Learning Objective #1: Identify online resources for specific ethical/legal issues

Learning Objective #2: Discuss nursing practice implications utilizing online resources to improve quality of care

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Agencies are utilizing new technologies in current health care environments, including those that influence nursing knowledge acquisition. These issues are fast-paced delivery of nursing care, lack of nursing experts within agencies, and inconsistencies amongst health providers. With the explosion of increasingly complex ethical/legal dilemmas and changing resources available, nurses need to explore alternative ways of acquiring patient care information.

Regardless of the practice settings, nurses are held to a standard of practice. Each nurse needs foundational and state-of-the-art information to support their practice. Current nurses rely less on texts and are increasingly utilizing online resources and technology. Due to the current knowledge explosion and the number of online health care websites, nurses need to be wise consumers and users of the internet. Additionally clients expect health care providers to be experts in data acquisition and evaluation. Evaluation of online resources is a new skill for practicing nurses.

This presentation will showcase teaching strategies using technology and resources to improve practice. Various websites will focus on specific ethical/legal issues that are directed towards advanced directives, pain management, self-determination, and geriatric case management. Nursing practice implications will be discussed as applied to current and future decision making. Information sharing by nurse educators and clinical practice nurses can promote advocacy and guide policy in practice.