Evaluating Internet Health Information

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Table of Contents

Introduction
The Website’s Authority
Information Offered
Objectivity
Navigation
Privacy and Security Policies
Importance of Evaluating Health Information from Websites
Conclusion
References

Introduction

The use of technology has made it possible for professionals from various fields to access relevant information from various sources. The use of modern technology for communication has made it possible for millions of people across the world to send, receive and share information within the shortest time possible. This has promoted efficiency in terms of production and generation of ideas among various departments in a given organization. The use of the internet has made it possible for people to access millions of information on almost all aspects of human life. This discussion is a critique of a website (www.healthline.com) in terms of the health information it offers to nurses.

The Website’s Authority

This website was launched in 2005 with major offices in New York, India and San Francisco and serves people from all over the world. It commands a huge number of clients who visit in on a regular basis for essential ideas regarding health matters. It is rated among the top 15 health websites that offer essential ideas to people. Visitors that frequent this site are estimated to be more than twenty million every year. This is a clear sign that it is regarded as a useful site as far as human health issues are concerned.

Information Offered

This site offers relevant information to people who suffer various ailments and to nurses who seek knowledge on various issue of human life. It derives most of its information from qualified doctors and publications that are highly rated in the world (Melnyk 2010). It also offers essential information to about fifty four million visitors every month for the purpose of seeking ideas and information to be published.

Objectivity

The main objective of this site is to provide relevant information to millions of patients regarding possible solutions to their ailments. It also offers an insight into the causes of various human diseases and disorders. It provides essential information to millions of nurses on possible treatments and control of human diseases. It also helps patients to locate doctors who can handle their diseases (Cannon 2009). It also provides links to institutions that offer training on human health and gives visitors an opportunity to visit them and view their contents.

Navigating this website is as easy as following a visual map by any keen tourist. The website has the following icons that direct the visitor to relevant information; the “home” option directs the visitor to relevant information regarding this site’s history, terms of service and contacts. The Health A-Z offers guidance to millions of health options to the viewer while the Healthy Living section guides visitors on how to eat and exercise in a healthy way. The site has other links to information required by visitors. This links are designed in a simple way that helps visitors to locate their areas of interest with ease (Burns 2012). It also has the search option that enable visitors to narrow their search easily in order to get to their choices faster.

Privacy and Security Policies

This site guarantees all viewers the highest degree of privacy to their information and does not disclose confidential details regarding the patient’s problems to the public. It offers secure options for patients to communicate with their doctors in private and arrange for their meeting. This site confirms that the contents offered are solely for the purpose of assisting nurses and patients to find possible solutions to diseases and ailments.

However, the contents offered do not serve as treatment procedures for patients suffering various diseases (Brown 2011). This means that even though they get their health related information from reliable sources they do not guarantee 100% perfection. This means that the information provided in this site is not reliable since human health is not an issue to be put to test by using their information in dealing with diseases (Maville 2012). Therefore, this means that the information offered is meant for general knowledge and visitors may apply them in their lives at their own risks.

Importance of Evaluating Health Information from Websites

Human beings are always seeking information from all available sources in order to ensue they have enough knowledge on how to deal with various challenging issues in life. However, nurses should ensure they treat all information obtained from websites with great caution. This is due to the fact that people have different reactions to different treatments and while some respond positively to certain medications others may experience harmful side effects that may lead to death (Polit 2009). Some information may have been posted without ensuring they are accurate and this may mislead any nurse who relies on these sites for knowledge on how to deal with health issues.

Conclusion

Nurses should ensure they read widely from any available sources to ensue they have all the relevant knowledge on how to deal with various diseases. The internet offers great information on human health regarding diseases and their possible cures. However, all information from this site should not be taken as gospel truth and nurses should evaluate them before making any decision.

References

Brown, J. (2011). Evidence-Based Practice for Nurses: Appraisal and Application Research. Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Learning.

Burns, N. (2012). Understanding Nursing Research: Building an Evidence Based Practice. Philadelphia: Saunders Publishers.

Cannon, S. (2009). Introduction to Nursing Research: Incorporating Evidence Based Practice. Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Learning.

Maville, J. (2012). Health Promotion in Nursing with Premium Website Printed Access Card. New York: Delmar Cengage Learning.

Melnyk, B. (2010). Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare: A Guide to Best Practice. New York: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.

Polit, D. (2009).The Essentials of Nursing Research: Appraising Evidence-Based Practice. Philadelphia: Saunders Publishers.

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