Identifying Minimum Datasets for Pressure Ulcer Assessment and Analysis of Nursing Records in Home Nursing

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify minimum datasets for ulcer assessment and to map the minimum datasets to paper-based nursing records for pressure ulcer care in homecare setting. METHODS: To identify minimum datasets for pressure ulcer assessment, the authors reviewed four guidelines for pressure ulcer care. The content validity of the minimum datasets was assessed by three homecare nurse specialists. To map the minimum datasets to nursing records, the authors examined 107 pressure ulcer events derived from 45 pressure ulcer patients who received home nursing from two hospitals in Gyeonggi Province. RESULTS: The minimum datasets for initial assessment were anatomical location, stage, size, tissue, exudate, condition of periwound skin, undermining, odor, and pain. 'Location' was recorded best, accounting for a complete recording rate of 98.1%. 'Exudate' and 'pain' showed the poorest record, accounting for 2.8% and 0%,respectively. The minimum datasets for progress assessment were wound size, tissue, and exudate, each accounted for 31.8%, 2.8%, and 4.7%, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study concluded that data on pressure ulcer assessment was not sufficient homecare and it can be improved by adopting minimum datasets as identified in this study.

Selection Criteria and Utilization of Health Information on the Internet by Consumers / 대한의료정보학회지

This study was conducted to investigate selection criteria of health information and utilization pattern of health information on the Web by the consumers. Data were collected through off-line and on-line surveys. The off-line survey was conducted with 64 white color office workers in seven companies. The on-line survey was conducted on JoongAng Ilbo 'Healthcare' and KIHASA 'Healthguide' Web sites and 216 participated in the survey. To compare the selection criteria of the consumers with that of health informatics experts, an e-mail survey was done with twenty-six health informatics experts. Selection criteria of health information rated by consumers were in order of accuracy of content, scope and depth of content, privacy and confidentiality, and readability. Experts ranked in order of accuracy of content, purpose of sites, scope and depth of content, and readability. Seventy eight percent of consumers used the Internet once a month to search health information, 60.4% visited health-related Web sites via Internet search. The majority (85%) visited 2-5 different Web sites when they searched for health information. Eighty three percent of consumers regarded the health information on Internet as reliable. Ninety percent of consumers said that the health information on Internet was useful. Consumers used the Internet 'to find disease-related information' (86.1%), 'to find information on exercise and nutrition' (77.9%), 'to get an on-line advice' (42.5%), and 'to buy products or medicine for health' (18.9%). The results of the present study suggested what the health informatics experts should consider when they provide health information on the Internet and what consumers demand when they filter quality health information.