Apple Media Event and the Possible Unveiling of the iPad3

All of my technology websites including MacWorld are reporting that Apple has set a media event for March 7th at 10 AM - Pacific Standard Time.  Like many of my colleagues - I am hoping that we will see the introduction of the iPad3.  The steering committee for the Georgia College ePublishing Faculty Development Workshop want to use the iPad3 for the development of iTextbooks.

Skype vs Oovoo for Video Conferencing

When reviewing an article about how cell phone preferences are changing from Blackberry to iPhone and Android in Washington DC, I noted that there was an increasing demand for the use of Skype and Oovoo video conferencing apps.  The article noted that Blackberry is great for text-based messaging, but many of us prefer audio and video.  The article sparked my interest to compare Skype (which I have used for years) with Oovoo.  A brief comparison of what the two apps have in common is noted below. Both:

• Have a free version
• Allow video conferencing
• Can be used with Macs, PCs, the iPad, and mobile phones

That is about where the similarities end. The free version of Oovoo also allows users to record and send video messages to friends with video calls or emails.  With Oovoo, you can send files up to 5 MB in size. You can also embed a video chat room in a website and do 6-way HD video conferencing with the free version.

Using Skype, you now can do desktop sharing (such as I use with http://join.me) with one person with the free version.  Oovoo allows that feature only with their premium version. 

Like Skype, Oovoo has the potential to enhance the teaching/learning experience when working online.  There was a comment by a voice music teacher for a blog comparing the two apps, noting that her students preferred Oovoo. I will have to experiment with the stability of a 6-way video conferencing call.  It certainly opens new opportunities for web conferencing.

iBook Author Support

Apple has a great support site for iBooks Author at http://www.apple.com/support/ibooksauthor/getstarted/
I continue to research resources on iBooks Author as we prepare for a Faculty Development Workshop at Georgia College. 

Free eTextbook on iBooks Author

O'Reilly is offering a free textbook on iBooks author at http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920025597.do 
It includes chapters on all of the different functions for iBooks Author software.  There are lots of screenshots and helpful discussions.  Enjoy!

Needs of Primarily Spanish-Speaking Patients - Free Research Report

Tracy notified me of the following resource.  The Beryl Institute is offering a free research report, Measuring, Assessing and Meeting the Needs of Primarily Spanish-Speaking Patients in the Hospital. According to the website: "

This study assessed the language needs of a patient population to determine if there was a need for patient surveys in languages other than English. Data and trends from surveys of non-English speaking patients were studied to judge efficacy and equality of services. Changes were implemented based on the data analysis.

 

This report is based on research conducted at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare in Tallahassee, Florida.  It was supported in part by The Beryl Institute's Patient Experience Grant Program."

Free Webinar on HIE's

The Institute for Health Technology Transformation (IHT) is offering a free webinar, Kindling the Fire: How CIHIE is Building Interest, Understanding & Support for HIE in Central Illinois.  To register, go to http://ihealthtran.com/blast309.html

Speaker:

Joy Duling, Interim Executive Director, Central Illinois Health Information Exchange (CIHIE)

Date: April 3, 2012
Time: 1:00pm – 2:00pm EST

Catheter Associated Blood Stream Infections - Now in Hospital Compare

The Hospital Compare website now includes data on central line catheter bloodstream infection rates.
As an example, I compared the infection rates for three hospitals in central Georgia. Only two hospitals had enough cases to report and both had infection rates lower that the average in other Georgia hospitals.

An example of the a comparative graph for the infection rates is noted below.

If you have read some of my earlier blogs, you will realize that central line catheter associated blood stream infections are one of my patient safety concerns. Tom, my late husband, had two episodes of sepsis after hospital visits.  It is one thing to have a terminal condition and yet another to have your life threatened by careless healthcare providers. Fortunately, the CDC has guidelines for prevention. Prevention of safety concerns requires a CULTURE of safety.  The CDC also has guidelines designed for patients and families on the topic.

Informatics and Nursing Website Supported by the Authors

Linda and I are so fortunate to have the 4th edition of the Informatics and Nursing textbook supplemented by the resources on Lippincott's ThePoint website at http://thepoint.lww.com/

A screenshot of the textbook available resources is noted below.

As noted in earlier blogs, Linda maintains a website to support every chapter in the textbook.  A screenshot example is noted for Chapter 6 on word processing below.  

ThePoint resources are password protected but the resources from the site that Linda maintains are available to everyone.  Enjoy!

Lion OS X on the Mac

When reviewing MacWorld this morning, I read an article about a new Mac OS that is expected to be released sometime this summer - Mountain Lion.  That prompted me to think about the fact that my Mac OS was just upgraded to Lion a few weeks ago (so that I can use iBooks Author), but I had not explored the features.

OMG - I had overlooked some of the wonderful features of Lion!  Jason Snell wrote a great article for MacWorld summarizing the features in Lion a few months ago.  I realized that I was not taking full advantage of gesturing on the mouse pad.  Below is a YouTube video on Lion.  YouTube has a few other great videos that show Lion OS X features, such as http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mes132HsjVE

MERLOT Winter 2012 Issue Newsletter Posted

The MERLOT Grapevine, a quarterly newsletter, is now available.  It has information about the 2012  5th Annual International Symposium for Emerging Technologies for Online Learning , an announcement of a new editor for JOLT (the MERLOT journal), MERLOT Content Builder, and more.  It is a great resource if you are interested in online learning.

Transferring iRecorder Audio Files

iRecorder is an awesome app that records audio.  Kendra and I have used it several times to record audio from focus groups. My problem (emphasis on me) was that I could not figure out a way to transfer the files from the iPad.  After some persistence today - I figured it out!  YEA!!!

It was especially great because we had recorded a 1 hour focus group earlier this month and I really wanted to have a backup of the recording and a way to give the file to Kendra to create a transcript without giving her the iPad.

The screen shot below shows how File Sharing appears in iTunes.  Click in the box on the left and scroll to see the app with associated files that can be shared.  As you can see, there are numerous apps with associated files that can be shared.

It is possible that the new version of iTunes was a part of the solution.  Anyway, the "fix" pertains to all apps that use iTunes File Sharing.  In iTunes, click on the Apps menu.  Scroll down to see File Sharing.  Click on the app with files that you want to export.  I was able to export the 96 MB file to Dropbox and then transfer the file from Dropbox to the Mac laptop.  An iRecorder file has a .caf file format which can be opened with Apple QuickTime.

SyncYour iPhone and/or iPad Using Wi-Fi

Somehow I did not know that I could sync my iPad or iPhone using Wi-Fi until today! A WiFi sync is so convenient!  To do set up iTunes for a Wi-Fi sync:

• Connect the iPhone or iPad using the USB cable.  
• When the device shows up in iTunes, place a check mark next to Enable Wi-Fi Sync
• Disconnect the USB cable
• On your mobile device, go to Settings > General > iTunes Wi-Fi Sync
• Click the Sync Now button

It is as easy as that!

Readability Statistics in Microsoft Word

As healthcare providers, we often select or develop patient education resources. The problem is that we might not appreciate that what we understand is not the same as the patients/clients we serve.  According to the literature, patient education literature should be written at the 5th or 6th grade reading level.  The good news is that Microsoft Word allows us to view readability statistics, but the feature is turned off by default. 

To enable readability statistics, go to File (2010) or the Office icon (2007) > Options > Proofing.  Place a check mark by"show readability statistics."

Go to the Review ribbon menu and run Spelling & Grammar Check.  The readability statistics will appear after the spelling/grammar check is completed.  After you make edits to improve readability, to back to File > Options > Proofing and click on the Recheck Document button.

Quick tip:  To create documents with 5th or 6th grade reading level:

• Use 1-2 syllable words
• Use bullets when possible
• Use short sentences when bullets are not possible
• Avoid the use of paragraphs

Remember that ease of reading does not mean that the information is written for children; it means simply that is easy to read!

Instagram - Share Your Life with Photos

Instagram is a free app (yes, always looking for great free apps) that allows you to take a photo with your cell phone or iPad.  The photo can be modified with a variety of digital filters and then shared with the world using Twitter, Flickr or Facebook. You can use a geotag to provide a map where the photo was taken.If you are a photography buff you can have followers or be "followed." To use the app, all that is required is a user name and password.


I can see some implications for education, for example, using the photos to create a "cookie trail" for a treasure hunt.  The software allows for learners to "tell their story" and has the potential of sparking curiosity on a topic.Instagram is fun and easy app to use!

Want to use Twitter? Shorten that URL

If you use Twitter to share links, you will find that shortening the URL of a website is very helpful.  Shortened URLs are very helpful for other reasons, too - for example, when designing an online lesson or sharing a link in email.


Websites that provide the service are very easy to use.  Copy and paste the long URL to obtain a short one. A few websites that provide that service are noted below.  Did I miss your favorite site?  Please share others :-)

• http://goo.gl/ 
• https://bitly.com/ 
• http://delivr.com/ (will also create a QR code for the URL)
• http://tinyurl.ms/
• http://ow.ly/url/shorten-url 
• http://cli.gs/  

QR codes have so many uses! Because marketers often use them, some sites require a registration and/or small fees for the service.  Some of the sites also include analytics.  The sites listed above are all free.

Informatics and Nursing 4th Edition Website

Linda has posted the website to support the 4th edition of the textbook, Informatics and Nursing:  Opportunities and Challenges at http://dlthede.net/Informatics/Informatics.html .  User will find all of the links from the textbook plus additional resources to support each chapter. 

She has noted corrections for changed URLs and notations where the URLs no longer exist.  Users are encouraged to provide feedback about what is helpful and suggestions on how the site/textbook can be improved. We value your thoughts and ideas!

5th Annual International Symposium for Emerging Technologies for Online Learning - Call for Papers

This is reminder that there is a call for papers for the  5th Annual International Symposium for Emerging Technologies for Online Learning scheduled for July 25-27, 2012 at the The Venetian | Palazzo Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. The deadline for submission is March 5th.  Early bird registration ends on May 25th. The conference is sponsored by MERLOT and the Sloan Consortium. 

The information below is from the Sloan Consortium website:

"A conference devoted to the emerging and innovative uses of technology designed to improve teaching and learning online." Tracks for this year’s conference (click to learn more) include:

• Digital learning Environments & Communities; 
• Accessible Learning for All; 
• Evidence-based Learning and Reflection; 
• Learning And Data Analytics; 
• Faculty and Student Development; and 
• Innovation in Media and Tools. 

Woven into the conference program and offered within the structure of the tracks will be special emerging technologies, sandbox, leadership, and STEM sessions."

It is a fantastic conference that showcases faculty innovation for emerging technologies in online learning.

Informatics - Where is It?

Linda wrote a wonderful article, Informatics: Where is it? outlining the historical development over the last 30 years on the OJIN (Online Journal of Issues in nursing).  She discussed the dreams that we all had in those early years.  To quote her:

"One thing that we early dreamers failed to consider was the cultural changes that would be needed to reach our dreams. One of the biggest of these needs is a move from a silo mentality to a multidisciplinary perspective. Silo mentality creates a patient situation analogous to that of three blind men describing an elephant, with each man examining a different appendage and making decisions without considering the nature of the ‘whole’ elephant."

 Excellent statement! Yes, the cultural change and adoption of informatics have been very slow.  In defense of the slow timeline, none of us envisioned the complexity or possibilities that new developments in technology that we experience today.

Linda's article reminded me of my first informatics conference that was held in Bethesda, Maryland in 1983.  I remember the excitement that we all shared as we envisioned nursing harnessing the power of computer technology.  I am copying the poster for the 1983 conference below.  

 

The Future of Nursing

Medscape posted an editorial written by a physician, Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, entitled The Nurse Education Imperative.

In the article, she said "As a physician, I have seen the tremendous capabilities of nurses—capabilities that are essential to meeting patient needs. But to ensure that they maximize their contributions to health and health care, nurses will need advanced skills and expertise in care management, interdisciplinary teamwork, problem solving, and more. This makes higher levels of education imperative."

It is an interesting article and certainly worth reading!  It notes that an article published by  AONE in 2012 noted that 52% of employers prefer to hire BSN students but only 32% provide a salary differential. That fact sends a mixed message to all RNs. Advanced education for RNs is a critical component for improving healthcare outcomes. 

Another Informatics and Nursing 4th Edition Update

When talking with one of our graduate students this afternoon about the 4th edition of the Nursing and Informatics textbook, I checked on the current availability. 

•  Barnes and Noble have the eBook available 

• Amazon has the paperback book available

The Point Website for Informatics and Nursing 4th Edition

The Lippincott ThePoint website with resources for faculty and student to support the 4th edition of Informatics and Nursing is http://thepoint.lww.com/Book/Show/235900 .  It is not fully functional for faculty yet, but the student resources that I reviewed all work.  When the site is ready, the textbook should be available in as a print and as a eBook.

Linda will have our personal textbook site ready within a couple of weeks.  She is finalizing the chapter web pages and creating an index now. As with the 3rd edition, all users will have all of the corrections (several URLs are already broken).  Such is the life of nursing informatics!  It is quickly changing!!

Endnote and Word 2011 Problem/Solution

When I got the iOS upgraded to Lion a couple of weeks ago, Microsoft Office 2011 was also installed on the Mac.  I noted that the Endnote citation software was missing from Word.  I remembered that Debby had the same problem, so decided to troubleshoot the problem.  I knew that the problem was Endnote and not Word because when I selected a citation to "preview" in Endnote the style was wrong.  Although I had selected APA as the output in Word - the output in Word was also wrong.  I looked at the APA 6th template in Endnote and it was formatted correctly.  At that point, I closed the program and did some schoolwork for a few hours. 

To resolve the problem:

• The first step is to close Microsoft Word, if it is open.
• Next download the Endnote 4X update from http://www.endnote.com/support/enupdates.asp 
• At this point, you might want to close Endnote and reopen it (will explain in a moment).
• Open Endnote and select the output style (I use APA 6th edition)

The next step is to select the citation style in Word.  The Endnote menu is available from the Tools menu.

I  believe that Endnote may have gotten confused when I did not close it after the update.  Anyway, I am very happy to report that the problem is resolved.   More and more of our nursing students use a Mac.  Since I require the students to use a citation manager and our university has a site license for Endnote - I needed to figure out a solution.

Text Messaging Using Mobile at CDC

CDC has entered the mobile text messaging world.  The site is Mobile at CDC.  Using CDC Mobile:

• Enter your cell phone number (after agreeing to terms of use)
• Respond to the text message on the cell phone - which asks 4 questions
• Your role (e.g. healthcare provider)
• Age range
• Gender
• Zip code
• According to the website, CDC will send 3-4 messages/week

New mHealth Initiative Provides Guidelines for Textmessaging in Healthcare

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) and Security Mobile Device Good Practices Project have launched a mHealth Initiative.  According to the Health and Human Services (HHS) website "... HHS’s desire to strategically encourage and/or develop future health text messaging and mobile health programs, HHS formed Text4Health Task Force to provide recommendations to the Secretary. In addition to providing recommendations and guiding principles, the Task Force was charged with identifying both ongoing initiatives and proposals for feasible new projects which would deliver health information and resources to users' fingertips via their mobile phones.

You can read more about the initiative on the HHS mHealth website.  There are recommendations for the use of health text messaging, too.  This perfect timing since Dr. W and the staff at the CC Clinic are exploring the use of text messaging to improve patient compliance for the Intensive Behavior Therapy for Obesity study.

Printing Using Google Cloud Print

One of the journal articles that I plan to write is on working in the cloud. There are so many unbelievable cloud resources available!  Google Cloud Print is a great app that works on a Windows PC, the Mac, and any mobile device. One place to begin is the Google Cloud Print website.

BTW - Cloud Printing is beta.  I can see the print function in Chrome, but nothing happens when I select to use Cloud Printing. Thankfully, I have an ePrinter at home, so I can email any document to be printer for printing.

The Cloud Print app is free for the Mac, but PrintCentral Pro is $9.99 for the iPad.

To understand the power of Cloud Print view the video below.

ResearchGate for Collaborative Scholarship

Tracy introduced me to ResearchGate recently.  It was interesting to discover so many of my faculty colleagues at Georgia College are members.  When I signed up the website, I was prompted to create a profile.  One of the screens asked me to verify journal publications and it listed most of what I have published.  That service is truly innovative!  It is much better that the digital portfolios that I am required to use at the university where I have to enter every piece of data manually. 

Although I am at the saturation point of social networking sites (too many and not enough time), ResearchGate will be a "keeper."

Digital Textbooks for All Students?

Martha sent me a link for an article, Can The Obama Administration’s Five-Year Plan For Digital Learning Work?, that reports the Obama administration is in support of all students using digital textbooks within the next five years.  The challenge was proposed by Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius Genachowski in an interview with the Associated Press on February 1st. The idea is that digital textbooks provide a way to get updated information to students quicker and the potential of saving money.  Digital textbooks make all kinds of sense for those of us who teach sciences content.  Probably 3/4 of the print textbooks in my home office are out of date. Some of the support for the concept noted in the Associated Press article include:

• The Federal Communications Commission has released a Digital Textbook Playbook to encourage the development and use of digital textbooks for K-12 students
• After the tornado hit in Joplin, Missouri in May 2011, high school kids from Joplin High School and the Franklin Technology Center now use laptops instead of print textbooks
• Digital learning is more advanced in other countries such as South Korea, a country that has worked to develop advanced infrastructure to support online access

This is a hot topic in today's library systems where 90% of the print books are never checked out.  An even more important point is that libraries are liable for having outdated textbooks!  It is clear to me as a member of the our university's library search committee, that the digital medium is changing the face of education and libraries.  The challenge is developing the electronic infrastructure to support the changes.

New DNP Program at Georgia College

Georgia College is offering a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree this year.  The program begins in May.  The Union Recorder published an article about the degree program today.  I believe that DNPs will be integral in the transformation of nursing care.  Our program focuses on the DNP role of the nurse practitioner.

LogMeIn vs Splashtop for Remote Computer Access with the iPad

LogMeIn if a free app for the iPad.  The initial problem that I had was that I received an error indicating the the date and time zone were not set correctly.  It still gives me that error when attempting to connect to the Mac laptop.  However, I was able to connect with the computer in my university office. Hmmm.  Will try to Windows laptop next. LogMeIn is the same company that created one of my favorite screen-sharing apps, Join.me.

LogMeIn is similar to Splashtop in that I can control a remote computer with the iPad.  I find that it is easier to control the movement when using Splashtop.  I am interested in hearing from others about apps they have used for screen sharing that work with both the iPad and a Windows PC or Mac.

2012 Diabetes Guidelines

The American Diabetes association recently released the 2012 Standards of Medical Care for Diabetes. I am working with nursing colleagues and a physician to implement an Intensive Therapy for Obesity at a local clinic.  The purpose of the study is to reduces risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome and diabetes.  We have submitted an IRB and an application for a small grant to support the research.  Our goal is to improve the lives of people living in Milledgeville who are at risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes (T2D).

One of the Georgia College nursing informatics graduate students will be working with the clinic to develop a database registry to support the research effort. 

Splashtop Remote Computer Access with the iPad

I found the app I have been looking for...Splashtop. I wanted to use my iPad as a remote control of my computer when teaching face-to-face without being tethered or using Bluetooth. I also wanted the solution to be low cost or free. Splashtop cost $4.99 (apparently it has been less). I had to load Splashtop Streamer to my Mac & Windows laptops, but it was free. I had to enter a security password to use on the laptops. When I open Splashtop on the iPad it automatically sees any computers. You simply click on a computer to take remote control. There was a little lag time, but not much.