title: The keys to successful online continuing education programs for nurses.
abstract: Asynchronous online tutorials that award continuing education units without cost and provide knowledge about computers and nursing informatics were made available to registered nurses in Southern California. Four hundred seventy-three nurses enrolled; 52% (246) completed tutorials. Nonsignificant differences in the number of tutorials completed were found across characteristics of participants, meaning that nurses were similarly disposed to participate regardless of age, educational preparation, experience, practice setting, or ethnicity. They tended to overestimate their computer capabilities at the time of enrollment and abandoned the tutorials when they encountered technical problems. Nurses need live workshops teaching computer basics, Internet skills, and how to enroll in and run asynchronous programs. Marketing of online programs should be multifaceted, including live and electronic strategies.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182-4158, USA.
authors.forename: Nancy M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Sweeney
authors.forename: Lembi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Saarmann
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Flagg
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seidman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001292:Attitude to Computers; D002140:California; D003197:Computer Literacy; D003200:Computer User Training / Q000379:methods*; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods*; D003479:Curriculum; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000458:organization & administration; D008875:Middle Aged; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D048108:Nursing Informatics / Q000193:education*; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D009862:Online Systems / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011361:Professional Competence; D015397:Program Evaluation; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires