Blogging as an Innovative Method of Peer-to-Peer Educational Sharing.
BACKGROUND
Nurses in the cardiac intensive care unit often attend professional education opportunities. However, it is difficult to share this information among nursing staff. Varying schedules, different shifts, and patient acuity limit the amount of time available for peer-to-peer sharing of educational information. A review of the literature revealed scant research on blogging for peer-to-peer education in general and particularly in nursing.


OBJECTIVE
To explore nurses' perception of the effectiveness of using a blog as a forum to provide peer-to-peer sharing of relevant professional education.


METHODS
Using a simple, free blogging website, the unit's nursing practice council developed a private blog for educational information sharing among the nursing staff. An online survey was administered to the unit's staff 15 months after the blog was implemented.


RESULTS
Most respondents indicated that they thought the blog is an effective way to share professional education (86%), keeps them abreast of evidence-based practice (81%), and has led to practice change (59%). Nearly 80% of respondents agreed that they are more likely to attend professional conferences, and 62% would consider contributing blog posts.


CONCLUSIONS
The survey results suggest that blogging may be an effective method of peer-to-peer sharing of education, although more rigorous research is required in this area.
Melanie M. Nedder is a staff registered nurse in the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Shapiro Cardiovascular Center, Boston, Massachusetts. mnedder@partners.org.|Sharon A. Levine is a staff registered nurse in the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital. mnedder@partners.org.|Caroline Galligan is a staff registered nurse in the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital. mnedder@partners.org.|Kathleen Ryan Avery is the clinical educator for the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital. mnedder@partners.org.|Elizabeth Eagan-Bengston is the assistant nurse director of the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital. mnedder@partners.org.|Karen M. Reilly is the associate chief nurse of cardiovascular, thoracic, and surgical services at Brigham and Women's Hospital. mnedder@partners.org.
Melanie M
MM
Nedder
Melanie M. Nedder is a staff registered nurse in the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Shapiro Cardiovascular Center, Boston, Massachusetts.|Sharon A. Levine is a staff registered nurse in the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital.|Caroline Galligan is a staff registered nurse in the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital.|Kathleen Ryan Avery is the clinical educator for the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital.|Elizabeth Eagan-Bengston is the assistant nurse director of the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital.|Karen M. Reilly is the associate chief nurse of cardiovascular, thoracic, and surgical services at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Sharon A
SA
Levine
Melanie M. Nedder is a staff registered nurse in the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Shapiro Cardiovascular Center, Boston, Massachusetts.|Sharon A. Levine is a staff registered nurse in the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital.|Caroline Galligan is a staff registered nurse in the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital.|Kathleen Ryan Avery is the clinical educator for the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital.|Elizabeth Eagan-Bengston is the assistant nurse director of the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital.|Karen M. Reilly is the associate chief nurse of cardiovascular, thoracic, and surgical services at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Caroline
C
Galligan
Melanie M. Nedder is a staff registered nurse in the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Shapiro Cardiovascular Center, Boston, Massachusetts.|Sharon A. Levine is a staff registered nurse in the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital.|Caroline Galligan is a staff registered nurse in the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital.|Kathleen Ryan Avery is the clinical educator for the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital.|Elizabeth Eagan-Bengston is the assistant nurse director of the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital.|Karen M. Reilly is the associate chief nurse of cardiovascular, thoracic, and surgical services at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Kathleen Ryan
KR
Avery
Melanie M. Nedder is a staff registered nurse in the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Shapiro Cardiovascular Center, Boston, Massachusetts.|Sharon A. Levine is a staff registered nurse in the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital.|Caroline Galligan is a staff registered nurse in the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital.|Kathleen Ryan Avery is the clinical educator for the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital.|Elizabeth Eagan-Bengston is the assistant nurse director of the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital.|Karen M. Reilly is the associate chief nurse of cardiovascular, thoracic, and surgical services at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Elizabeth
E
Eagan-Bengston
Melanie M. Nedder is a staff registered nurse in the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Shapiro Cardiovascular Center, Boston, Massachusetts.|Sharon A. Levine is a staff registered nurse in the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital.|Caroline Galligan is a staff registered nurse in the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital.|Kathleen Ryan Avery is the clinical educator for the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital.|Elizabeth Eagan-Bengston is the assistant nurse director of the cardiac intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital.|Karen M. Reilly is the associate chief nurse of cardiovascular, thoracic, and surgical services at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Karen M
KM
Reilly
D000328:Adult; D057218:Blogging; D002983:Clinical Competence; D064648:Critical Care Nursing / Q000193:education*; D003479:Curriculum / Q000639:trends; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010379:Peer Group; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult