Introduction: This presentation will outline the development of Ireland’s only research and education website dedicated to the needs of nurses and midwives www.nurse2nurse.ie. Nurse2Nurse was developed by the librarian of the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) who, over the years, evaluated the problems faced by Irish Nurses and Midwives in accessing relevant, quality information in order to complete their studies. Such problems of access became even more apparent for nurses living in rural areas, and provision of an information service to nurses via the World Wide Web seemed to be the only way the membership of the INO (28,000) was going to have access to its library and information sources.
Research: Between 2000 & 2001 research of the market for an Irish web-based information service – www.nurse2nurse.ie, that would support continuing nursing education and evidence based nursing practice was undertaken.
Objectives: of the survey were to examine the current information needs of nurses in Ireland. Comparisons with existing web-based education and information sites indicated the gaps the service needed to fill.
Methododology:
· A survey was undertaken using a structured questionnaire in order to elicit information concerning the current information needs of nurses in Ireland.
· The content and mode of delivery of existing web-based education/information sites available to nurses were assessed.
A questionnaire was distributed to 120 nurses, randomly sampled from each division of the nursing/midwifery national register; response rate was 84% (101/120).
The evidence suggested - 91% of those surveyed have Internet access, generally at home. The main reasons for nurses using the Internet are for keeping up to date and accessing full-text journal material. All those surveyed were enthusiastic to have access to a web-based service dedicated to their needs. Respondents placed a high importance on accessing: nursing news (86%); nursing & midwifery research (80%) and bibliographic databases (79%).
Ten websites were evaluated, mostly UK based. The main findings highlighted the fact that while access to bibliographic databases, full text material and existing world-wide nursing research were available the services which nurses wanted access to were only available for high fees or by being a member of the organisation hosting the website.
As a result of the research-undertaken www.nurse2nurse.ie went online in January 2002. The popularity of N2N continutes to grow: 9,000 nurses registered in 2002, 13,500 - September 2003.
The ultimate objective of Nurse2Nurse is to become the online hub of information for nurses working and studying in Ireland.
|