The Use of the Internet by Learning Disability Nurses in their Practice

As the Internet's influence continues to gather pace, it is necessary to examine its impact on those who provide and receive health, education and social services. This paper discusses a research project that examined the use of the Internet by learning disability nurses in their practice. A case study approach using a questionnaire and one focus group was employed. Email was used for all correspondence; 49 people received the email and questionnaire; 28 learning disability nurses responded, which represents a 58% response rate. Six respondents participated in the focus group. The Internet is widely used by learning disability nurses for networking, updating practice, emailing colleagues, education, research and teaching. In general, respondents were enthusiastic about the Internet. The key factors in Internet use were access to equipment, training, IT support and email. The absence of these acted as a barrier to usage. The position held within organisations may be connected to improved access to the Internet, but not necessarily with the ability to use it.