Economic applications of an electronic clinical database for nurse practitioner students.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the development of a Web-based clinical database that incorporates the standardized nursing languages (SNLs) used by nurse practitioner students, describe outcomes relative to the SNLs, and discuss economic aspects of outcome data.


METHODS
A mix of retrospective and prospective data of all outcomes for several cohorts (95 students, 17,193 records) comprised the data set.


RESULTS
There is wide variation in use of SNLs as well as terminologies from other disciplines. The economic impact of patient encounters could be substantial.


CONCLUSIONS
A Web-based clinical log provides an opportunity for NP students to collect and analyze data on clinical encounters. Considerable resources must be invested in order to expand the use and sophistication of eClinicaLog.
Morgan
Michael J
MJ
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. mjmorgan@umich.edu
D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000191:economics*; D004511:Education, Nursing, Graduate / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000193:education*; D013338:Students, Nursing; D014481:United States; D014584:User-Computer Interface