[Access to the internet among nurses and type of information sought].
OBJECTIVE
To identify how nurses use the Internet through a survey performed in May 2005.


METHODS
A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed. The information source was a survey sent electronically and through surface mail. The study population consisted of nursing professionals from distinct autonomous regions.


RESULTS
The overall response rate was 40% (444 of 1,100). A total of 38.6% (184) of the nursing professionals used the Internet continually, especially men and nursing staff with a high level of English. The 5 most frequent reasons for surfing the net were searching for nursing literature (63% [264]), consulting the web pages of nursing journals (58.6% [256]), seeking information on drugs (55% [230]), seeking protocol manuals (50% [204]), and consulting the web pages of colleges of nursing (48).


CONCLUSIONS
The behavior of nursing professionals is similar to that found among the general population in the "BBVA Foundation study of the Internet in Spain". Most nursing professionals are women. Male nursing professionals more frequently search for subjects related to nursing theory. Nurses use the Internet to search for nursing literature and consult journals, protocol manuals, and colleges of nursing, as well as to be familiar with the information aimed at patients.
Muñoz-Izquierdo
Amparo
A
Unidad de Proyecto de Historia de Enfermería Informatizada KARE. Dirección de Enfermería. Consorcio Hospital General Universitario de Valencia. Valencia. España. grenya57@hotmail.com
Puchades-Simó
Amparo
A
Marco-Gisbert
Amparo
A
Piquer-Bosca
Cecilia
C
Ferrer-Casares
Elena
E
Canela-Ferrer
Amparo
A
Gómez-Muñoz
Neus
N
Costa-Pastrana
M Carmen
MC
D022126:Access to Information; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009726:Nurses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires