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Evaluation & the Health Professions
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Bridging the Gap: Knowledge Seeking and Sharing in a Virtual Community of Emergency Practice

Janet A. Curran

IWK Health Centre, Nova Scotia, Canada, janet.curran{at}iwk.nshealth.ca

Andrea L. Murphy

School of Nursing, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada

Syed Sibte Raza Abidi

Faculty of Computer Science, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada

Douglas Sinclair

IWK Health Centre, Nova Scotia, Canada

Patrick J. McGrath

IWK Health Centre, Nova Scotia, Canada

Disparities exist between rural and urban emergency departments with respect to knowledge resources such as online journals and clinical specialists. As knowledge is a critical element in the delivery of quality care, a web-based learning project was proposed to address the knowledge needs of emergency clinicians. One objective of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of the online environment for knowledge exchange among rural and urban emergency clinicians. Descriptive and content analysis of the online discussion board revealed 202 postings with rural participants contributing the largest number of postings (75%; 152/202). Postings were used to establish a clinical presence (87/202), seek clinical information (52/202), and share clinical information (63/202). Postintervention survey results indicate that this modality introduced participants to new clinical experts and resources. The results provide direction for design of a virtual community of practice, which may reduce current knowledge resource disparities.

Key Words: knowledge exchange • community of practice • emergency medicine • rural practice

This version was published on September 1, 2009

Evaluation & the Health Professions, Vol. 32, No. 3, 314-327 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/0163278709338570
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