Danielle Smith
Dr. Cone
Tech & Assessment
Final Exam
Monday, May 06, 2013
Medical Category
Website One: Blood Flow In The Heart
Website:
Usefulness: This site is actually very helpful in understanding the blood flow in the heart. When I first came on to the page I didn’t see that it was animated. It took me a few minutes to find the “play” button and watch the simulation. Then I saw that all of the information was broken down on other linked pages. So, in the end- I defiantly think this site is a wonderful learning piece.
Improvement: I would improve this site by having a voice over explain the process of blood flow. The cardiac system is one of the hardest to understand because there is SO much information to know. If a voice over was on this site, explaining what exactly was going on opposed to a written example the point would get across much more smoothly, but that’s just me. In constructing my website, I wanted to add a voice over in my “About Me” section to kind of give the reader an idea of who I am and my tone of voice.
Content: I would add a little excerpt on the bottom corner, or top corner, explaining that it is a simulator and brief directions on hitting the “play” button, and directions on how to operate the simulator. One can’t assume that everyone is tech savvy. I am moderately savvy, and it took me about 1-2 minutes to realize it was a simulator. I thought it was just a really confusing picture.
Accuracy:Yes, this information was accurate. To the untrained eye, it looks confusing; however they have a tutorial link which provides definitions and pictures to correlate with the simulation. I have had the Cardiac System in anatomy so I was familiar with the blood flow.
How I can use this:I can use this in my profession currently is taking blood pressure and heart rate. Understanding the blood flow to the heart and how it actually works on the inside, can help me better understand the readings that I get on the outside. My future career in the hospital settings would be possibly measuring the heart on an EKG or other cardiac monitors during exercise. Again, learning parts of the heart and how the blood should accurately flow can help me better understand and read the charts and machines.
Calculator, Survey, Quiz: There was none of these features on this website.
Website Two: Hypertension
Website:
Usefulness: This site was actually a breath of fresh air. It was very easy to use. The quiz was self-explanatory, and the questions were very general. They were all True/False questions so the reader shouldn’t get bent out of shape trying to answer them. They honestly seemed opinionated as well. I actually learned a lot from this quiz. Post taking the quiz, the answers were revealed along with descriptions why I got the questions right and/or wrong. I got a 92% and even though I only got one question wrong, like I said earlier, it still explained to me why I got the answers correct. I also showed a graph on the percentage of people who answered the question True or False, so I could see how educated the general public is on Hypertension.
Improvement:This website, in my opinion doesn’t seem to need any improvement. I believe the way it is set up and laid out is perfect. It gets the message across in an easy manor, and the reader can benefit from this as well. The site itself is a little plain, but there is nothing wrong with that. If I was to add something, I might add some zest to attract the reader. Perhaps a few pictures or a different color background.
Content: I noticed at the bottom of the page it mentioned that the percentage in which this quiz was graded was based off of the number of people in which the quiz was taken by. That number happened to be 12,919. I think that was a really cool thing to add. I think I would add some pictures or diagrams to represent healthy blood pressures. I think if the reader knows their blood pressure there should be a calculator to insert that number in, and then a chart would pop up saying where they stood on a healthy blood pressure or perhaps leaning more towards an unhealthy blood pressure, and then some suggestions on exercise and diet that could help improve that.
Accuracy:This page is very accurate. As I mentioned in the previous question, the website has an explanation as to where it got its percentages. Also, it mentions on the side that the content comes from Harvard Medical School, which is a highly accredited institution.
How I can use this: I can use this in my current profession by taking blood pressure and making sure that the person is able for exercise, also can tell them if they are in a healthy range or unhealthy range and how to change it.
Calculator, Survey, Quiz: This quiz was very accurate and was very helpful in understanding the dangers and risks of Hypertension. I didn’t know that it was a silent killer. That was the question that I got wrong. Now that I have an explanation as to why my answer was wrong, I have learned from my mistake.
Website Three: Anatomy Dissection Videos (wasn’t that gross) Left Pneumonectomy
Website:
Usefulness:I had a very hard time opening this video. The video was opened through QuickTime viewer. It wasn’t opening for me in the computer lab so I had to try another computer, and then eventually I just had to use mine from home to view the video. It was very interesting. I enjoy watching surgical procedures. Call me weird, but I am not squeamish.
Improvement:This video could be improved if it was easier to open. It was also very small, so I wasn’t able to see explicit detail of the lung extraction. I would defiantly make the video accessible on YouTube therefore it can be enlarged without a problem. QuickTime doesn’t always work with all computers, I was determined to see this video because I was interested in it, and therefore I found a way. However, would other readers do that? Probably not.
Content: The content was good. Like I mentioned earlier it was hard to see it because it was small. However, it looked as if the point was made clear. It was interesting seeing the inside of the body, its very different from the Anatomy books, I don’t know how surgeons do it. The Anatomy book pictures are a good blue print, but how do they know exactly where to go, it baffles me. I would maybe add something to the video indicating what exactly is being cut, extracted, etc.
Accuracy:It seemed very accurate to me. The page was through the University of Michigan Medical School so therefore, it is to the standards of the University of Michigan.
How I can use this:I don’t believe I will be preforming any surgeries in my lifetime, other than removing splinters from my body or popping zits. However, I can use this video to show to clients who smoke- this is what may happen to you if you continue smoking. (Not assuming that the Lung Cancer of the person in the video was caused by smoking.) But, that is the only way I can use this video in my profession currently.
Calculator, Survey, Quiz: As I said before, the QuickTime player was a pain. Viewing the video was harder than it had to be. That should be made a little easier.
Website Four: Prescription Drugs
Website:
Usefulness: This website at first seemed kind of plain and looked like I wasn’t directed to the correct page. However, upon reading I see that the page is designed compactly and very neatly. All of the drugs are listed alphabetically. I really found that ABC chart very useful. I also saw that there was an Herbs and Supplements tab as well. That really sparked my interest, and It was very useful. I also noticed when I clicked on something like “Vitamin B-12” I was redirected to a page that explained the vitamin to me completely. It broke it down for me in layman’s terms. I absorbed a lot of information from this site.
Improvement: To be perfectly honest, I don’t see any room for improvement. If I had to do anything, maybe make the introduction page a little less boring. I am all about pizazz and attracting the reader’s attention, because I know that my attention span is not very keen. I also know that I am not the only person like that in America. I am not talking about tacky pizazz, I am just primarily suggesting maybe a little more than just the boring colors used.
Content: Content is great as is, however, I think it would be really helpful if under the supplement tab they put some popular work out supplements, such as pre-work outs like “C-4”, “Jacked”, “Pro-Sculpt”…etc., and talk about them. If they are healthy and/or approved by the FDA or what some risks could be if this supplement was abused or if alcohol was consumed while on this supplement.
Accuracy:This page is very accurate. All of the rescores are listed at the bottom of each page/drug/supplement/vitamin information. Also in the top right corner it is mentioned that this website is a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
How I can use this: I can use this all the time actually. For myself, by looking up the ingredients of my supplements and medications I may be taking. I can also look up ingredients of supplements that my clients may be interested in taking. I am not very quick to take a supplement until I know exactly what is in it, and if it will defiantly benefit me. So, I want to do the same fine tune research for my clients as well. This site can produce easy and accurate results for me.
Calculator, Survey, Quiz: There was no calculator, survey, or quiz; however there was an alphabetical tool bar in which all of the medications were labeled.
Website Five: Surgery
Website:
Usefulness: This website was probably the worst of all of the ones I have reviewed. There was little to no information about the video that popped up about the robotic surgery. There was only a small paragraph under the video briefly describing the “Di Vinci” Robotic Surgical System, and it makes no sense. The page itself is linked well to other parts of the site, and it offers many other videos and information about other feminine products and treatments.
Improvement:This video needs a page of pure explanation about this surgery. I was honestly appalled watching this video. I thought it was very creepy, and I don’t think I would trust a robot in my body with the doctor on the outside controlling it. What if the machine fails? What if there is some sort of power outage? I personally am biased towards the surgical procedure. However, if I was someone interested in it, I would like to see several write-ups about this procedure. Not just some flashy soap opera staged video.
Content: There needs to me SO much more information on this surgery. The content is too brief. I looked around the site and I didn’t see anything else on the particular page that gave me anymore information about the surgery other than the video. This was informative, but just not enough. I want to read hard, cold, words describing this procedure. Especially with a new technology of surgery, most people I’m sure would prefer to do some further research and read hard facts and descriptions about this new technology.
Accuracy:This page is accurate. There is, at the bottom right corner, the adequate information providing credibility of the site. However, there is, again like I’ve stated before, not any information about the “Di Vinci” Surgery other than that video. Yes, the video is narrated, but there is no links or anything to take me to the “Di Vinci” website, or any information on the Women’s Clinic page about this surgery.
How I can use this: I really can’t use this, and I actually refuse to use this. If I had someone interested in getting this surgery performed, I would re-direct them to a different and more informative page about the surgery. This just simply isn’t enough. Surgery is very big, risky, and dangerous, no matter what the procedure. This is a new technology, so how are we to know – other than the narration in the video- if this is really a credible form of surgery. I am not convinced, and I most certainly would find a more informative page.
Calculator, Survey, Quiz: There is no calculator, survey, or quiz. But there is a video. The video is well developed and easy to view. It played instantly. The video was narrated and very well presented.