Introduction: General Information
Typing “nursing” in the Google Search Engine brought a total of 350,000,000 results, which was the reason for narrowing the search down. First, the sites were limited of those with the.org domain by typing “nursing site:.org” in the search panel. However, most of the sites belonged to professional nursing organizations. Afterwards, the search was narrowed down to nursing infants (“nursing infants site:.org”). The Breastfeeding section of the Kids Health site.
Authority: Evaluating Reliability
In addition to not being viewed as professional organization, the group that has created the site does not provide its contact information in the Contact us section of the site. Instead, the authors suggest that the visitors should fill out a form and send it to the staff members. While the specified approach can be considered a more personal and, therefore, contributes to a closer connection between the site owners and the viewers, it clearly does not add to the overall credibility of the source. The reasons for the organization not to disclose its address seem rather legitimate: “The best person to give you medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment is your doctor or other qualified medical professional” (Contact us, 2015). The information at the bottom of the page, though, credits the group for being a part of the Nemours Organization, which is comparatively easy to locate and which is considered rather credible and respectable group.
Information Provided: Clarity and Depth
The methods for presenting the information are, perhaps, the greatest asset of the website. The data is arranged in a proper manner; even the occasional advertisements popping up do not prevent the viewer from learning about the subject of their interest. As it has been stressed above, the navigation sidebar is located on the left side of the screen, thus, exposing the contents of the site to the visitor immediately.
The list of suggested readings, which other visitors on the site are currently engaged in reading, is also a very important part of the site, as it updates the viewer on the topical issues and provides further information regarding the possible navigation choices. The survey section has also been introduced rather delicately to the overall design of the site.
The designers should also be credited for highlighting the plate, which allows the readers to check the FAQ section and ask questions in case of having any.
Objectivity: When Data Is Trustworthy Enough
The information provided by Kids’ Health can be viewed as rather objective, as the site creators have provided two options for the visitors. The latter can learn about the issues of interests from the perspective of either a child or an adult. Although the site features advertisements, they remain in the popup territory and do not interfere with the articles on nursing issues. Even the recipes for children with specific diseases and disorders (Recipes, 2015) do not feature any instances of product placement.
Ease of Navigation: A Click Away from Perfection
Much to the credit of the designers of the site, it is very easy to navigate it. First, the panel at the top of the site allows for the stratification of the target audience into three key groups (i.e., children, teenagers and their parents). The left panel provides a detailed list of the key pages that are located on the site, which also adds to the usability of the interface. Finally, the search panel in the top left corner of the page is easily noticeable and, therefore, quite helpful for both kids and parents.
The opportunities for sending a feedback or getting in touch with the owners of the site, however, takes the quality of the site design a few notches down. It is not only the design and the choice of fonts, but also the color cast (lavender on light-brown) that sets the plate aside from the rest of the elements and makes the FAQ section instantly available. The fact that the contact information repeats itself twice (after the article and at the bottom of the page) could be seen as a flaw, yet the given approach clearly makes the contact options more noticeable.
Usefulness: What Parents and Children Can Benefit from
Although the site does not provide professional nursing assistance, it helps both parents and children by shedding light on certain nursing issues, including breastfeeding (for mothers having problems with feeding infants), basic health problems, such as diabetes, asthma, allergies, etc. (for both children and their parents), and other useful data. It is quite remarkable that the site does not list any pieces of advice apart from the one concerning consulting a doctor in case of a health issue. Instead, the site features general information, at the same time encouraging adults and children to learn more about the process of a child’s development and promoting the use of health services. Therefore, parents and children can benefit from the site as a major encyclopedia that is updated regularly with relevant information.
References
Breastfeeding FAQs: How much and how often. (2015). Kids’ Health. Web.
Contact us. (2015). Kids’ Health. Web.
Recipes. (2015). Kids’ Health. Web.