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Web Validity Assignment

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Web Validity Assignment
"Diverticulitis is a condition in which diverticuli in the colon rupture. The rupture results in infection in the tissues that surround the colon” (MedicineNet, 2010, para.1). Or at least that’s what MedicineNet.com states that it is. Sometimes what we find on the Internet isn’t as reliable as what we may think. Doing research and finding correct and reliable information is very important in the nursing practice. There is so much information available at our fingertips, but finding accurate information is sometimes a challenge and can be detrimental to patient care if the information found is inaccurate. The purpose of this assignment is to evaluate the validity of three health websites.
The first website that I will evaluate is MedicineNet. This site has been around since 1996 and is owned and operated by WebMD. “It provides easy-to-read, in-depth, authoritative medical information for consumers via its robust, user-friendly, interactive website” (MedicineNet, 2010, para.1). The site does not have an author or director; rather it is controlled by qualified executives in the fields of medicine, healthcare, Internet technology and business and is “doctor-produced” by more than 70 physicians.
The site URL is www.medicinenet.com. The main office is in San Clemente, California and the corporate office is in New York City. In lieu of an email address, the website provides you with a contact page to submit your questions. This address is https://data.webmd.com/sdclive/SdcForm.aspx?FormId=MedNetContact. The website was last updated on November 19, 2010 so the information provided is up to date. WebMD will not accept Advertising that “is not factually accurate and in good taste” (MedicineNet, 2010, para. 3). They determine the type of advertising that is acceptable to display on the site but they do not promote products or services.
The site complies with the HONcode standard which is “an ethical standard aimed at offering quality health information. It demonstrates

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