Hello everyone! This week I will be discussing resources. It can be difficult to find what sources are credible on the internet, but it is doable. Charles encountered a new condition that he doesn't really remember, only from nursing school. He researched information on how to treat, administer, and assess the patient safely by using resources from the internet that included clinical databases and school textbooks. There are a few questions that will be answered below.
- What should Charles do when he encounters direct contradictions in information from two sources?
- If this happens Charles should continue to do more research and find resources that are peer-reviewed and have been studied/applied using evidence. Comparing sources can help him to determine similarities and differences in his findings. He can go to library websites and read through journals and articles to find the answers he is looking for. In doing this, it can also lead to more knowledge on the topics he is researching.
- Which resources are the most trusted, and how do you determine this?
- The sites that are most trusted are those sponsored by the U.S. government, not-for-profit health or medical organizations, and university medical centers. To determine this one can look at the 'About Us' section. There is also a red and blue "HONcode" seal at the bottom of the page (excluding government sponsored health sites) that determines the credibility of the website.
- Which sources are the most accurate, and how do you determine this?
- As mentioned above the most trusted sites are also the most accurate. Other examples of these sources include peer-reviewed journals and reputable news sources. An important aspect to look at is if the citations reference other work that is well-cited. Also looking at the author and recognizing that they are an expert in their field can also help to determine the accuracy of the source.
- What criteria should Charles use to identify credible resources to enhance his clinical practice?
- There are five criteria that can be looked at:
- Accuracy
- This determines how reliable a source is and free from error. Who is hosting the site?
- Authority
- Examine information about the author. Are there references? Can you contact the author?
- Objectivity
- Are there advertisements? Is there bias to the content being supplied?
- Currency
- When was the last time the page was updated? Are there broken links on the site?
- Coverage
- Compare the website to other sources to determine the accuracy of the information being presented.
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