New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) has an app for the iPad or iPhone - NEJM This Week. The app is free and includes numerous articles, images with interpretation, audio summaries of articles, and video tutorials. The articles are on a variety of topics. As an example, this week there are articles on implementation of healthcare reform in California, accountable care organizations, and a case study of a 9-month child with liver failure. Examples of videos include blood pressure measurement, chest-tube insertion, and paracentesis. The videos are pertinent to medical and nursing students. The quality of the videos is excellent!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
Holistic Care Issues
Interesting article - "Mystery Patients Help Uncover Medical Errors at http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-07-19/health/ct-met-mystery-patient-20100719_1_mystery-patients-medical-errors-physicians
Bottom line - explains that socioeconomic factors must be considered when assessing patient problems. Although the article addresses physicians, the topic is certainly applicable to nursing.
Bottom line - explains that socioeconomic factors must be considered when assessing patient problems. Although the article addresses physicians, the topic is certainly applicable to nursing.
Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows and Mac Computers
Keyboard shortcuts can save lots of time! Sure you can use the right-click menu or use the application menu, but that entails using the mouse.
Information about common keyboard shortcuts will be included in the 4th edition of Informatics & Nursing: Competencies and Applications.
To learn more about keyboard shortcuts for Windows 7, go to
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Keyboard-shortcuts
To learn more about keyboard shortcuts for the Mac OS X, go to http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1343
The shortcuts in the websites above are very generic to other versions of the operating system. Many of the shortcuts for Windows and the Mac are virtually the same. Try it. On the Mac use the Command key instead of the Control key. For example, to copy text on a Windows computer, use Control C; on the Mac computer, use Command C.
Information about common keyboard shortcuts will be included in the 4th edition of Informatics & Nursing: Competencies and Applications.
To learn more about keyboard shortcuts for Windows 7, go to
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Keyboard-shortcuts
To learn more about keyboard shortcuts for the Mac OS X, go to http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1343
The shortcuts in the websites above are very generic to other versions of the operating system. Many of the shortcuts for Windows and the Mac are virtually the same. Try it. On the Mac use the Command key instead of the Control key. For example, to copy text on a Windows computer, use Control C; on the Mac computer, use Command C.
Loaning/borrowing a Kindle eBook
Amazon allows users to loan ebooks now. You can read more from http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_200549320_receive?nodeId=200549320&#receive
From what I understand - the public library can be the lenderer or any one of us can loan our ebooks. If I loan one of my ebooks, I will not be able to read it when the book is checked out. The loan period is two weeks. During that time, the borrower can "mark up" the book, but that will not be available to the lenderer when the book is returned. The ebook can be loaned to a person only one time. The second time, the borrower will be required to purchase the book.
Wow! What a terrific idea!
From what I understand - the public library can be the lenderer or any one of us can loan our ebooks. If I loan one of my ebooks, I will not be able to read it when the book is checked out. The loan period is two weeks. During that time, the borrower can "mark up" the book, but that will not be available to the lenderer when the book is returned. The ebook can be loaned to a person only one time. The second time, the borrower will be required to purchase the book.
Wow! What a terrific idea!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Free Credit Card Bar Code Reader for Payment
If you have ever visited a large Apple store - like the one in San Francisco, you have probably experienced a salesperson who comes to you, offers to assist you, and then completes the payment transaction - where you are standing in the store (as opposed to going to a cash register). Well, the Square (https://squareup.com/), a free credit card bar code reader provides that ability to anyone. Yes, it is FREE and soon should be available for pickup at any Apple store. The Square works with the iPhone, iPad, and Androids.
Square charges the customer 2.75% per swipe. It should be a huge assistance to small store owners who have traditionally had to purchase equipment. Most of us the the US are dependent upon the use of "plastic" for purchases, rather than cash - so it is helpful to the consumer, too.
Overall, the Square is an interesting concept to explore and follow.
Square charges the customer 2.75% per swipe. It should be a huge assistance to small store owners who have traditionally had to purchase equipment. Most of us the the US are dependent upon the use of "plastic" for purchases, rather than cash - so it is helpful to the consumer, too.
Overall, the Square is an interesting concept to explore and follow.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Team Viewer - Another App to Share a Computer Desktop
Team Viewer is an app that works just like Join.me. It allows desktop sharing between a laptop/desktop and an iPad. The non-commercial version of the app is free. The shared desktop must be the laptop or desktop with Team Viewer software installed. After opening the app, the user of the desktop/laptop is provided a login and password. That information is shared with the remote user. Just like Join.me, the remote user can control the computer of the person who initiated the session.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
eBooks & eBook Readers
I attended a wonderful presentation about eBooks by a GC student, Emily Chamison, on Friday. As a result, I plan to write several blogs about eBooks.
Emily shared an eBook that she had written with us. You can download her eBook, Making eBooks, from the Georgia College podcasting server at http://podcasting.usg.edu/4dcgi/podcasting/gcsu/episodes/95/15538.epub
This will serve to update earlier blogs on eBooks. Below is a listing of common questions you may have about eBooks.
What eBook readers are available for laptop and desktop computers?
Emily shared an eBook that she had written with us. You can download her eBook, Making eBooks, from the Georgia College podcasting server at http://podcasting.usg.edu/4dcgi/podcasting/gcsu/episodes/95/15538.epub
This will serve to update earlier blogs on eBooks. Below is a listing of common questions you may have about eBooks.
What eBook readers are available for laptop and desktop computers?
- Adobe - Digital Editions (http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/)
- Calibre (http://calibre-ebook.com/)
- Kobo (http://www.kobobooks.com/desktop )
- FB Reader (http://www.fbreader.org/downloads.php)
- IBIS Reader (http://ibisreader.com/ )
- Google Books (http://books.google.com/ebooks)
- Monocle Books (http://monocle.inventivelabs.com.au/)
- EpubReader (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/epubreader/ ) Note: EPUBReader is an add-on for the Firefox web browser.
- iBooks (Apple mobile devices)
- Kobo
- Kindle (access to Amazon books)
- Nook (access to Barnes & Noble books)
- Google Books
- eBooks are often less expensive that paper books.
- Mobile devices make reading so easy! Turn the pages by swiping the screen.
- Depending upon the eBook reader, you can change the font type and size, write notes, and bookmark pages. When you open an eBook that you are reading, you are automatically returned to where you left off.
- You do not have to be "online" to read an eBook. You only have to be online to download an eBook.
- Many rare and historical books are not available at most libraries; however, they can be downloaded as eBooks. Examples include books written by Florence Nightingale and Isabel Hampton Robb.
- The really great eBooks do not mimic printed books, instead they incorporate multimedia. Examples include video, images, and audio.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
How Much is in a Byte?
The size of files and storage devicesis sometimes confusing. How much is in a byte, megabyte, other? The website, How Much Data is That, at http://www.focus.com/images/view/52784/ may be hlepful by providing a visual comparison.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Catheter Related Bloodstream Infection Prevention Update
The CDC issued updated guidelines for prevention catheter related bloodstream infections at http://www.cdc.gov/hicpac/pdf/guidelines/bsi-guidelines-2011.pdf
This is an important document for all healthcare providers who work with patients who have indwelling bloodstream catheters.
This is an important document for all healthcare providers who work with patients who have indwelling bloodstream catheters.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Map Projector with Google Maps
Map Projector with Google Maps is a $1.99 app for the iPad that allows you to create live maps and satellite imagery on the iPad. You have the option of dropping colors "pins" on the map and adding descriptions. The finished maps can be projected to a television or displayed to a screen with a projector. Wow! I can see so many potential uses for the app. It could be used in an online class to display where students and faculty are located. It could also be used to depict disease outbreaks in an epidemiology class. The maps can also be saved as a graphic and used on the design on course lesson. Just let you imagination go on with other ideas...
An example of a map created with the app is below.
An example of a map created with the app is below.
Learning Using Comic Strip Methods
Last weekend I heard a wonderful presentation that discussed the use of Comic Strip CS (http://yourcomicstrip.com/), an app for the iPad and iPhone. The app has won several awards. It costs $0.99.
This app allows the user to create their own "comic strip" using images in their photo library. It includes templates, bubbles, etc. In the teaching learning context, it could be used by students to depict course learning information. It stimulates creativity and has the potential to make learning fun and interesting.
To read some reviews, go to http://appshopper.com/photography/comicstrip-cs
The example show above came from http://www.appsmenow.com/app_page/10035-ComicStrip_-_CS
This app allows the user to create their own "comic strip" using images in their photo library. It includes templates, bubbles, etc. In the teaching learning context, it could be used by students to depict course learning information. It stimulates creativity and has the potential to make learning fun and interesting.
To read some reviews, go to http://appshopper.com/photography/comicstrip-cs
Facebook Privacy Guide
PC World published a wonderful article about Facebook and privacy settings in the February 2011 issue. The title of the article is "The Paranoid's Guide to Facebook" and it is available online at http://www.pcworld.com/article/210859/the_paranoids_guide_to_facebook.html
As noted in the article, over 1/2 BILLION people worldwide are using Facebook. In my interviews with faculty worldwide about global e-learning and the Internet - Facebook is commonly mentioned.
Read the article if you want simple, but helpful information on the following:
As noted in the article, over 1/2 BILLION people worldwide are using Facebook. In my interviews with faculty worldwide about global e-learning and the Internet - Facebook is commonly mentioned.
Read the article if you want simple, but helpful information on the following:
- Disabling Facebook places
- Controlling items posted to your profile
- Hiding your app activity
- Disabling Facebook apps
- Controlling what your friends reveal
- Deleting your Facebook account
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