Developing AJN Network: transforming information to meet the needs of the future

In September of 1993 the American Journal of Nursing Company was awarded a three-year Special Projects Grant from the Division of Nursing, Department of Health and Human Services to develop a national information service to provide a variety of formal and informal continuing education services to nurses in medically underserved communities. AJN Network went "live" in March 1994. Using a train the trainer approach, over 150 trainers were oriented in rural areas of our pilot states: North Carolina, Nevada and Wisconsin. This core group is now going out to rural hospitals to train other nurses on the system. During the first year of operation, AJN Network has been be available through a dial in service. Beginning in September 1994 it will be offered over the Internet, an international network linking hundreds of smaller computer networks throughout the world. This project will make use of the High Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC) initiative which provides a backbone extending across the country, capable of transmitting data at tremendous speeds. Services that are currently available on AJN Network are described along with plans for future development.