Nursing : Websites

• Unlike books and articles, which go through an editorial process that delays publication, websites contain up-to-the minute information.
  
  
• Many organizations have websites that are helpful in linking health professionals, caregivers, and patients with important resources.
  
  
• Websites that end in .gov are affiliated with the U.S. government and contain information based on research (government-sponsored or otherwise). As a general rule, websites ending in .gov, .org, .edu, as well as major medical centers ending in .com, will likely provide the most accurate and up-to-date information.

Here are links to Health and Medical Sciences Resources on the Internet from ipl2: Information you can trust. Narrow your search by choosing one of the sub-categories.

The Medical Library Association finds the following general websites particularly useful (sites are listed in alphabetical, NOT ranked, order):

• Cancer.gov
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• familydoctor.org
• healthfinder   
• HIV InSite  
• Kidshealth    
• Mayo Clinic  
• MedlinePlus (English | Spanish)
• NetWellness
• NIH SeniorHealth

Information found on the web can be useful in supplementing information retrieved from print sources and online databases. 

However, finding credible websites can be a challenge.  Maintain a healthy skepticism about the quality and validity of all information.

Ask these questions when evaluating websites:

• Who is the author? If you can’t determine who the author or the sponsor is, and what their credentials are, don't use the site.
• Is it biased? Websites can be one-sided and advocate a certain philosophy or product. Is the site trying to sell you something? Try to find an "About Us" on the webpage. Bias isn't necessarily bad; however, it’s up to you to see if the point of view is evidence-based and has research to back it up. 
• Is it accurate? Again, look at the claims that are being made and see if there is evidence, not just opinion, to back up these claims. Be wary of websites that seem to contradict information you have found elsewhere (in books and articles).
• Is there a date on the website? If the website hasn’t been updated in several years, or no date is given, don't use the site.

HONcode

On medical/health websites look for the HONcode (Health on the Net Foundation) certificate. The certificate typically looks like the image below.

Beware of websites faking HONcode certificates. Click the certificate to see details, including how long the site has been certified and when the certificate expires. Real certificates are hosted on the HON website (www.hon.ch). Here is a certificate example, for the website Verywell Health.

Internet Public Library

Additionally, search for quality websites selected by librarians.The Internet Public Librarylinks you to informative, reputable websites and is a great place to start.

American Nurses Association: www.nursingworld.org

Cases Database: http://casesdatabase.com/

CDC: Centers for Disease Control & Nutrition: http://www.cdc.gov/

Environmental Health and Toxicology: http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/enviro.html

General health information: www.healthfinder.gov

Health on the Net for Medical Professionals: http://www.hon.ch/HONsearch/Pro/index.html

Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/

Medline Plus: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/

Merck Manual of Diagnosis & Therapy: www.merck.com/mmpe/

Merck Manuals Online: www.merck.com/pubs

National Center for Health Statistics: www.cdc.gov/nchs

National Institutes of Health: http://health.nih.gov/

National Library of Medicine: www.nlm.nih.gov

Nursing Institute of Nursing Research: www.ninr.nih.gov

PubMed Health: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/

RxList Internet Drug Index: www.rxlist.com

U.S. Dep. of Health & Human Services: www.hhs.gov

Washington Center for Nursing: http://wacenterfornursing.org/

Washington State Dept. of Health: www.doh.wa.gov/Data/data.htm

Washington State Nurses Association: http://www.wsna.org/

WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/

Web Sources for Patient Education Handouts: http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/education/library/research-assistance/patient-education-links.cfm

World Health Organization: www.who.int/research/en

Are you considering a bachelor's degree in nursing? The  website below is a directory of online RN to BSN programs.