A Conceptual Model of Nursing Information Behavior (Nib): Contextual Perspectives of Information for Home Carenurses

What is nursing information behavior (NIB)? How dohome care nurses--working independently in thecommunity--gather, access, manage and use information? The author describes the professional environmentspace (PES) of the home care nurse as a wellspring ofinformation, where both nurse and client interact andcollaborate to maintain health and a sense ofwell-being as their mutual goal. There are factors,variables and situations in this PES that influencethe nursing information behavior of home care nurses. An analysis of this behavior is included, using inputfrom home care nurses working in a large metropolitanhome care agency. The result is a framework ofnursing information behavior that will guide othernursing professionals understand, define andarticulate their own; assist those in academia toconceptualize and teach this concept to nurses andstudents of nursing; provide direction to home caremanagers and administrators; and, serve as a toolwhen formulating community health nursing practicestandards and policy, and when designing informationtechnology, software and systems for use in home care.