I just got the following email from my instructor regarding
my first assignment for this course:
NU 501, Nursing Informatics, Assignment 1, Grade A. You did an excellent job with Assignment 1! You demonstrated that you could surf the web and find some interesting web sites. You were able to use criteria to evaluate the web sites logically and clearly. The web sites you found were very informative and I could see where they would be useful in your practice. You were very thorough and I enjoyed reading about the sites you chose. You did a great job posting your favorite website to the discussion board.
And, just for posterity's sake, here's what I posted to the course discussion board:
Hi.
The site I most highly recommend after completing the first unit of this course is DailyKos.
Now, this is not a site that made it into my list of 5 that came through on my search (which, for what it's worth, was based on using Google and the search term 'nursing care end of life'). You can take a look at my grad school stuff blog some time after today to find out more about the assignment I just submitted for this unit.
I recommend DailyKos because it's a terrific example of a vibrant and informative online community, and an example of what's possible through the thoughtful application of information technology (I loathe the term 'nursing informatics,' but that's a topic for another day).
I've been an active member of the DailyKos community for over five years, so I'm basing my recommendation on what the site has meant to me.
I'm not going to spend too much time or detail describing why I recommend this site to you, though I'm very happy to try answering any questions anybody might have.
Since our shared interest is the broad subject of health care, and health care systems, I will point out just a few of the authors (they're actually called 'diarists,' and the pieces they write are called 'diaries') who I've found are particularly well-informed, and informative, regarding health care and health policy:
Joan McCarter, writing as mcjoan, provides consistently crisp analysis of the ongoing debate on health system reform
A primary care physician in Connecticut, writing as DemFromCT, does the same. He also contributes a health care news digest each Tuesday and Saturday that I include in my list of essential reading.
A 27-year old deaf woman who writes under the screen name slinkerwink is one of the most passionate advocates for health system reform, and one of the most energetic activists I've ever met on any subject.
Anywhoozle, that's my two cents for the moment. Thanks for reading through to this point.
Cheers, Jerry
One assignment down, four more to go for the course. Once this course is done, just thirteen left for that credential declaring me a master.
Go, Weasels!
