Nursing Information Literacy
Information Literacy
Kristine Myers
Baker College of Flint
Information Literacy
When a person begins nursing school it can be a bit over whelming. One is bombarded by not only new experiences but an overabundance of information. Clinical advisors demand an accumulation of information before setting a toe into a patient’s room. However, being a novice, the student has no idea what all that information pertains to or what to do with it. As the semesters of nursing school pass, the student begins to realize what the information is and what to do with it. The students acquire information literacy.
Information Literacy Definition
Due to the enormous growth of the health care industry itself and the many changes of how information is delivered, it is more important now than ever that nurses have acquired information literacy. “Information Literacy is defined as the ability to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information” (Cherry & Jacob, 2011, p. 306). Nurses need the ability to recognize when information is needed because they need to know what questions they need to ask their patients to be able to clearly assess their patient’s conditions. They also need to assess outside information to be able to establish the best evidence based practice to be used in their patient’s treatment. Information can be obtained from the patient themselves or evidence based practice journals, computer data bases, and facility protocols. “To be able to achieve any of these competencies nurses need to identify where relevant information can be found” (Glasper, 2011, p. 188). It is also very important to consider the level of evidence of your source of information. Once the nurse has gathered information, one must be able to understand what the information means. Anyone can read the words on a lab report, but nurses must be able to know what lab values mean. They must also be able to know when values
Kristine Myers
Baker College of Flint
Information Literacy
When a person begins nursing school it can be a bit over whelming. One is bombarded by not only new experiences but an overabundance of information. Clinical advisors demand an accumulation of information before setting a toe into a patient’s room. However, being a novice, the student has no idea what all that information pertains to or what to do with it. As the semesters of nursing school pass, the student begins to realize what the information is and what to do with it. The students acquire information literacy.
Information Literacy Definition
Due to the enormous growth of the health care industry itself and the many changes of how information is delivered, it is more important now than ever that nurses have acquired information literacy. “Information Literacy is defined as the ability to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information” (Cherry & Jacob, 2011, p. 306). Nurses need the ability to recognize when information is needed because they need to know what questions they need to ask their patients to be able to clearly assess their patient’s conditions. They also need to assess outside information to be able to establish the best evidence based practice to be used in their patient’s treatment. Information can be obtained from the patient themselves or evidence based practice journals, computer data bases, and facility protocols. “To be able to achieve any of these competencies nurses need to identify where relevant information can be found” (Glasper, 2011, p. 188). It is also very important to consider the level of evidence of your source of information. Once the nurse has gathered information, one must be able to understand what the information means. Anyone can read the words on a lab report, but nurses must be able to know what lab values mean. They must also be able to know when values
References: Cherry, B., & Jacob, S. R. (2011). Contemporary Nursing Issues, Trends, & Management (5th Ed.). http://dx.doi.org/9780323069533 Glasper, A. (2011, January 12). The RCN’s literacy competences for evidence-based practice. . British Journal of Nursing, 20(3), 188-189. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.bakerezproxy.palnet.info/ehost/delivery?sid Liebeskind, D. S. (2013). Intracranial hemorrhage. Retrieved from http://emedicine.medscape.com Magee, J. (2011, February 25). Information Literacy and Nursing Students. Librarians and Faculty Collaborating to Enhance Understanding. Retrieved from www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S875572230300...