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At least 667 records · Page 37Linked to original sources
PubMed2005

Teaching with the Nightingale Tracker technology in community-based nursing education: a pilot study.

Changes in health care delivery are becoming increasingly focused on technology. Nursing students are often expected to travel long distances to suitable community sites for clinical experiences, which challenges nurse educators to design and implement instructional strategies to provide students with optimal clinical practice opportunities, while maintaining preceptor-student supervision and vital communication links. This article reports a pilot evaluation of the Nightingale Tracker system, which included both a server and an innovative, hand-held device designed to accommodate multiple forms of data input and allow timely communication between clinical faculty and students in community-based clinical settings. A sample of 5 nursing students reported that the Nightingale Tracker enhanced learning, particularly in performing and documenting physical assessments, data input and transmissions, and autonomous clinical practice.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

An assessment by nurses and mothers of a 'Road-to-Health' Book in the Western Cape.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate English, Afrikaans, and Xhosa mother-retained 'Road-to-Health Book' (RTH book) for children, and an electronic calculator. DESIGN: Researchers D Harrison (DH) and H Harker (HH) informed clinic staff about the contents and significance of the RTH book. They requested nurses to use this book in conjunction with the Road-to-Health Card and to issue and explain its use to every visiting client. The use of an electronic calculator that plotted horizontal centile and Z-score charts was demonstrated and explained. To determine the relevance of the book and the electronic calculator, nurses involved in the study for 6 months were given three standardised descriptive questionnaires with 'yes', 'no' and 'don't know' responses. Clients were traced and interviewed by the researchers after 6 - 12 months to obtain their views on the book. SETTING: Clinics that provided children with healthcare in 24 locations in the Western Cape Province participated in the study. The children lived in informal settlements, in low-, middle- and high-income residential areas, and on farms in the Cape Town, Stellenbosch, and Paarl regions. SUBJECTS: One hundred and fourteen nurses were enrolled in the study as well as 581 clients to whom the RTH book was issued. OUTCOME MEASURES: The use of and comments on the RTH book by nurses and clients were based on analysis of the questionnaires. RESULTS: The majority of nurses (81.6%) and clients (96%) found the RTH book useful. The horizontal and Z-score growth charts and electronic calculator were less acceptable because their use was time-consuming and less well understood. CONCLUSION: The RTH book with appropriate modifications should be issued to clients in place of the current Road-to-Health card and educational material.

Attitude↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Improving dietary self-monitoring and adherence with hand-held computers: a pilot study.

PURPOSE: Innovations in information technology offer new opportunities for creative application of personalized, tailored feedback strategies for improving dietary adherence. We developed and tested a real-time diet-monitoring and feedback system using hand-held computers. The goals were to increase diet self-monitoring, reduce the burden of monitoring food intake, and increase adherence to dietary goals within a clinical trial. METHODS: Participants were 33 women in the Diet Modification arm of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI). After using focus groups to determine system features, women used the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)-based system for 1 month and received immediate and weekly tailored feedback. The process and outcomes were evaluated using real-time food records collected through the PDAs; surveys; and self-reported food frequency questionnaires. RESULTS: Participants significantly increased self-monitoring, improved their attitudes toward self-monitoring, and met their dietary goals more often. Reported total fat intake and percent energy from fat decreased significantly. There was a modest decrease in mean caloric intake. DISCUSSION: The pilot study findings support the largely untapped potential of hand-held computers for improving diet monitoring and diet adherence, particularly within a clinical trial.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Professional monitoring and critical incident reporting using personal digital assistants.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the practicality of using personal digital assistants (PDAs) for the collection of logbook data, procedural performance data and critical incident reports in anaesthetic trainees. DESIGN: Pilot study. SETTING: Two tertiary referral centres (in Victoria and New Zealand) and a large district hospital in Queensland. PARTICIPANTS: Six accredited Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) registrars and their ANZCA training supervisors. INTERVENTIONS: Registrars and supervisors underwent initial training for one hour, and supervisors were provided with ongoing support. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Reliable use of the program, average time for data entry and number of procedures logged. RESULTS: ANZCA trainees reliably enter data into PDAs. The data can be transferred to a central database, where they can be remotely analysed before results are fed back to trainees. CONCLUSIONS: This technology can be used to monitor professional performance in ANZCA trainees.

Anesthesia↗
PubMed2002

Hand-held computers in healthcare: what software programs are available?

The technology sector of healthcare is entering a new evolutionary phase. The medical community has an obligation to the public to provide the safest, most effective healthcare possible. This is more achievable with the use of computer technology at the point of care, and small, portable devices could fulfil this role. A PriceWaterhouse Coopers 2001 survey on information technology in physician practices found that 60% of respondents say that physicians in their organisation use personal digital assistants (PDAs), compared with 26% in the 2000 technology survey. This trend is expected to continue to the point where these devices will have their position on a physician s desk next to the stethoscope. Once this electronic evolution occurs, doctors will be able to practice medicine with greater ease and safety. In our opinion, the new generation of PDA mobile devices will be the tools to enable a transformation of healthcare to a paperless, wireless world. This article focuses on uses of PDAs in healthcare, whether by the registrar, consultant, nurse, student, teacher, patient, medical or surgical director. Current PDA healthcare software is categorised and discussed in the following five groups: 1) reference/text book; 2) calculator; 3) patient management/logbook; 4) personal clinical/study notebook; 5) utility software.

Computer-Assisted Instruction↗
PubMed2002

Surgical procedure logging with use of a hand-held computer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of incorporating hand-held computing technology in a surgical residency program, by means of hand-held devices for surgical procedure logging linked through the Internet to a central database. SETTING: Division of General Surgery, University of Toronto. DESIGN: A survey of general surgery residents. METHODS: The 69 residents in the general surgery training program received hand-held computers with preinstalled medical programs and a program designed for surgical procedure logging. Procedural data were uploaded via the Internet to a central database. Survey data were collected regarding previous computer use as well as previous procedure logging methods. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Utilization of the procedure logging system. RESULTS: After a 5-month pilot period, 38% of surgical residents were using the procedure-logging program successfully and on a regular basis. Program use was higher among more junior trainees. Analysis of the database provided valuable information on individual trainees, hospital programs and supervising surgeons, data that would assist in program development. CONCLUSIONS: Hand-held devices can be implemented in a large division of general surgery to provide a reference database and a procedure-logging platform. However, user acceptance is not uniform and continued training and support are necessary to increase acceptance. The procedure database provides important information for optimizing trainees' educational experience.

Attitude to Computers↗
PubMed2002

PDAs help nurses improve care and save time.

If physicians can benefit from using PDAs, then why can't nurses? Technology enables targeting of diabetes patients requiring rapid intervention. Using devices can save nurses nearly two hours a day.

Computers, Handheld↗
PubMed2002

Going mobile.

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Ambulances↗