Responses from 1,107 nurses working with asthma patients showed positive to neutral views of consensus reports with practice recommendations from professional associations, government, and health agencies. Most felt the reports were a better source of information than colleagues, textbooks, or journals. However, 75% were unaware of one major set…

Offers advice on which search techniques work best, and lists eight specific strategies on recovering from a search that does not go as expected. A sidebar describes expanding a search and limiting results. (Author/PEN)

Nurse educators who are comfortable with their own sexuality, have sensitive and perceptive communication skills, and are knowledgeable about sexual health are best equipped to integrate sexuality education into the nursing curriculum. (SK)

Explains the use of rubrics which can provide students with the quality criteria, guidelines, or standards of evaluation connected to an assignment. Highlights include rubric characteristics; clearly stated expectations; steps for developing a rubric; and a list of resources on rubrics. (LRW)

Based on observation of three teachers, suggestions for including humor in nursing education are offered: developing one's sense of humor, developing a presentation style, and remembering to be sensitive, relevant, spontaneous, and oneself. (SK)

Provides a guide for developing, evaluating, and reviewing proposed and existing practice guidelines, explaining the difference between guidelines and standards and between practice and treatment. Describes the process of developing the 1995 American Psychological Association practice guidelines document, then focuses on practice guideline…

Presents a set of criteria for use in evaluating treatment guidelines promulgated by health care associations, government agencies, professional associations, or other entities, explaining that treatment guidelines are designed to educate health care professionals and the health care system as a whole about the most effective treatments available.…

The paper presents definitions of key terms concerned with development of medical practice guidelines, identifies eight attributes of good practice, and examines issues of guideline implementation and evaluation. The eight attributes are validity, reliability and reproducibility, clinical applicability, clinical flexibility, clarity,…

Discusses the use of hypertext as an instructional tool and compares hypertext instruction with traditional instructional formats. Instructional design guidelines for hypertext are presented that focus on learner control, multiuser management, user interface, knowledge organization, and content representation. Limitations of learner control as an…

Instructional leaders need a sturdy support system and a sound background in clinical supervision to be effective administrators. This article identifies three vital tools of the trade: a specific set of basic skills for quality teaching; a support system for each teaching skill; and a dependable, flexible, and personalized delivery system. (MLH)

Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP) is the process of establishing a program for implementation and use of information systems in ways that will optimize effectiveness of information resources and use them to support the objectives of the organization. Basic steps in SISP methodology are outlined. (JKP)

States that documentation can be designed specifically to help people perform physical tasks. Shows that research in computing, motor learning, and in music and sports instruction suggests that documentation is more effective when it takes into account how people think about physical tasks. (PA)

Using the Children's Advertising Review Unit guidelines, analysis of 142 ads in 14 children's magazines found (1) lack of emphasis on positive social standards; (2) failure to substantiate product claims; (3) lack of encouragement for good nutrition; and (4) disclosures and disclaimers in language not understood by children. (SK)

Discusses the benefits of using humor in the workplace. Offers guidelines for using humor at work, and gives examples of effective ways to use it. (SR)