"Is this professionally correct?": understanding the criteria nurses use to evaluate information.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Nurses must evaluate and sift through large quantities of information of varying quality as part of patient care. This study sought to determine nurses' evaluation criteria when encountering health information, including consumer health information written for the general public and scholarly sources, such as journal articles.

Methods

We employed a mixed-methods approach with a survey and follow-up individual interviews. In both the survey and interviews, nurses were asked to evaluate information written for the general public or a scholarly audience. Interviewees were encouraged to think aloud to elucidate their criteria. We analyzed data using descriptive statistics and inductive thematic analysis.

Results

Criteria used for both consumer and scholarly info

SUBMITTER: Patterson B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12604069 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature