Using hypertext to facilitate nurse education.

The increased use of both multimedia and the World Wide Web for nurse education necessitates critical examination of the use of hypertext in nursing education. The use of hypertext and multimedia have the potential to revolutionize teaching and learning generally, and have a significant impact on nursing specifically. This article discusses hypertext use in nurse education and incorporates an examination of cognitive theories to identify specific hypertext design strategies customized for nursing user groups. Particular attention is directed to the application of cognitive flexibility theory to hypertext design for nurse education, highlighting the representation of both complex clinical situations and human physiology. The article concludes with a discussion of the potential uses of hypertext as a means of accessing information by nurses in clinical practice.