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Computer applications in nursing education and practice
BOOK REVIEWS
ties. Performance of each institution was ranked on various criteria including total revenue each academic year from 1981 to 1986. A sample of I2 sites with differing institutional indicators was used. The results showed that high scores on board competencies related positively with high institutional performance, including incremental increases in funding. The first six chapters of the book cover specific competencies, one competency per chapter, with corresponding definitions and “behavioral indicators.” Competencies that were found to be helpful to the development of an effective and efficient board are: (1) Members of effective boards understood the mission of the institution and acted in ways that were congruent with institutional values and beliefs. (2) Effective board members were well-informed. They knew their roles, responsibilities, and board process through continuous informal and formal educational sessions. Periodic group monitoring was done. (3) Acting as a group, effective and efficient boards developed “processoriented and substantive goals.” Included were ways to groom board members for leadership positions on committees. (4) Analytical skills were used to solve problems. After adequate debate with various views expressed, a variety of quality control measures were used. (5) Effective boards collectively exhibited sufficient political skills using a shared governance model to compromise when necessary and to communicate with their constituencies. (6) Strategic planning was used to prioritize board activity over a specific time frame. Both a “governance information system” and the existence of stated, monitored policies help conserve board members’ time. Activities and discussion questions conclude each of the six chapters. Some of these exercises should be helpful to any board. The seventh and last chapter is devoted to roles of presidents and chief executive officers (CEOs) that strengthen the effectiveness of boards. A major role for presidents and CEOs is that of educator of board members. Plans for board retreats and short orientation programs are included in this final chapter. Continuing development of the board is stressed. This book provides excellent instruction of nurses who serve on a variety of boards. It would also assist nurses who are administrators to understand the group dynamics that determine board actions. This understanding can be translated into political astuteness for nurse CEOs. Their educative responsibilities to board members would be very clear. Conceivably, graduate students in nursing administration could prepare for interactions with board members with this book. The primary purpose of the book is to develop effective board members through competencies uncovered by qualitative research. The textbook is packed with information for present and future board members who are nurses. However, at first reading the reference book seemed too short to this author, a member of several boards. In retrospect, though, sufficient knowledge is presented for cohesive board members to function effectively. Another mild criticism to the book is the fact that it was written for board members of educational institutions and non-profit organizations, but the latter are seldom mentioned. All the information can be easily interpolated to include non-profit agencies’ board of trustees in this current
187 treatment of relevant research, so this omission does not detract too much from the usefulness of this book. BARBARA J. MCARTHUR,PHD, FAAN Professor Wayne State University College of Nursing Detroit, Michigan Computer Applications in Nursing Education and Practice. (Pub. No. 14-2406). By Jean M. Arnold and Gayle A. Pearson. New York, NY, National League for Nursing, 1992, 383 pages. The College of Nursing at Rutgers University hosts an annual conference regarding computer applications for nursing. The authors have compiled 38 presentations from this and other similar conferences held in 1990 and 1991. The book provides a broad perspective on computer applications and innovations. Due to geographic limitations of the conference presenters, it is not all inclusive of available applications, but it does provide a sample of most application types. The included articles focus on the practical aspects of computer innovations and applications rather than on the theory or science of informatics. Introductory articles discuss the Virginia Henderson International Nursing Library, strategies for self-education in “nursing informatits,” and techniques for searching the literature. Articles in the body of the text are grouped into major sections discussing bedside computers, care planning modules, applications in administration, computer-assisted and -managed education, and application development and research. Nursing research and evaluation of computer applications is discussed in five concluding articles rather than being integrated throughout the text. Each section of the book is preceded by a brief overview. Rather than serving as a commentary on the state of the art, the overview provides a brief statement of the content of each article. The quality of the individual article is high because they have undergone peer review before being accepted for presentation. Individual authors are knowledgeable of their topics, and they present the information with enthusiasm. Although the quality and extent of individual bibliographies varies, a wide array of appropriate resources can be found within the text. As an instructor in the master’s clinical nursing informatics program at the University of Utah, I found the book to have potential for classroom instruction in data base design. The book provides multiple clinical examples that are useful for stimulating student discussion. Many of the authors stress system design and development phases as well as system implementation and capabilities. This approach will allow students the opportunity to compare design specifics across systems. Application of informatics theory is evident in many of the articles. Several authors discuss the role and importance of clinical data in decision making for nursing. Systems resulting from this approach use a data base as the foundation of the system. This approach can be contrasted with the capabilities of systems employing flat files for data and information storage.
188
The book also can serve as a valuable resource to nurses charged with initiating computer applications within their institutions. Many of the articles provide step-by-step details of application implementation plans. The authors provide both the positive and negative aspects of their respective systems. None of the articles appear to be an advertisement for their systems. Rather, they focus on helping others to learn from their experiences. Computer Applications in Nursing Education and Pracbce is easy to read, requiring little background in computer tech-
BOOK REVIEWS
nology. The book can be used as a reference, a classroom text, or an introduction to computer applications for clinical nursing.
CHERYLBAGLEYTHOMPSON,PHD, RN, CS Assistant Professor University of Utah College of Nursing Nursing lnfvrnkzticsProgram Salt Lake City, Utah
ties. Performance of each institution was ranked on various criteria including total revenue each academic year from 1981 to 1986. A sample of I2 sites with differing institutional indicators was used. The results showed that high scores on board competencies related positively with high institutional performance, including incremental increases in funding. The first six chapters of the book cover specific competencies, one competency per chapter, with corresponding definitions and “behavioral indicators.” Competencies that were found to be helpful to the development of an effective and efficient board are: (1) Members of effective boards understood the mission of the institution and acted in ways that were congruent with institutional values and beliefs. (2) Effective board members were well-informed. They knew their roles, responsibilities, and board process through continuous informal and formal educational sessions. Periodic group monitoring was done. (3) Acting as a group, effective and efficient boards developed “processoriented and substantive goals.” Included were ways to groom board members for leadership positions on committees. (4) Analytical skills were used to solve problems. After adequate debate with various views expressed, a variety of quality control measures were used. (5) Effective boards collectively exhibited sufficient political skills using a shared governance model to compromise when necessary and to communicate with their constituencies. (6) Strategic planning was used to prioritize board activity over a specific time frame. Both a “governance information system” and the existence of stated, monitored policies help conserve board members’ time. Activities and discussion questions conclude each of the six chapters. Some of these exercises should be helpful to any board. The seventh and last chapter is devoted to roles of presidents and chief executive officers (CEOs) that strengthen the effectiveness of boards. A major role for presidents and CEOs is that of educator of board members. Plans for board retreats and short orientation programs are included in this final chapter. Continuing development of the board is stressed. This book provides excellent instruction of nurses who serve on a variety of boards. It would also assist nurses who are administrators to understand the group dynamics that determine board actions. This understanding can be translated into political astuteness for nurse CEOs. Their educative responsibilities to board members would be very clear. Conceivably, graduate students in nursing administration could prepare for interactions with board members with this book. The primary purpose of the book is to develop effective board members through competencies uncovered by qualitative research. The textbook is packed with information for present and future board members who are nurses. However, at first reading the reference book seemed too short to this author, a member of several boards. In retrospect, though, sufficient knowledge is presented for cohesive board members to function effectively. Another mild criticism to the book is the fact that it was written for board members of educational institutions and non-profit organizations, but the latter are seldom mentioned. All the information can be easily interpolated to include non-profit agencies’ board of trustees in this current
187 treatment of relevant research, so this omission does not detract too much from the usefulness of this book. BARBARA J. MCARTHUR,PHD, FAAN Professor Wayne State University College of Nursing Detroit, Michigan Computer Applications in Nursing Education and Practice. (Pub. No. 14-2406). By Jean M. Arnold and Gayle A. Pearson. New York, NY, National League for Nursing, 1992, 383 pages. The College of Nursing at Rutgers University hosts an annual conference regarding computer applications for nursing. The authors have compiled 38 presentations from this and other similar conferences held in 1990 and 1991. The book provides a broad perspective on computer applications and innovations. Due to geographic limitations of the conference presenters, it is not all inclusive of available applications, but it does provide a sample of most application types. The included articles focus on the practical aspects of computer innovations and applications rather than on the theory or science of informatics. Introductory articles discuss the Virginia Henderson International Nursing Library, strategies for self-education in “nursing informatits,” and techniques for searching the literature. Articles in the body of the text are grouped into major sections discussing bedside computers, care planning modules, applications in administration, computer-assisted and -managed education, and application development and research. Nursing research and evaluation of computer applications is discussed in five concluding articles rather than being integrated throughout the text. Each section of the book is preceded by a brief overview. Rather than serving as a commentary on the state of the art, the overview provides a brief statement of the content of each article. The quality of the individual article is high because they have undergone peer review before being accepted for presentation. Individual authors are knowledgeable of their topics, and they present the information with enthusiasm. Although the quality and extent of individual bibliographies varies, a wide array of appropriate resources can be found within the text. As an instructor in the master’s clinical nursing informatics program at the University of Utah, I found the book to have potential for classroom instruction in data base design. The book provides multiple clinical examples that are useful for stimulating student discussion. Many of the authors stress system design and development phases as well as system implementation and capabilities. This approach will allow students the opportunity to compare design specifics across systems. Application of informatics theory is evident in many of the articles. Several authors discuss the role and importance of clinical data in decision making for nursing. Systems resulting from this approach use a data base as the foundation of the system. This approach can be contrasted with the capabilities of systems employing flat files for data and information storage.
188
The book also can serve as a valuable resource to nurses charged with initiating computer applications within their institutions. Many of the articles provide step-by-step details of application implementation plans. The authors provide both the positive and negative aspects of their respective systems. None of the articles appear to be an advertisement for their systems. Rather, they focus on helping others to learn from their experiences. Computer Applications in Nursing Education and Pracbce is easy to read, requiring little background in computer tech-
BOOK REVIEWS
nology. The book can be used as a reference, a classroom text, or an introduction to computer applications for clinical nursing.
CHERYLBAGLEYTHOMPSON,PHD, RN, CS Assistant Professor University of Utah College of Nursing Nursing lnfvrnkzticsProgram Salt Lake City, Utah