studies will enhance better understanding of the complex interactions of diverse support services, learning-living environments, and student populations in a broad continuum of post-high school vocational and academic training programs. The conceptual framework of the Agenda is explained, as are its expected goals, criteria for research projects, benefits, and outcomes. This article interweaves the perspectives and roles of postsecondary and vocational rehabilitation professionals, federal officials, and researchers contributing to the preparation of the Agenda report. Relevant national research studies are cited and consumer involvement in research is emphasized.

Education of Persons with Hearing Disabilities↗
PubMed2000

Otitis media in childhood in relation to preschool language and school readiness skills among black children.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether otitis media with effusion (OME) and associated hearing loss (HL) during the first 5 years of life were related to children's language skills during the preschool years and to school readiness skills at entry to kindergarten. METHODS: In a prospective study, the ears of 85 black children primarily from low-income families and recruited from community-based childcare programs were repeatedly examined from 6 months to 5 years of age for the presence of OME and from 6 months to 4 years of age for HL when well and ill with OME. Assessments were made annually of the children's child-rearing environments at home and in childcare, and children's language skills between 3 and 5 years of age and readiness skills in literacy and math were evaluated at entry into kindergarten. RESULTS: Children had either bilateral or unilateral OME approximately 30.4% and HL 19.6% of the observation time. OME and associated HL were significantly positively correlated with some measures of expressive language at 3 and 4 years of age; however, these direct relationships were no longer significant when the child's gender, socioeconomic status, maternal educational level, and the responsiveness and support of the home and childcare environments were also considered. Further, both OME and HL were moderately correlated with school readiness skills at entry to school, with children having more OME scoring lower in verbal math problems and with children with more HL scoring lower in math and recognizing incomplete words. These associations continued to remain significant even after partialing out the child and family background factors. CONCLUSIONS: There was not a significant relationship between children's early OME history or HL and language skills during the preschool years. However, children with more frequent OME had lower scores on school readiness measures. These associations were moderate in degree, however, and the home environment was more strongly related to academic outcomes than was OME or HL. These results should be interpreted cautiously when generalizing to other populations.

Auditory Threshold↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Impact of health services, sanitation and literacy in the mortality of children under 5 years of age]].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze differences of the impact of health care services, sanitation and literacy on the mortality rates of children under five years of age, in two Mexican states with marked socioeconomic differences: Chiapas and Nuevo Leon. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study design was ecologic, based on a retrospective analysis of data published by the Health Ministry (Secretaría de Salud), National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Informatics (Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática) and the National Population Council (Consejo Nacional de Población), on the tendencies of mortality among children under five years and on the changes of selected indicators corresponding to the period 1990-1997. STUDY DESIGN: ecologic study. This was based on a retrospective analysis of data published by Secretaría de Salud, Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática and Consejo Nacional de Población, about the tendencies of mortality among children under five years, and about the changes of selected indicators. The analysis was carried out in the period comprised between 1990-1997. For both states the registered variations were calculated and the trends were determined through analysis of simple linear regression; the independent variable corresponded to the study years. Partial correlation analysis between the various mortality trends studies and between and the selected indicators, were calculated. RESULTS: During the studied period there was a steady decline of children mortality, which was more marked in Chiapas. In both entities, this decrease was closely related to the decline in mortality due to acute diarrhea, and also correlated with a descent in measles and acute respiratory infections. In Chiapas, the indicators which correlated more significantly with this decline in mortality were vaccination coverage and literacy. In Nuevo Leon, the indicators with greater correlation were the increase in the number of nurses, of lodgings with piped water and vaccination coverage. CONCLUSIONS: During the analyzed period, the mortality rate of children under five years of age decreased in the states of Chiapas and Nuevo Leon. To sustain or accelerate the decline in childhood mortality it is mandatory to continue with the currently implemented programs, and in Chiapas, and similar states, to increase the available infrastructure to provide health care.

Cause of Death↗
PubMedDate not supplied

An evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of mobile family planning services in Tunisia.

This report presents the results of a study conducted in Tunisia in 1986 to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the 63 mobile units managed by the Tunisian Office National de la Famille et de la Population (ONFP). In 1985 the units produced one-third of the ONFP's national program output, serving 868 service sites dispersed throughout the rural governorates of Tunisia. In some governorates the mobile units contributed as much as 74 percent of program output. Overall, in 1985, the units provided over 250,000 service visits, saw almost 25,000 new acceptors, and provided approximately 34,500 couple-years of contraceptive protection (CYPs). The median cost per visit was US$4.93 and the median cost per CYP (including tubal ligations) was US$18.66. Multivariate analysis is used to identify significant variables that explain variation in unit output; among these, literacy of the population, number of centers served by a unit, and frequency with which centers were served in a month were positively correlated with unit output. Specific recommendations are made on how to improve cost-effectiveness.

Contraception↗
PubMed2005

Health disparities: a barrier to high-quality care.

PURPOSE: Disparities in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and cancer among the sexes and racial groups and possible interventions are discussed. SUMMARY: The ongoing process to identify and reduce health disparities has engaged numerous federal agencies as they monitor the nation's progress toward policy-driven and health-related objectives. Cardiovascular disease disproportionately affects minority groups and is the leading cause of death among women in the United States, and both groups receive suboptimal care for the disease. Disparities in the treatment of diabetes mellitus in African Americans, women, patients with less than a high school education, and the elderly have been found. Many minority groups continue to suffer disproportionately from cancer. Racial disparities also exist in cancer screening and treatment. Minorities are underrepresented in clinical trials for multiple reasons, many of which may be related to cultural beliefs. At all levels of coinsurance, the poor are less likely to seek preventive care. Adherence to national screening and treatment guidelines, clinical trial recruitment and participation, addressing language and geographic barriers, and increasing access to insurance are part of the coordinated efforts required to reduce health disparities. Because pharmacists influence patients' health status directly through pharmaceutical care and indirectly by engaging patients in their treatment, it is essential for pharmacists to be able to provide culturally competent care. CONCLUSION: Despite significant efforts over the past several years, health disparities continue to exist, particularly among minority groups. Interventions aimed at eliminating these disparities should include ensuring cultural competence among health care providers and improving health literacy among patients.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1993

Single-switch computer access for infants and toddlers.

Computer access was studied with children between the ages of 6 months and 18 months with no known handicapping conditions. The research focused on determining at what age young children can access a computer using a single-switch system to run a simple cause-and-effect program. The sample consisted of 80 children divided into four groups (6 to 8 months, 9 to 11 months, 12 to 14 months, and 15 to 17 months). Results demonstrated that some children as young as 6 months of age could control a computer-based, cause-and-effect program using a single-switch access system. Therefore, professionals who work with children with disabilities may consider introducing computers to children at this age or to children who are functioning near this cognitive developmental level.

Association Learning↗
PubMed2000

Overcoming remoteness in CME videoteleconferencing: "I want my MD TV".

Videoteleconferencing in continuing medical education (CME) is here to stay. In the growing health care climate, with increased mergers of institutions and facilities, education's reliance on this medium promises to grow. This project summary describes one large metropolitan institution's effort to improve the commitment to, use in, and effectiveness of videoteleconferencing in its multisite delivery of CME programs. The institution is a nationally renowned interdisciplinary teaching and research hospital health center, with more than 1000 beds. The medical staff numbers more than 1100. The CME program, accredited by the Medical Society of the State of New York, sponsors more than 44 activities a year, awarding over 13,000 certified category 1 CME credits and serving a combined total of over 806 participating MDs and DOs. A study team comprised of the Medical Board Education Committee's Chair-director of CME, an adult education consultant-professor of adult education, and a visual literacy consultant undertook a year-long qualitative research project to explore issues, unearth dilemmas in practice, and generate recommendations for future policy and practice related to videoteleconferencing. The primary objective was to derive strategies for enhancing the educational effectiveness and community building potential of videoteleconferencing at the hospital-health center.

Computer Literacy↗
PubMed2005

Putting post-registration nursing students on-line: important lessons learned.

A web site and discussion forum to support a part time degree course for nurses was introduced not only to support student learning but also to encourage students to use and develop their IT skills. Previous cohorts had identified that health informatics skills needed to be addressed more explicitly throughout the programme. The aims of the project were to: (i) evaluate the use of the web site and discussion forum; (ii) determine the barriers to using the web site and discussion forum; (iii) identify ways of overcoming any barriers. The first aim was addressed by analysing web page hits and contributions to the discussion forum. Students' experiences of using the web site and the discussion forum were collected using a questionnaire and followed up by a focus group made up of high and low users of the discussion forum. Students who had accessed the web site most often felt they had been able to communicate with their peers (Spearman's rho, p < 0.01) and had gained peer support by accessing the web site (Spearman's rho, p > 0.05). None of the participants in this study had used a discussion forum before and whilst some students had the skills and confidence to contribute to the on-line discussions, others 'lurked' and some did not access the discussion facility at all. Strategies for improving the engagement and quality of on-line learning are proposed from the lessons learned during this study.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2005

Associate in science degree education programs: organization, structure, and curriculum.

After years of discussion, debate, and study, the respiratory care curriculum has evolved to a minimum of an associate degree for entry into practice. Although programs are at liberty to offer the entry-level or advanced level associate degree, most are at the advanced level. The most popular site for sponsorship of the associate degree in respiratory care is the community college. The basis for community college sponsorship seems to be its comprehensive curriculum, which focuses on a strong academic foundation in writing, communication, and the basic sciences as well as supporting a career-directed focus in respiratory care. Issues facing the community college are tied to literacy, outcomes, assessment, placement,cooperation with the community, partnerships with industry, and articulation arrangements with granting institutions granting baccalaureate degrees. Community colleges must produce a literate graduate capable of thriving in an information-saturated society. Assessment and placement will intensify as the laissez-faire attitudes toward attendance and allowing students to select courses without any accountability and evaluation of outcome become less acceptable. Students will be required to demonstrate steady progress toward established outcomes. Maintaining relations and cooperation with the local community and the health care industry will continue to be a prominent role for the community college. The challenge facing associate degree education in respiratory care at the community college level is the ability to continue to meet the needs of an expanding professional scope of practice and to provide a strong liberal arts or general education core curriculum. The needs for a more demanding and expanding respiratory care curriculum and for a rich general education core curriculum have led to increased interest in baccalaureate and graduate degree education. The value of associate degree education at the community college level is well established. It is affordable, accessible, and responsive to the local health care industry it serves. It is likely to enjoy acceptance and popularity until its curricular limitations and time constraints no longer allow it to meet the needs of the respiratory care profession.

Allied Health Personnel↗
PubMed1997

Preteenage drug use in Australia: the key predictors and school-based drug education.

PURPOSE: The promise that early intervention school-based drug education is it will have public health benefits. This argument was explored through identifying the key predictors of early adolescent social drug use. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey involving 3,019 6th year students, aged 11-12 years (participation rate: 99%), enrolled in 86 Melbourne primary schools was carried out to determine students' social drug use. In addition data were collected on known key social, personal, and education predictors. Logistic regression was used to identify significant predictors of drug experimentation and use. RESULTS: The key predictors of girls' tobacco use were friends' smoking (OR: 6.7), low literacy (OR: 4.4), and alcohol use (OR: 3.9). For boys they were friends' smoking (OR: 8.6), low literacy (OR: 4.2), and alcohol use (OR: 3.1). For alcohol use, the key predictors for girls were smoking (OR: 4.2), parents' drinking (OR: 3.9), and friends' drinking (OR: 3.8). For boys they were friends' drinking (OR: 3.3), smoking (O: 2.8), and poor literacy (OR: 2.6). Regarding analgesic use, for girls the key predictors were alcohol use (OR: 3.3), analgesic self-administration (OR: 2.4), and parents' drinking or working as tradespersons/laborers (OR: 1.7, respectively). For boys they were analgesic self-administration (OR: 2.5), drinking (OR: 1.9), smoking (OR: 1.7). CONCLUSIONS: The key predictors of social drug use--which suggests multiple recruitment pathways--were all outside the ambit of drug education programs. The impact of education on recruitment to drug use or experimentation among the young is therefore likely to be slight.

Australia↗
PubMed2006

Evaluation of an application for making palmtop computers accessible to individuals with intellectual disabilities.

BACKGROUND: Palmtop computers provide a promising mobile platform to address barriers to computer-based supports for people with intellectual disabilities. This study evaluated a specially designed interface to make navigation and features of palmtop computers more accessible to users with intellectual disabilities. METHOD: The specialised cognitively accessible interface was compared with a standard Windows CE interface. Participants completed a structured set of navigation/computer use tasks using both the experimental and control conditions. Measurements included the amount of assistance needed and errors made in completing the navigation/computer use tasks. RESULTS: Participants (N = 32) made significantly fewer errors (p<.001) and required significantly fewer prompts (p<.001) while using the specialised software interface compared to the mainstream Windows interface. CONCLUSIONS: The research demonstrates the feasibility of using special software design methods, such as linear program flows, error minimisation and the incorporation of repetition and consistency, to improve access to palmtop computers for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Issues related to designing cognitively accessible interfaces are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Audio computerized self-report interview use in prenatal clinics: audio computer-assisted self interview with touch screen to detect alcohol consumption in pregnant women: application of a new technology to an old problem.

Computer interviewing to obtain sensitive information is not a new concept. However, concerns about the acceptance of computers in disadvantaged populations with potentially low literacy led us to combine audio- and touch-screen technologies with an audio computerized self-report interview to obtain information about alcohol use. This study evaluated acceptance and ease of use by a disadvantaged population of pregnant women in the District of Columbia. Patients attending an initial visit at prenatal clinics answered questions anonymously about their consumption of alcoholic beverages and other personal information. The questionnaire was programmed on a laptop computer. The computer administered the recorded questions via earphones, as well as displayed them on the screen, and patients answered by touching the computer screen. Results were immediately available. A total of 507 women were interviewed, who were primarily African American, non-Hispanic, and never married. Nearly 24% did not complete a high school education, 43% were unemployed, and 30% received public assistance. Most of the women (59%) used computers occasionally (a few days a month) or never. Nearly all patients (96%) reported that the computer was not difficult to use, and approximately 90% liked answering the questions by computer. The study demonstrates that using computers to screen for alcohol use in disadvantaged pregnant populations is feasible and acceptable to the patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Analysing qualitative research data using computer software.

An increasing number of clinical nurses are choosing to undertake qualitative research. A number of computer software packages are available designed for the management and analysis of qualitative data. However, while it is claimed that the use of these programs is also increasing, this claim is not supported by a search of recent publications. This paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of using computer software packages to manage and analyse qualitative data.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1993

Basics of computer hardware and software.

The basics of computer hardware and software are presented. A computer is a general-purpose electronic counting device used in data processing because of its accuracy and high speed. The physical components of a computer system are called the hardware, which includes the central processing unit and peripheral equipment for data input, output, and storage. Computer capacity is measured by the amount of data that can be stored in main memory and by the computer word size. Performance is indicated by the speed with which instructions are executed. Input devices (e.g., keyboard-type terminals) are the components that accept raw data and convert it into electronic form, and output devices (e.g., video display terminals) present the results of data processing in human-readable form. System software is the set of instructions that facilitate hardware use and allow the application software, which solves specific user problems, to run efficiently. System and application software is written by using various machine and symbolic languages. Milestones in software-development techniques include program subroutine use, modular programming, functional decomposition, structured programming, and structured analysis. Objectives in improving software quality are reducing development costs, making maintenance easier, and making development results more predictable. Because software development has lagged behind revolutionary advances in hardware, the full potential of computers has yet to be realized.

Computer Literacy↗