Jeanne Sewell's Informatics & Nursing Blog

New DNP Program at Georgia College

2012-02-02T07:28:00.000-05:00

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

2012-02-01T15:49:00.000-05:00

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

2012-02-01T15:39:00.001-05:00

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

2012-02-01T09:10:00.001-05:00

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.

Green Information Technology Solutions: Font Type Can Make a Difference

2012-01-31T11:23:00.000-05:00

I serve on a strategic planning for using information technology. The use of greener solutions has come up several times. The January issue of Campus Technology has an article, Green Flash, on the topic. According to the author, Jennifer Grayson, printer ink costs almost $8,000/gallon. Wow!! That said, it certainly is believable. To use less ink, Victor Gosnell, the chief technology office at Gosnell recommended using a "green friendly" font - Century Gothic. Read more about printing costs and the font in the April 2009 article from Printer.com, Printing Costs: Does Font Choice Make a Difference?
The printer ink cost information from the article is summarized in a table shown below.

eBooks and Helpful Apps

2012-01-29T17:22:00.001-05:00

I read a great blog, How to Create Your Own Textbook — With or Without Apple. The best part was the information on apps that were new to me. The blog author identified three steps for creating an eBook:
1) Aggregation where you gather all of the information. She mentioned Delicious and Diigo. As I noted in an earlier blog, Diigo includes some fantastic tools for annotating websites that I need to use.
2) Curation where you identify what you want to accomplish and the pertinent resources.
3) Creation where you create a repository for the learning resources.

The author also provided guidelines for targeting readers. The questions are pertinent to designing any learning content:

How are learners going to use the information in the learning content?
How will they demonstrate what they have learned? How will the instructor know?
What assessments are pertinent?

The apps that were new to me are:

Paper.li to create and publish your own newspaper
Twitted Times, another personal newspaper app
Scoop.it to create and publish magazines

Mobile Technologies and the Innovative Medical Home

2012-01-28T10:10:00.003-05:00

Dr. W. suggested that I watch the webinar, Innovation in the Medical Home: How Mobile and Social Technologies Can Accelerate Health Behavior Changes, so I did! The webinar supplements the information on telehealthcare in the Informatics and Nursing textbook. You can watch the video below. It covers the topics of patient empowerment using mobile apps to manage diseases like congestive heart failure and diabetes. It prompted me to explore many of the wonderful apps in the iTunes app store for diabetes! Amazing! Several of the apps should be perfect with clients who have metabolic syndrome.

Innovation in the Medical Home: How Mobile and Social Technologies Can Accelerate Health Behavior Changes from Loren Vandegrift on Vimeo.

Yellow Submarine iBook

2012-01-28T10:06:00.000-05:00

This has been an interesting morning. I downloaded The Yellow Submarine iBook. Great free book!!! The file size was too big for the iPhone but it worked on the iPad!! It is a great example of an iBook for children (and their parents and grandparents). Each colorful page has interactive components:

if you touch an object it makes a sound
little mini movies

The very end of the book includes all of the songs from the Yellow Submarine by the Beatles. Enjoy!

Kingsoft Office - Another Free Office Suite Software for the PC

2012-01-27T06:33:00.000-05:00

Kingsoft Office 2012 is free office suite software for the PC. It features word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software. What is a bit surprising is that it also includes clipart and templates. The download file size for the free version is only 82 MB. It features a standard menu (as opposed to a ribbon menu) with features that are very similar to Microsoft Office (see screenshot below). A nice feature is that users can save the files as Microsoft Office file extensions by default.

There is a mobile version of the software for the Android.

Users can upgrade to the standard or professional versions for either $49.95 or $69.95.

iAnnotate PDF vs PDF-Notes & PDFpen

2012-01-26T09:09:00.002-05:00

MacWorld had an article on a new app PDFpen which allows users to annotate PDF files. pdf-notes and PDFpen are very similar to iAnnotate and identical in cost ($9.99). iAnnotate PDF iPad App Review provides an excellent review of the iAnnotate app. What is very interesting is a free (ad supported) version of pdf-notes. Of course, I am always looking for free productivity tools for students who encumber great expenses while attending college, as well as others. A brief comparison of the apps is noted below:

All include an comprehensive User Guide with screenshots and explanations. Since the User Guide is a PDF file, users can try out the features while reading the guide.
All allow the users to link to their Dropbox to retrieve PDFs. iAnnotate allows users to also connect to WebDAV, or a webpage. I have only used Dropbox.

What makes pdf-notes distinctive is the the Settings function includes links to the pdf-notes blog, introduction in YouTube. You can also customize the bookshelf theme and change the icon color. One other feature of pdf-notes is that it allows for mirroring of the iPad2. Since it is a free app and the ads are not terribly annoying, it is certainly a worthwhile use.

CloudOn and iPad Insights

2012-01-25T19:59:00.000-05:00

Had an email from a friend asking if there was a Microsoft Office app for the iPad. I shared the information about CloudOn and SkyDrive. What I discovered is that if the user is not really familiar with the iPad, those apps don't make much sense to those who are used a desktop or laptop PC - not good.

That goes back to my blog re iBooks Author - start simple. I really suggest that new users of iPads get familiar with the hardware. Go to Lynda.com or YouTube to see if there are any free videos available to help shorten the learning curve.

Most of my colleagues in the School of Nursing are seasoned users of Dropbox. We have shared folders with committee members, friends, and family. Dropbox or any type of similar app is a must today. The start simple suggestion means that new iPad users be familiar with Dropbox before adding new apps like CloudOn. That said, remember that CloudOn is a "cloud" storage space meaning that it is not appropriate for files that have confidential information relating to private information, patients or students.

To make the journey simple - start with getting comfortable with the iPad and then slowly add cloud storage apps like Dropbox. Cloud storage apps mitigate the issue of not having a USB connection on the iPad.

Reaction to an eBook Publisher Post on iBooks Author

2012-01-24T05:51:00.000-05:00

iBooks Author is now a hot topic with many bloggers. I read one by Steven Sande, iBooks Author: An eBook Publisher Looks at Apple's Textbook Creation App, that was especially insightful. Sande is an eBook publisher. He provided excellent insight into the power of the iBook Author widgets that I had overlooked in my preview. I had not noted the ability to create quizzes in iBooks and the differences in the iBook templates. He also wrote a succinct and helpful description of the section of the license agreement and contrasts the restrictions with Amazon Kindle bookstore.

My take on the issue to that eBook authors need to decide what they want to accomplish. If they want iBook Author interactive features, they have to limit distribution of their books in the iBookstore with the realization that the eBooks can be viewed only with the iPad2. If iBook Author features are not necessary, authors can create the eBooks with Microsoft Word or Apple iWorks Pages and distribute the eBook in both eBookstores.

More Thoughts re iBooks Author

2012-01-22T11:53:00.000-05:00

After exploring iBooks Author and downloading the sample book chapter from Life on Earth, new concerns unfold.

The Life on Earth download is an example of one chapter, yet the file is almost 1 gigabite (GB) in size and took 44 minutes to download to the Mac this morning. According to iBooks Author, books uploaded to the iBookstore can be a maximum size of 2 GB or less.
iBooks Author help also notes that users with iPads that use the 3G network cannot download books larger than 20 MB.
There certainly will be a learning curve to develop or access copyright free graphics and media to use in the iBook. It is challenging to get quality resources for a print book, much less an iBook.

I would like to create a couple of electronic books. Guess I will have to use the "start simple" philosophy and practice with the templates in iBooks Author. This topic would be a great one for the MERLOT/Sloan Emerging Technologies conference this summer. Hopefully, we will see some papers for proposed presentations submitted.

Comic Relief

2012-01-22T08:23:00.003-05:00

This comic was shared by Stella Bellman (the Maricopa Community College mannequin) on Facebook. Too funny! - Dedicated to all of the wonderful Georgia College students studying to take the NCLEX exam...
(Source: http://content.screencast.com/users/allnurses/folders/Camtasia/media/d7e13299-40ca-4608-b894-4021dc8ba175/NCLEX_coffee_bill.gif)

More on iBook Author

2012-01-21T12:15:00.000-05:00

Okay, I was able to get my Mac laptop operating system updated to Lion yesterday so that I could get access to iBooks Author. I downloaded the app to my Applications folder. The app is in Mac App Store. Click on the Apple in the top left side of the Mac screen and then click on App Store.

The app is very similar to Pages and Keynote and very easy to use. I read an interesting article in MacWorld about the app - Four Open Questions about iBooks Author. The article includes excellent points and certainly worth reading.

iBooks Author Help indicated that any iBooks that you create can either be uploaded to the iBookstore or exported as PDF or text formats, but not ePub. iBooks Author Help also provides guidelines about file size. File size is an important consideration. As an example it took 30 minutes for me to download the sample iBook to my iPad.

Will share more information about this very innovative app later after more experimenting....

Informatics and Nursing 4th edition

2012-01-20T18:06:00.000-05:00

I received a pre-publication copy of the 4th edition of the Informatics and Nursing textbook in the mail today. I really hope that users continue to find it readable and a great source of learning.

The chapter on hardware is now included in the appendix.
Chapter 12 on mobile computing includes screenshots of the iPhone and iPad, as well as some detailed information on cell phones, iPads, and other mobile devices.
The chapters on office software include references to the software for the Mac and free office software such as OpenOffice.org and Google docs.
Users will be able to download the files used for the textbook screenshots to interact with the data.
The other updates include meaningful use, the HITECH Act, data security, disaster recovery, and more about HIPAA.
Student and faculty support will be available online at http://thepoint/lww.com/Sewell4e.
The website does indicate that the book will be available as an eBook. I hope that the hyperlinks work!

I have included a screenshot of the textbook cover below.

Transnational Distance Learning and Marketing Opportunities for Universities

2012-01-20T06:36:00.002-05:00

I co-authored a chapter with Lynn Aaron and Laura Franklin last year for a book entitled, Transnational Distance Learning and MarketingOpportunities for Universities. The book was edited by Bob Hogan. Our chapter was titled, Open Educational Resources and the Impact of MERLOT on Transnational Education. The book was just released by IGI Global Publishers.

The most interesting part of my research for the book related to people who have Internet access via mobile devices (primarily cell phones), but who live "off the grid" meaning that they do not have electricity. Although there was no electricity, there was cellular service access. According to Cisco, as of 2010, there were 48 million people in 32 countries using mobile devices, but who had no electricity (p. 179). How?

Pay for charge stations where the user takes the phone to a shop that charges the phone for a small fee, for example $0.25 USD
A charger attached to a bicycle wheel spokes which transforms the energy from the turning wheel to power a“smart charger”
A device placed in a shoe that captures the energy when a person walks or runs
Solar charges for mobile phones

Cisco. (2011). Cisco visual networking index: Global mobile data traffic forecast, 2010-2015.

iBooks Author Demonstration

2012-01-19T17:23:00.002-05:00

Am including a short video demonstrating iBooks Author below. The app looks very similar to Pages and Keynote.

Apple Education Update

2012-01-19T17:03:00.000-05:00

The Apple Education Event was this morning at 10 AM. MacWorld blogged the event so it was the next best thing from being there. Apple introduced iBooks 2 and iBooks Author. iBooks 2 is designed to create interactive searchable textbooks that can include video and animations.

iBooks Author is a FREE app for creating the interactive books. It is only available for the Mac and you need the Mac OS 10.7 or higher. Of course, my Mac only has 10.6 :-(. I will take it to work tomorrow to get the OS upgraded to get the opportunity to use the authoring software. In my "spare" time, I want to get started on a iBook textbook on using Access for nurses.

The focus is on K-12. There was discussion about using the iTunes U app for courses. For more information on the event read the article in the Washington Post. MacWorld is a great resource to learn more.

SOPA

2012-01-18T19:29:00.002-05:00

BTW - I am against SOPA. Go to Wikipedia to be able to cast your "vote" for or against.

Apple Education Event

2012-01-18T18:59:00.002-05:00

Stay tuned for the Apple Education Event that is scheduled for tomorrow at 10 AM. You can read more at http://techland.time.com/2012/01/18/rumor-roundup-what-to-expect-from-apples-education-event/

As usual, there are lots of rumors. One is that the event is targeted to help K-12 students. We will know much more tomorrow!

MERLOT/ Sloan C - Emerging Technologies for Online Learning Call for Proposals

2012-01-18T06:44:00.000-05:00

The call for proposals is now open for the Emerging Technologies for Online Learning Conference that is sponsored by MERLOT and Sloan Consortium. The conference will be held July 25-27, 2012 at

The Venetian | Palazzo Resort - Las Vegas, Nevada.

The conference is always an outstanding one!

For more information, go to http://sloanconsortium.org/conference/2012/et4online/welcome

This year I will be reviewing papers for the Faculty and Student Development track.
The tracks are:

Track

Digital Learning Environments & Communities

Accessible Learning for All

Evidence-based Learning and Reflection

Learning And Data Analytics

Faculty and Student Development

Innovation in Media and Tools

Changes in Blogger

2012-01-18T06:34:00.000-05:00

The last few weeks, I noticed a change in Blogger. When I enter the URL, it opens a page with analytics about my blog. I can see how many people read the blog on a daily basis and therefore, which posts are the more popular ones. The topic of analytics is one that I brought up at a strategic planning committee for technology at the university. I believe that we really need to harness the knowledge we can gain from the use of analytics in higher education.

Kno - Digital textbooks for the iPad

2012-01-18T06:29:00.000-05:00

I read an email from Jim W. yesterday about Kno. The company was started by a person who used to work for Apple. Kno provides digital textbooks for the iPad. It allows the reader to set goals and see comparisons with other students. There was an article about the app on CNET this morning. You can read more about Kno from their website at http://www.kno.com.

MERLOT

2012-01-17T20:39:00.000-05:00

MERLOT (http://www.merlot.org) is doing great! I invite you to join and contribute, if you have not already done so. If you recommend a site in the Health Sciences category of MERLOT for others, please let me know... Thank you so much!!

Augmented Reality

2012-01-16T16:47:00.000-05:00

I attended an interesting session on augmented reality at the Sloan-C, MERLOT, Moodle meeting last week. The concept has fascinating implications for the teaching/learning process. Imagine holding a piece of paper with a block like stamp (similar in function to a bar code) on it in front of a computer camera and watching images come to life, allowing you to interact with the images. If you watch television, you probably have viewed some commercial ads with augmented reality. Augmented reality is defined as a blend of real life with digital images.

You can view an example at http://livingsasquatch.com/ . The web site allows you to print the augmented reality stamp and then to add communication. I will experiment with the web site this week.

In search of other resources, I stumbled across iPhone apps that use augmented reality at http://mashable.com/2009/12/05/augmented-reality-iphone/ .

Common Cartridge

2012-01-09T11:16:00.004-05:00

If you noted when I posted the update on the MERLOT Content Builder, one of the new features was "Common Cartridge." That term is not very meaningful for most nurses and nurse educators - YET. It refers to a standard similar to SCORM (shareable content object reference model) - but supposedly better. It is difficult to get excited about standards except when they help with interoperability.

Common cartridge should be really helpful for colleges and universities who change learning management systems. For example the University System of Georgia is changing from BlackBoard Vista to Desire 2 Learn. Of course, Vista has been retired, so it is not compliant with Common Cartridge. Without having the experience, it is difficult to talk about the concept except theoretically.

For more information on Common Cartridge, read Doug Lederman's 2006 article in Higher Ed at http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2006/10/09/cartridge
Michael Feldstein also has a 2006 blog on the topic at http://mfeldstein.com/why_teachers_unions_should_demand_support_for_the_ims_common_cartridge_stan/

Note those two articles were written almost seven years ago. The process to disseminate the standard has been very slow.

The IMS Global Learning Consortium website has lots of information about the standard at http://www.imsglobal.org/cc/alliance.html

SkyDrive for the iPad

2012-01-09T10:57:00.002-05:00

Several months ago I wrote a blog about Microsoft OneNote for the iPad. OneNote is the Microsoft version of Evernote. It allows you to take notes with text or media and organize them into notebooks. In addition to the CloudOn app, Microsoft has developed SkyDrive for the iPad. In other words, I can access the 25 GB of Microsoft Office cloud storage. Like the CloudOn app, you need to have the "purchased" Microsoft Office on a computer. What SkyDrive does, it to provide cloud access to huge amounts of storage space. It looks like more and more, we are gravitating to using the cloud for file access and storage. For more information, go to http://lifehacker.com/5873076/windows-live-skydrive-available-for-ios-offering-25gb-of-cloud-storage-for-your-iphone?tag=downloads

CloudOn

2012-01-09T10:35:00.000-05:00

Martha sent me a link about a new free iPad app this morning. The app is called CloudOn. You can edit and view Microsoft Office files using it. That means that I would not have to purchase QuickOffice or Pages for the iPad, but I would have to have Microsoft Office on a personal computer somewhere. In other words, it allows the user to use Word or Excel to edit files. When I opened a Word .docx file, the menu looks absolutely identical to a Microsoft Word for the desktop. For more information, go to:
http://lifehacker.com/5872784/cloudon-brings-microsoft-office-to-your-ipad-complete-with-cloud-storage?tag=downloads

MERLOT Updated Content Builder

2012-01-08T10:18:00.000-05:00

I copied an email that I recently received below. MERLOT has improved the Content Builder to make it easier to create learning resources. Once the learning resources are built, the user can add them to the MERLOT database. This a a fantastic opportunity for instructors to make their resources public for students and others who could benefit.

If you use the MERLOT Content Builder and would like to have the learning resource peer reviewed, make an attempt not to have the resource so tightly coupled with a particular course that others could not easily benefit.

MERLOT announces ContentBuilder 2.0 – a significant upgrade to their instructional web authoringsystem.

Easier to use. Easier tobuild pages. Easier to store in the cloud.

Long Beach, CA, USA,December 2011. MERLOT announced todaythe immediate availability of a major release of its authoring website system, MERLOTContent Builder.

This new releaseprovides an improved interface that allows instructors to more easily manage,organize, and navigate through their authored web material. The newversion supports all previously developed Content Builder material.

Instructors can develop web pages in many ways, includingusing library templates for e-portfolios, lesson plans, pedagogicalanalysis, student reflection, online courses, tutorials, presentations, andothers. Examples can be seen at MERLOTEffective Uses of the MERLOT Content Builder Tool (which was createdusing the new Content Builder). There isalso a new version of the QuickStart Guide to help you get familiarwith the Content Builder.

Instructors can:

· Easily create instructionalweb pages and websites

Download IMS-certified Common Cartridges of the web pages and websites built in Content Builder to use in applications that support the Common Cartridge format
Add a Creative Commons license to web pages and websites created with Content Builder
Contribute web pages and websites directly to the MERLOT repository

Tolearn more, visit ourinformation page or contact the MERLOT Webmaster at webmaster@merlot.org.

December JOLT Articles

2012-01-07T17:38:00.002-05:00

December got away from me. I usually post the newest articles in the Online Journal of Learning and Teaching (JOLT). Am posting the information below: You can read the articles at http://jolt.merlot.org/

JOLT December 2011 Contents

Student Exam Participation and Performances in a Web-EnhancedTraditional and Hybrid Allied Health Biology Course

Abass S. Abdullahi

Exploring the Virtual Classroom: What Students Need to Know (andTeachers Should Consider)

Garry Falloon

Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of a Grading Rubricfor Online Discussions

Ann M. Solan and Nikolaos Linardopoulos

A Comparison of Student Learning Outcomes in Traditional andOnline Personal Finance Courses

Eddie J. Ary and Christopher W. Brune

A Brief Look at Online Tutorial Experiences of Older Students inRemedial College Mathematics

Greg A. Baugher

Using Technology to Reduce the Effects of Missed Classes forStudent-Athlete

Lauren DeSantis, Coleen Pantalone, and Frederick Wiseman

Selecting Delivery Systems and Media to Facilitate BlendedLearning: A Systematic Process based on Skill Level, Content Stability, Costand Instructional Strategy

Atsusi Hirumi, George Bradford, and Leanne Rutherford

Differences in Student Characteristics in Face-to-Face and OnlineCohorts in a Teacher Preparation Program in Education of the Deaf and Hard ofHearing

Deirdre M. Curle and Janet R. Jamieson

What the Best Online Teachers Should Do

T. M. Brinthaupt, L. S. Fisher, J. G. Gardner, D. M. Raffo, and J.B. Woodard

Digital Natives: Ten Years After

Apostolos Koutropoulos

Social Media Use in Higher Education: Key Areas to Consider forEducators

Julia E. Rodriguez

E-Advising Excellence: The New Frontier in Faculty Advising

Leora Waldner, Dayna McDaniel, and Murray Widener

Theorizing in Distance Education: The Critical Quest forConceptual Foundations

Rene Birochi and Marlei Pozzebon

Crowdsourcing Higher Education: A Design Proposal for DistributedLearning

Michael Anderson

Free Electronic Health Records

2012-01-06T11:35:00.001-05:00

There are several free electronic health records worth exploring listed below. From what I understand, the revenue to support the use comes from advertising and/or links to services, such as billing. Has anyone had any experience with use? Are there others that I have not yet discovered? If so, please share. I am interested in finding a EHR for a clinic that provides indigent care services.

Practice Fusion http://www.practicefusion.com/

Open EMR http://www.open-emr.org/

Mitochon http://mitochon.com/

Open EMR http://www.oemr.org/(ambulatory care)

Drchrono https://drchrono.com/(iPad and iPhone app)

LogMeIn

2011-12-23T09:26:00.000-05:00

Martha sent an article about LogMeIn. LogMeIn is the parent company of Join.Me - the app I use to work on the computer remotely with students. LogMeIn allows for remote access of all of your computers. It is free and works on the Mac and PC. I don't often have two computers on at the same time, with the exception of the laptop and iPad, although some might question that assertion. Dropbox has probably been the main reason that I don't use LogMeIn anymore. I would never have any files in DropBox that reveal any confidential information. Most of the files relate to meeting minutes or course lessons. Anyway, LogMeIn is a very nice app if you need a file that is stored on a remote computer..

Skitch for Evernote

2011-12-23T09:20:00.000-05:00

Learned about a new app, Skitch, that works with Evernote yesterday. It is free for the iPad from the iTunes store. To learn more, go to http://skitch.com/

Skitch allows you to annotate media. It is really easy to use. When you are finished, simply save it to Evernote.

Encryption Software

2011-12-21T13:43:00.000-05:00

Now that I have most of the paperwork for fall semester completed, I have time to do some exploring. With privacy issues associate with HIPAA and FERPA, it is important for clinicians and educators to use encryption software. AxCrypt (http://www.axantum.com/) has just released a new update to the free encryption software. The software is really easy to use. Simply right-click on a file or folder and select encrypt from the menu.

To learn more about encryption, go to How Stuff Works at http://www.howstuffworks.com/encryption.htm

New computers often have encryption software pre-installed.

Social Media Use in Nursing

2011-12-15T08:18:00.001-05:00

I stumbled upon a 6-minute video on the use of social media in nursing on YouTube. It provides a very nice overview on the subject. In my research on the topic, I found that the video is posted on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) website with the NCSBN social media guidelines at https://www.ncsbn.org/2930.htm,
The American Nurses Association has published a toolkit on the topic. The toolkit can be accessed at http://nursingworld.org/socialnetworkingtoolkit

Outlook 2010 Power Shortcuts

2011-12-14T06:16:00.002-05:00

Oscar (my 12 pound dachshund) decided that I had to get up at 5 AM! :-( Of course, he is now curled up and asleep. Anyway, I explored new 2010 Outlook features. Thought of Martha when viewing Lynda.com because she uses 2 monitors at the office. The URL for the video is noted below.
Outlook 2010 Power Shortcuts

Transferring an eBook ot the iPad

2011-12-03T12:46:00.005-05:00

I just finally finished writing a chapter for a textbook on distance learning. One of the sections in the chapter had to do with eBooks - so of course, that took some research. I had already downloaded some eBook readers (discussed in an earlier blog) to my iPad. I knew that I could purchase or in some cases with really old books, like those written by Florence Nightingale, download for free.

The new adventure was to figure out how to check out eBooks from the local public library. I went to the Twin Lakes Library website and found a tab that had all of the eBooks. It included both audio books and digital books. There were not as many digital books as audio. One blog I read during the research indicated that eBook publishing companies were hesitant to make their resources available because of concerns about losing sales. Oh well....

One of the YouTube videos on the topic indicated that Adobe Digital Editions was a free app for checking out an eBooks, so I downloaded it. It required for me to enter my Adobe ID and password.

On the local public library website, I found a book by a favorite author. When I tried to check out the book, it was not available. A couple of days later, I received an email stating that the book was available for checkout. I downloaded it to Adobe Digital Editions. The following steps were use to get the eBook to the iPad.

Downloaded the Bluefire Reader from the Apple store onto the iPad
Synced the iPad with iTunes
Added the eBook from Documents > Adobe Digital Editions to Bluefire Reader
Opened the Bluefire Reader and authorized it with my Adobe ID and password
Done!

Well, that might seem like a complicated process, but in reality, most of the steps had to be accomplished only once. I have all of the necessary applications downloaded. The next time I check out an eBook, all that I have to do is to add it to the Bluefire Reader and sync.

Air Print

2011-11-30T09:44:00.002-05:00

Air Print is just amazing! HP worked with Apple to make it happen. With air print I can print from my iPhone or iPad from any room in the house.
The HP printer has other useful tools. For example, it allows me to email documents for printing – from anywhere that I have Internet access. That comes in very handy since my laptop from the university does not recognize the home network and cannot print using the network.
It is also helpful when working with others on research at the house because they can also print from their iPads or email documents to the printer.
I am using Windows Live Writer to create this post.

Social Bookmarking Tools - Part 2

2011-11-27T07:30:00.000-05:00

Clipmarks offers a different twist on social bookmarking. You have choices, including emailing the clip to others. Unlike Diigo, you cannot use it on the iPad or smartphone

Social Bookmarking Tools

2011-11-27T06:49:00.000-05:00

I have used Delicious to bookmark my favorite websites for several years because I use more than one web browser and several different computer platforms. Recently, I heard that Delicious was a thing of the past and that sparked my curiousity. Well today, I figured out the reason - Diigo! I got it! :-)

Diigo V5: Collect and Highlight, Then Remember! from diigobuzz on Vimeo.

Embedding a YouTube Video into PowerPoint - An Update

2011-11-20T11:20:00.000-05:00

A couple of years ago, I posted a blog on how to embed a YouTube video with PowerPoint 2007 and 2003. That was before PowerPoint 2010 was released. If you have PowerPoint 2010, the procedure could not possibly be easier! You just click insert video from website and copy the embed code from the YouTube website. I have updated the PowerPoint tutorial to show the tricks that allow you to embed a YouTube video in PowerPoint. The PowerPoint presentation is online at http://hercules.gcsu.edu/jsewell/Embedding_a_YouTube_Video.ppt

The Empowered Healthcare Consumer

2011-10-13T11:57:00.000-04:00

A student in one of my courses shared a great story about a recent healthcare experience. It punctuated the amazing possibilities for empowering the consumer. I have de-identified the report, but you should be able to appreciate the story.

"I thought I would tell you that my kids are both sick and I had to take them to see their pediatrician last night. ...when I checked them in, they asked me for my email address. When I got home last night I had an email from them telling me how to log into their new Patient Portal. They are using eclinicalweb and I was able to log in and see everything about the kids' visit including their lab results, the visit report, vitals, etc. It was so nice to have access to that and it really made me think about how good it would be for all offices to do this so that patients can be informed about their care!"

Loss of Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T18:09:00.000-04:00

It is a sad day around the world with the loss of Steve Jobs. His brilliance has transformed how we use technology.

Patient Rights

2011-10-03T12:51:00.000-04:00

The HealthIT website has been updated with frequently asked questions for patients/families. It includes information about the personal health record (PHR) and HIPAA. It is certainly worth exploring as nurses advocate for others.

http://www.healthit.gov/patients-families/frequently-asked-questions

Usability

2011-09-25T17:31:00.002-04:00

Am WAY behind on posts.
Linda added this resource to the textbook website.
September 22, 2011 HIMSS EHR Usability Task Force (2009, June). "Defining and Testing EMR Usability: Principles and Proposed Methods of EMR Usability Evaluation and Rating." Provides agood description of usability, and methods of evaluating both during planning, and after. Must reading for those considering a new system, or an upgrade. Also discusses the differences between usability and user satisfaction as well as efficiency and effectiveness. (Chapter 18)

http://www.himss.org/content/files/himss_definingandtestingemrusability.pdf.

QR codes in the Georgia College Library

2011-09-07T16:57:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I was exploring QR codes. I downloaded the app for my cell phone and iPad. Then Martha shared the fact that a library was using QR codes to provide additional information about resources. In the particular example she shared the library used the QR codes as a "where in the world" game. Just a few minutes ago, I received an email that says QR codes are now available in the Georgia College library.

Am quoting the email below:
"These square symbols are “read” by a QR code reader application (on a smart phone or device) and information is brought to the screen. The library is introducing these codes to provide students and researchers with additional information about the library, to find subject guides, etc. Special Collections is also using QR codes for their displays and exhibits to provide viewers with more insight about the materials."

Hope that the students and faculty appreciate the interactive innovation!

Free Breakfast from Chick Fil A - when ordered online

2011-09-07T16:52:00.000-04:00

Tracy shared an interesting Chick Fil A e-order initiative. Order your food online and get a free breakfast. I found that there are 104 available reservations in my town for the next three days. The offer is only available from September 6-10. Try it! http://www.chick-fil-aforbreakfast.com/Start

EHR Simulation

2011-08-17T09:18:00.000-04:00

I am in pursuit of an open EHR that nursing programs can use to build simulations. I have explored proprietary EHRs for simulation and am not impressed (hope that I don't hurt anyone's feelings). Nursing programs need something simple and easy to use. Last weekend, a colleague sent me a couple of files from the QSEN 2010 conference and one was a presentation about an EHR simulation using an Excel workbook! The tabs at the bottom of the workbook provide views of different EHR windows.

I contacted the author, Debra Filer, and she has graciously given permission for me to use in this blog. I am including a screenshot below. In the meantime, I am still looking for open EHR models. I downloaded one that was developed for a rural world clinic, but have not gotten it to work correctly.

Teacher Training Videos and Glogster

2011-08-14T08:20:00.000-04:00

I had a few moments to explore a website developed by Russell Stannard, Teacher Training Videos at http://www.teachertrainingvideos.com/

He has a wealth of information available for teachers and has developed short video tutorials for the resources he discusses. One that I viewed was about Glogster. Glogster (http://www.glogster.com/) allows us to create interactive posters that include video and audio. A teacher can have a free account that will accommodate 50 students. Glogster is a social networking tool because the posters can be shared and rated. It is an interesting teaching tool and certainly one worth exploring.

I can envision using Glogster to create an interactive concept map. I thought of concepts maps after reviewing a QSEN (Quality and Safety Education for Nurses) presentation, Advanced Practice Nursing

Education: Teaching QSEN Informatics and Teamwork Competencies, where DNP students used concept maps to depict the electronic health record (EHR). The PDF presentation is online at http://www.qsen.org/docs/2011_conference/QSEN_2011_Warren.pdf

Transforming Care at the Bedside

2011-08-13T08:27:00.000-04:00

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) started the initiative that was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Transforming Care at the Bedside, in 2003. The IHI has a number of excellent tools to improve care outcomes at http://www.ihi.org/offerings/Initiatives/PastStrategicInitiatives/TCAB/Pages/Materials.aspx

Examples include:

Transforming Care at the Bedside How-to Guide: Creating an Ideal Transition Home for Patients with Heart Failure
Transforming Care at the Bedside How-to Guide: Developing Front-Line Nursing Managers to Lead Innovation and Improvement
Transforming Care at the Bedside How-to Guide: Engaging Front-Line Staff in Innovation and Quality Improvement
Transforming Care at the Bedside How-to Guide: Increasing Nurses' Time in Direct Patient Care
Transforming Care at the Bedside How-to Guide: Optimizing Communication and Teamwork
Transforming Care at the Bedside How-to Guide: Reducing Patient Injuries from Falls
Transforming Care at the Bedside How-to Guide: Spreading Innovations to Improve Care on Medical and Surgical Units

Projector Integration Innovation for Apple Devices

2011-08-11T18:17:00.000-04:00

Tracy sent me a link to an article that describes plans to integrate a projector into Apple devices like iPhones and iPads. The link is at http://appadvice.com/appnn/2011/08/apples-plans-for-projector-integration-are-groundbreaking-exciting-possibly-ready-to-go

What is even more innovative about this function is that it would allow gesturing. Very interesting.

Now, just in case you might not know it, you can project using an iPhone or iPad, but it takes a separate device (the size of a deck of cards and weighing about 4 ounces). Examples include:

Optoma Pico PK101 Projector [PK101] - about $179
MicroVision SHOWWX+ Laser Pocket Projector - about $294

It is clear that our nursing grad students are going to give me a workout this fall semester as they explore innovations that can be used in the healthcare setting with their iPads. Can't wait!

Teaching with an iPad

2011-08-09T07:46:00.000-04:00

Tracy, emailed me an article about teaching an online course with an iPad. The instructor was teaching a course entitled Technology and Innovation Management. The article is online at

http://www.zinio.com/reader.jsp?issue=416180327&o=int&prev=si&p=69

I use many of the apps shared in the article including Dropbox and Evernote. I plan to use the iPad for myself and students in one of my graduate informatics courses this fall. We will have to explore some of the apps described in the article over the next few weeks. Perhaps the experience will be something that the students want to write about (for publication) in NRSG 6724. Hint, Hint...

It is an excellent read! I especially enjoyed the lessons learned section of the article.

iPad EHR - Meaningful Use Certification

2011-08-09T07:09:00.000-04:00

An iPad EHR, drchrono EHR, received meaningful use certification! It is designed for ambulatory care settings. What is even more interesting is that it is free. It is definately an app that I want students to explore in the two graduate informatics courses that I am teaching this fall! It certainly may be perfect for our undergraduate nursing program clinical lab settings and nurse practitioner students.

Read more about the EHR at https://drchrono.com/ipad_ehr/

Features include:

Real time clinical speech-to-text on the iPad
Custom workflows and the ability to integrate photos and videos into a patient chart
Integrated electronic medical billing
Electronic prescribing to send prescriptions to any pharmacy in the U.S.
A streamlined user interface that allow doctors to complete their clinical notes before the patient leaves the exam room

QR Codes and Education

2011-08-07T09:32:00.000-04:00

Martha shared an idea on how Layfayette University library is using QR codes. The library developed a game, Where in the Library is Carmen Sandiego?: An Interactive Library Mystery Game. Read more at http://calendar.lafayette.edu/node/121. Essentially, it is a game that also allows the students to become oriented to the library. Martha and Erin discussed using the idea with the freshman seminar.

Another idea is to have students in the freshman seminar interview the different librarians responsible for library sections, write up a short descriptions, and create QR codes that would be posted in the library.

Some websites with more information about QR codes are:

40 Interesting Ways* to Use QR Codes in the Classroom at
*and tipshttps://docs.google.com/present/view?id=0AclS3lrlFkCIZGhuMnZjdjVfNzY1aHNkdzV4Y3I&hl=en_GB&authkey=COX05IsF&pli=1
QR Challenge:The Events of the American Civil War at http://tinyurl.com/3pnrszp http://tinyurl.com/3pnrszp
QR Codes in Education at http://livebinders.com/play/play_or_edit/51894
Blended Teaching with QR Codes - http://prezi.com/un-8c93k-cdy/blended-learning-with-qr-codes/
Using QR Codes in Education at http://www.iste.org/connect/iste-connects/blog-detail/11-01-12/Using_QR_Codes_in_Education.aspx

QR Code Scanners and Creators

2011-08-06T07:44:00.002-04:00

Have you seen any of those little squares of code on a magazine, newspaper, museum picture, or other? It would look similar to the code noted below:

The code above is a link to this blog! Wonder how to use it? First, download a QR (Quick Response) scanner to your mobile device (it needs to have a rear-facing camera). Open the QR app - and hold it over the code. You will receive a menu with options, such as opening a web page. Wikipedia is a great starting point to learn more about QR codes - at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_code

QR scanners are available for all of the popular smartphones including the iPhone, Android, and Blackberry. I am using the app, QR Scanner, on the iPhone.

So you still might be wondering about why to use QR codes. Think about it. With QR code, you do not need to enter the URL of a website - just point and click. QR codes allow the creator to share messages to users. PS, I used the Kaywa website to create the QR code at http://qrcode.kaywa.com/

I read a blog on design thinking this morning that discussed the use of QR codes in the educational setting. In that context, students who created a projects created QR codes to provide additional information to users.

Wow - need to think about how I can incorporate the use of creating/using QR codes in my courses.

More Android Apps

2011-08-05T05:11:00.000-04:00

A Lifehacker article has a listing of more Android apps at http://lifehacker.com/5827518/lifehacker-pack-for-android-our-list-of-the-best-android-apps

Some of the favorites still include Dropbox (cloud storage), Evernote (word processing, notes, pics, voice synced to the cloud), Kindle, and Pandora (music).

Apps for the Smartphone

2011-08-04T16:41:00.000-04:00

A few weeks I posted a request to hear from those using smartphones, especially the Droid, favorite apps. Tracy - I know that you must have missed that blog :)

Anyway, the August 2011 has a very nice article, Essential Apps for Every Smartphone. It includes apps for the Droid, Blackberry RIM, Apple, and Windows Phone 7. You can read the article online at http://www.pcworld.com/article/230629/essential_apps_for_android.html

Would like to hear your comments - what you liked and what might have been missing from the list.

Thinking about Purchasing a New Laptop?

2011-08-04T16:31:00.000-04:00

Katie called me yesterday morning from Pennsylvania. Her 7 year old laptop is on death's door and she needs to purchase a new one. Her local IT guy said that she needed to spend over $1000. I knew that she was not doing much other than Quickbooks - especially with very old computer. I also knew that tablets were taking a big bite out of the laptop market. We did some quick searches together and verified that indeed she can find a great laptop for less than $1000 ($500-$800 range).

Of course, the IT guy was also going to charge her to transfer her files. My recommendation (since software would have to be are regular install) - go out a purchase a thumbdrive. She will be able to drag her entire My Documents and My Desktop folders over to the new laptop. Afterwards, she could use the thumbdrive to back up her essential documents.

ZocDoc for scheduling appointments

2011-08-04T16:23:00.000-04:00

Martha sent me a link to a new app, ZocDoc. It is available in the iTunes store and it is free. What the app does is to allow you to search for a provider and see available appointment times. Thc concept is awesome! That said, if we are having difficulty getting providers to use technology.... you get the idea.

Check out the link at http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/zocdoc-doctor-appointments/id391062219?mt=8&ls=1

DoseMinder

2011-08-02T13:13:00.001-04:00

Martha shared info on a free app,DoseMinder. You can enter the names of individuals, their Medscape, amounts, and times. The app sends a reminder. The price is right. Certainly worth exploring.

4th Edition of Informatics and Nursing Textbook

2011-07-26T19:09:00.000-04:00

I received final proofs of the 4th edition of the Informatics and Nursing textbook yesterday. According to an email from the acquisitions editor - the textbook will be available in February 2012! I believe that everyone will enjoy the new fresh "look and feel" of the book. The graphics have been updated.

SINI

2011-07-26T18:37:00.000-04:00

This year's SINI in Baltimore was excellent! Thanks to those of you who commented personally to me re the blog. Please consider "following this blog" so that you can contribute to the discussion. I don't know about the rest of those who attended, but I am just now catching up. See you in the "cloud."

There is an App for That!

2011-07-16T07:15:00.000-04:00

I presented at and attended the Sloan/Merlot Emerging Technologies for Online Learning conference in San Jose this past week. There were so many excellent presentations! Attended one given by Robbie Melton and her team from the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) on apps and elearning. The TBR has a phenomenal web site at http://www.tbrelearning.org/. Robbie brought every mobile app device created (not much of an exaggeration :-). The website is certainly worth exploring.

One of the presenters (a nurse) used an iPad to give her presentation. It was excellent. I have not had the courage to take only an iPad to give a conference presentation.

Weebly and SoftChalk Connect

2011-07-10T18:27:00.000-04:00

Worked all morning with my friend Laura to finalize our 3-hour pre-conference workshop for the Emerging Technologies for Online Learning International Symposium. Laura introduced me to a new app, Weebly (http://www.weebly.com/) which allows us to create online web pages. The free version uses the word, weebly, in the URL address. I has a sharing aspect where others can provide feedback. There is a subscription version for commercial use. It is worth exploring. Would like to hear from others who have used it.

I took the time to explore SoftChalk Connect some more. SoftChalk Connect is a learning object repository of resources created with the commercial app, SoftChalk. The unique aspect of the SoftChalk Connect is that users can share with both a URL or imbedded code - so that the apps can be added to the other collections like MERLOT (http://www.merlot.org/) and web sites.

Twitter

2011-07-09T06:01:00.000-04:00

Learn more about Twitter at http://support.twitter.com/groups/31-twitter-basics/topics/104-welcome-to-twitter-support/articles/215585-twitter-101-how-should-i-get-started-using-twitter

Figure out why Twitter uses "hashtags" (#) and the @ symbol. Share your experiences.
http://twitter.com/jeannesewell

iPad 2

2011-07-09T05:39:00.000-04:00

OMG - love the iPad2!! Have had it for only 1 week. Plan to have grad students in one of my courses this fall to use it to see what they discover (Yes, Debbie - I picked up on your lead with the RN-BSN students).

The front facing camera works really well with Skype. It will be a great way to have virtual office hours this fall semester.

The Emerging Technologies for Online Learning Conference emailed the conference program book and attendance list. Rather than print it, I saved it to the Dropbox and then opened it in iBooks. I won't have to print anything and will have the program book the entire conference.

Please share your experiences and apps with an iPad (1st or 2nd generation).

Microsoft Web Apps and Co-Authoring

2011-07-09T05:28:00.000-04:00

I can't tell you how many times I have worked in a group on the same document simulataneously. Of course, we had to use Google docs because it allows co-authoring. Just received an email announcement that Microsoft finally allows for co-authoring in their web app Skydrive. You can read more about the feature on the Microsoft blog at http://blogs.msdn.com/b/officewebapps/archive/2011/07/07/10184240.aspx

That feature may prompt me to use my Skydrive account more. Until now, I have used it as a cloud computing backup for critical files (one of several backups :-).

Using Excel to Create a Concept Map

2011-07-01T17:34:00.000-04:00

Debby and I were working on the graduate handbook yesterday - while she also had Elluminate Live open chatting with the grad students taking pathophysiology. She has the students create concept maps for topics the students are studying in patho. She was commenting on the impressive creativity that the students are demonstrating. One of the apps the students use was Excel. At first I was surprised, but then reflected on the fact the Excel has the same drawing tools found in Word and PowerPoint. I did a little research and found a website that has a tutorial on how to use Excel to create a concept map. The site is http://www.internet4classrooms.com/excel_concept_map.htm

Pocket Medical Spanish with Audio

2011-07-01T17:11:00.001-04:00

Epocrates Pocket Medical Spanish with Audio is a free download for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad until July 8th. You can download it from iTunes. It includes an introduction, general questions, and different categories such as pain, chest problems, etc. Each phrase is written in both English and Spanish with audio clip to state the phrase in Spanish. Enjoy and have a wonderful July 4th holiday!

2011-06-28T12:12:00.000-04:00

Tracy shared this link to the June 2011 Open Government Progress Report. It provides an update on the four key domain areas:

Leadership, Governance and Culture Change at HHS
Transparency and Data Sharing
Participation and Collaboration
HHS Open Government Flagship Initiatives

Computer Analytics and the Connection with Beer, Pop-Tarts, and Hurricanes

2011-06-27T18:56:00.000-04:00

Okay, I realize that you probably believe that I have gone over the edge! Actually, the connection between analytics, hurricanes, beer, and Pop-Tarts was brought up by Dr. Bates in his presentation last Friday evening.

In essence, Wal-Mart used predictive analytics during Hurricane Charlie when it hit Florida in 2004 in order to discover what buyers were purchasing on all items. As it turned out, buyers bought lots of beer and Pop-Tarts! Interesting!! You can read more at http://www.evancarmichael.com/Small-Business-Consulting/982/What-Beer-PopTarts-and-Hurricanes-Have-to-do-with-YOUR-Business.html

Imagine what healthcare would look like if the use of predictive analytics was pervasive in our practice? I believe that there is a treasure chest in all of the data we hoard!

29th International Nursing Technology Conference

2011-06-27T18:43:00.000-04:00

I just returned from Boston last evening where I attended the 29th International Nursing Technology Conference. I have attended the conference many times over the years - but this particicular one was the best!!

On Friday, Dr. David Bates opened the conference discussing "meaningful use" and the work of many developing the initiative of the ONC. Dr. Bates was an excellent speaker. While he was optimistic, he was also a realist and discussed the challenges as progress is made on the electronic health record.

On Saturday, the opening speaker was Patty Dykes. She spoke on informatics research to promote meaningful use. She gave examples of apps developed at Partners Healthcare to addressed patient safety. Examples included the Fall TIPS Toolkit, an electronic communication center (imagine a computer monitor located abover the head of the bed with useful information for caregivers - that can also swing around for use by the patient), and the work at Partners to standardize data for quality reporting.

The breakout sessions were also excellent. My favorites were the sessions conducted by Michelle Troseth and Denise Tucker. Michelle did two presentations. One addressed the IOM, The Future of Nursing and the book Educating Nurses. Michelle stressed the importance connecting assessment and interventions and using a framework that is evidence-based. Her other session brought the attendees up-to-date on the TIGER initiative.

Denise Tucker did a wondership presentation on providing end-of-like care and ethical principles with simulation. She provided very specific information in a compelling and meaningful manner.

The other presentations I attended were all very good.

iAnnotate for the iPad

2011-06-27T18:16:00.000-04:00

Tracy sent me an email that reminded me to blog about iAnnotate for the iPad. It is a very nice app that allows the user to navigate and "mark-up" a PDF file. Some unexpected features include the ability to use the iPad's camera (obviously - the iPad 2) as an annotation in a document. You can also record a Sound Clip annotation. There are many other features in the newest version, 1.5, that was updated on June 15th.

Hmmm - those particular features (ability to add photos and sound clips) remind me of some educational software that allow groups of students to share and learn. I wonder if groups of students might contribute to and share annotations using the DropBox app.

iPad and Huntington's Disease

2011-06-27T18:03:00.000-04:00

Martha shared an interesting article, Augmented Communication Devices, published in the May 2011 newsletter for HDSA.org. The article was especially meaningful because my husband's goddaughter's mother-in-law has Huntington's Disease.

The article describes how the iPad can assist individuals who has difficulty with motor skills and communication to communicate with others. The size and dimensions of the iPad allow it to be mounted conveniently for uses. Moreover, there are numerous apps that are designed to facilitate communication. Apps listed in the article were (most require purchase - some costing over $150):

Proloquo2Go
TapSpeak Choice
Speak It Text to Speech
NeoKate
NeoPaul
Talk Assist
iCommunicate
Grace Picture Exchange for Non-Verbal People
ArtikPix
Look2Learn
Predictable

Not mentioned, but might be useful is iSpeakIt.

Other types of apps and iPad features that might be helpful to facilitate communication include eBooks, word prediction, speech recognition software, and gaming apps.

Although the article specifically addressed Huntington's Disease, it is easy to see how any of the apps could benefit individuals with communication difficulties ranging from children to adults.

Google Health Going Away

2011-06-27T17:39:00.000-04:00

According to several news articles that popped up today, Google Health will be discontinued in January of next year. What Google may or may not understand - is that the personal health record will not have widespread adoption until there is infrastructure that allows for information exchange between consumers/providers.
http://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/google-health-personal-health-records-discontinue-retire-phr-42690-1.html?ET=healthdatamanagement:e1856:144174a:&st=email&utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=HDM_Daily_062711

Justice Done with Conviction of Texas Sheriff Who Retaliated Against Nurses

2011-06-16T17:22:00.000-04:00

Justice has been done with the conviction of Sheriff Robert Roberts who retaliated against two nurses who reported the Sheriff's friend, a physician. You can read more at http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/06/15/3155780/nurse-advocate-state-medical-official.html

As frustrated as I have been with the American Nurses Association at times, it came through once again when they supported the two nurses. You can read more at http://www.texasnurses.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=509#verdict

Physician Use of Mobile Devices

2011-06-16T17:12:00.000-04:00

An interesting study of over 3 thousand physicians use of mobile devices was recently released and can be viewed at http://www.quantiamd.com/q-qcp/QuantiaMD_Research_TabletsSetToChangeMedicalPractice.pdf

Am behind on blogs... have been working on our graduate program with other member of the graduate committee.

Considering Social Media Policies for Nursing Education Programs

2011-06-07T17:30:00.000-04:00

Diane Skiba wrote a wonderful article in Nursing Education Perspective earlier this year. The article is available at http://www.faqs.org/periodicals/201103/2343728661.html

Nursing education programs and other organizations should consider adopting a social media policy. When a group of college students were polled about the Facebook posting a a nursing student in uniform holding up a placenta - half of the students saw no problem with the posting. That sentiment did change after some discussion.

Of course, the story about Representive Weiner's Tweets sheds light on the implications of inappropriate postings. The difference between Rep. Weiner and nursing students is striking. He is much older and knew what he was doing was not a societal norm. The students are just gaining real world experience.

Education about the use and inappropriate use of social media is crucial to the successful implimentation of a policy to guide users.

Comparing Healthcare

2011-06-07T17:08:00.000-04:00

It is interesting to talk with healthcare providers and nursing students (some who are already RNs) regarding hospital comparisons and patient satisfaction. Several of the RN students thought that the patient satisfaction initiative was only at their facility. They did not understand that it related to reimbursement. The Medicare site explaining HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems).
Medicare site - comparing outcomes of HCAHPS (https://www.cms.gov/HospitalQualityInits/30_HospitalHCAHPS.asp) http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov/

Until recently, I did not realize that the AHRQ (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) provides the ability for users to view measures of state performance by region (State Snapshots - http://statesnapshots.ahrq.gov/snaps10/index.jsp) for the following:
"•Overall health care quality
•Types of care (preventive, acute, and chronic)
•Settings of care (hospitals, ambulatory care, nursing home, and home health)
•Five clinical conditions (cancer, diabetes, heart disease, maternal and child health, and respiratory diseases)
•Special focus areas on diabetes, asthma, Healthy People 2010, clinical preventive services, disparities, payer, and variation over time"

If you haven't already done so, take a few moments to compare performances of healthcare agencies in your region.

Update

2011-06-04T20:24:00.000-04:00

Am still here.... just finishing up finalizing grading for two courses for Maymester and working on reports for the Georgia College new DNP program. Have several blogs in line, thanks to emails from Tracy and others.

Thanks to Our Textbook Users!

2011-05-25T07:11:00.001-04:00

The sale of our textbook quadrupled the 4th quarter of last year! Wow!!! A warm thank you to everyone who purchased the book. The 4th edition is finished and gone to the publisher. We tried to take the best of the 3rd edition and make it even better in the 4th edition. For example, all of the files used for illustration and explanation in the chapters on office applications will be available for users to download. Office applications include Microsoft Office 2010 and cloud office computing apps. The Affordable Care Act information has been added along with the many changes in the political landscape affecting informatics.

What are Your Favorite Droid Apps?

2011-05-21T07:06:00.000-04:00

I want to hear from you! What are your favorite apps for the Android phone? Why?

Nursing Informatics Awareness Day

2011-05-09T06:57:00.002-04:00

May 12^th is Nursing Informatics Awareness Day. Learn more about nursing informatics at http://www.himss.org/handouts/NIAwareDayFlyer.pdf

iRecorder app

2011-05-08T07:54:00.000-04:00

Kendra and I conducted a focus group with graduating senior nursing students a couple of weeks ago. We wanted a qualitative component to assess the BSN program effectiveness. We used a borrowed digital recorder and I experimented using iRecorder on the iPad (downloaded the free version). We placed the microphone for the digital recorder in the middle of the tables (there were 17 students who participated). I had the iPad in front of me at one end of the tables. The most amazing thing is that iRecorder picked up the conversation with amazing clarity which was much better than the digital recorder!

We discovered that the downside to free version of iRecorder was that we could not share the recording file. I "broke the bank" and downloaded the $2.99 version of iRecorder, but the app did not recognize the file that was recorded with the free version. I ended up loaning my iPad to Kendra for a couple of days so that she could complete typing up the transcript.

The results of the focus group were very helpful. We plan to repeat the process with every graduating cohort! Next time we will use the purchased version of iRecorder in order to take an advantage of file portability.

If anyone has ideas for the recording/transcribing process - please share.

NEJM This Week App

2011-04-24T07:11:00.001-04:00

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!

Holistic Care Issues

2011-04-22T13:19:00.000-04:00

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.

Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows and Mac Computers

2011-04-22T12:49:00.000-04:00

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.

Loaning/borrowing a Kindle eBook

2011-04-22T09:40:00.000-04:00

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!

Free Credit Card Bar Code Reader for Payment

2011-04-21T07:02:00.000-04:00

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.

Team Viewer - Another App to Share a Computer Desktop

2011-04-16T17:28:00.000-04:00

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.

eBooks & eBook Readers

2011-04-10T10:23:00.002-04:00

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?

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.

What eBook readers are available for mobile devices like the iPad, iPhone, and Android phones?

iBooks (Apple mobile devices)
Kobo
Kindle (access to Amazon books)
Nook (access to Barnes & Noble books)
Google Books

I like the feel, touch, and smell of paper books. What would I want an eBook?

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.

How Much is in a Byte?

2011-04-09T08:01:00.000-04:00

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.

Catheter Related Bloodstream Infection Prevention Update

2011-04-05T15:54:00.000-04:00

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.

Map Projector with Google Maps

2011-04-01T09:32:00.001-04:00

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.

Learning Using Comic Strip Methods

2011-04-01T09:22:00.000-04:00

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

Facebook Privacy Guide

2011-04-01T08:43:00.003-04:00

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:

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

Nursing Informatics Online Articles

2011-03-30T18:07:00.001-04:00

Linda added a couple of new resources to the textbook website at http://dlthede.net/Informatics/Informatics.html

March 30, 2011 Canadian Journal of Nursing Informatics. Edited by June Kaminski, this is a peer-reviewed online quarterly journal started in 2006. (Added March 30, 2011)
http://cjni.net/journal/?p=1094

March 30, 2011 Kaminski, June. (2011). Theory applied to informatics – Lewin’s Change Theory. Canadian Journal of Nursing Informatics (6)1. (Chapter 18)
http://cjni.net/journal/?p=1210

Online Meeting app

2011-03-30T07:17:00.001-04:00

Recently, I shared information about join.me, a free app that allows for monitor sharing. This past weekend I learned about an app that allows for a online meetings - FuzeMe. A free trial service is available. To learn more go to http://www.fuzemeeting.com/

What is unique about this app is that it works with all mobile devices. The invitation data is imported from your device contact list. The monthly fee for the regular product makes the app less desirable for educators. At any rate, the app is worth exploring.

Whiteboard Sharing app

2011-03-30T07:01:00.001-04:00

This weekend I attended the Southern Regional Faculty Development and Instructional Consortium (SRFDIC)meeting at Auburn University. Besides lots of networking with great friends, the presentations were fantastic. Those of us with iPads had a terrific time sharing apps. Whiteboard sharing (http://www.greengar.com/apps/whiteboard/ ) is an interesting concept. It allows two devices (iPhones and iPads) to connect via wifi to share drawings. I experimented with my iPhone and iPad this morning. I noted a few seconds time lag, but it worked flawlessly! It might be useful when designing models to convey concepts collaboratively.