About

Code of Conduct

RealNurse applied for membership of the Health On the Net Foundation, and we have rewritten our principles to conform with their standards and style. The site was granted membership on 12 February 2002, so this page is intended to make our principles visible and unambiguous for visitors. Links are provided to other parts of the site as appropriate.

The section headings and bold text are taken
directly from the HonCode Principles

We comply with the HONcode standard for health trust worthy information: verify here.

1. Authority
2. Complementarity
3. Confidentiality
4. Attribution
5. Justifiability
6. Transparency of authorship
7. Transparency of sponsorship
8. Honesty in advertising & editorial policy

• Related Pages

1. Authority

"Any medical or health advice provided and hosted on this site will only be given by medically trained and qualified professionals unless a clear statement is made that a piece of advice offered is from a non-medically qualified individual or organisation."

Real Nurse Note: This site, as a matter of policy, does not offer medical or health advice. However, we recognize that opinions offered from time to time may be construed as advice, so any opinions on health and medical matters will be described as if they were advice; with professional status - or lack of - made clear.

2. Complementarity

"The information provided on this site is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her existing physician."

Real Nurse Note: Nothing on this site is intended to replace or undermine relationships between patient and professional; our aim is rather to help and inform nurses, which will support and strengthen professional relationships.

3. Confidentiality

"Confidentiality of data relating to individual patients and visitors
to a medical/health Web site, including their identity, is respected
by this Web site. The Web site owners undertake to honour or exceed the legal requirements of medical/health information privacy that
apply in the country and state where the Web site and mirror sites
are located."

Real Nurse Privacy Policy: RealNurse will not pass on email addresses or any other information to any third party. While correspondence is kept in secure files, email addresses or any personal information submitted to us is not used in any way. This assurance is in addition to your legal rights.

4. Attribution

"Where appropriate, information contained on this site will be supported by clear references to source data and, where possible, have specific HTML links to that data. The date when a clinical page was last modified will be clearly displayed (e.g. at the bottom of the page)."

Real Nurse Note: Our policy is to always supply a working World Wide Web link to support all data; failing that, links to printed matter, where available, will be used. Revision dates are displayed on all content pages

5. Justifiability

"Any claims relating to the benefits/performance of a specific treatment, commercial product or service will be supported by appropriate, balanced evidence in the manner outlined above in Principle 4."

Real Nurse Note: No unsupported claims will appear.

6. Transparency of authorship

"The designers of this Web site will seek to provide information in the clearest possible manner and provide contact addresses for visitors that seek further information or support. The Webmaster will display his/her E-mail address clearly throughout the Web site."

Real Nurse Note: contact details appear on each page.

7. Transparency of sponsorship

"Support for this Web site will be clearly identified, including the identities of commercial and non-commercial organisations that have contributed funding, services or material for the site."

Real Nurse Note:details can be found at related pages, below.

8. Honesty in advertising & editorial policy

"If advertising is a source of funding it will be clearly stated. A brief description of the advertising policy adopted by the Web site owners will be displayed on the site. Advertising and other promotional material will be presented to viewers in a manner and context that facilitates differentiation between it and the original material created by the institution operating the site."

Real Nurse Note: all advertisements are clearly marked, and the Advertising Policy is on a related page:

Related Pages

Advertising is a source of funding, (see our Advertising Policy). In addition, all advertising banners are clearly indicated.

For more information on RealNurse Policies, please see About Real Nurse

Andrew Heenan is a Nurse, Journalist and Web Editor. Enquiries via www.realnurse.net

Real Nurse Articles may be reproduced for personal use, copied and distributed, or republished elsewhere - provided the above author details are included, and this condition is passed to all users. Publishers are asked to inform the author of publication. Details