The Status And Module Design Of Presence Of Nursing Information On Grade-a Tertiary Hospital Web Sites

【Objectives】To investigate the current status of nursing information services on the hospital web sites in China; To compare the current status of nursing information services on the hospital web sites across 5 countries; To design the module of presence of nursing information on hospital web sites and provide empirical reference for the development of nursing information services in our country.【Methods】To investigate the current status of nursing information, objective sampling was employed to select seventy grade-A tertiary hospitals in China and fifty hospitals from five countries, namely USA, UK, Australia, China, and South Africa. The method of webmetrics was used to quantitatively analyze and describe the contents, characteristics and user's behaviors of nursing information on the selected hospital web sites. Dephi method was used to design the module of presence of nursing information on hospital web sites. The module was consulted by 18 experts through email or letter, who were expertise in nursing administration, nursing education, clinic nursing and hospital service information management.【Results】(1) Nursing-related information could be found on 41 (58.6%) hospital web sites. The data was not updated timely, and the click frequency was low. The contents were far of abundant and the presentation rates were under 25.0% except the contents of introduction to nursing and nursing news; (2) All the web sites investigated in USA, Australia and UK contained nursing-related information. Nursing information was found in seven (70%) web sites in China, and three web sites (30%) in South Africa. Nursing information on web sites in UK (53 scores), China (31 scores) and South Africa (3 scores) was rated"minimally present". USA (92 scores) and Australia (83 scores) were in the category of"somewhat present". The most frequently presented information was nursing education, nursing research and nursing news in China. Clinical nursing and nursing employment were also included in USA and Australia; (3) The module of presence of nursing information on hospital web sites designed with Dephi method was composed of 11 first-grade indexes (nursing homepage, general information of nursing in the hospital, nursing administration, clinic nursing, nursing education, nursing research, the art of nursing, nursing culture, nursing news, essential link, guestbook) and 52 second-grade indexes.【Conclusions】(1) In China, nursing-related information on grade-A tertiary hospital web sites were insufficient. Nursing administrators should pay close attention to the deficiency of nursing information on hospital web sites and take actions to promote the development of nursing information services; (2) The nursing-related information on the hospital web sites was insufficient across 5 countries. Nursing administrators should pay close attention to the deficiency of nursing information on hospital web sites. And nursing leaders in our country should draw on the experience of other countries to promote the development of nursing information services; (3) The module of presence of nursing information on hospital web sites designed with Dephi method was scientific and reliable, which could be best to show the nursing image. It could be used to guide the presence of nursing information on hospital web sites.