IT for Health Professionals

The pressure of working in the resource limited health service along with the requirement to maintain and develop a professional knowledge base leaves little time for staff to get seriously involved in related studies. Even students undertaking diploma and degree courses at university find little time to use computer based resources in spite of having them to hand. Just mention the word "computers" to some people and they mentally "switch off". Mental images of machines, "techno speak" and having to learn a whole new way of doing things do not tend to make their use very attractive. This practical book offers a way forward and will help the nurse to:

• Develop competence in using selected computer programs to find information relevant to professional clinical practice
• Avoid irrelevant depth of technical matter
• Make the best use of limited time resources whether it be at work, at home or in university-based study

The reader will be introduced to computers at a basic level but with enough information to get started and to troubleshoot simple problems. Then you will be shown how to recognize and use applications (programs) useful to your professional practice. Finally you will be given a brief guide to some selected evidence based practice related web sites to start you off on your search.