Suzanne S Dickerson, DNS RN Assistant Professor School of Nursing University at Buffalo 1020 Kimball Tower Buffalo, NY 14214 Office: 914 Kimball Tower  Phone: 829-3254  E-mail: sdickers@buffalo.edu Voice: (716) 829-2537 Fax: (716) 829-2021

Technology is increasingly intruding into the health care environment.  Patients are implanted with devices that extend their lives as well as gain access to self care management information of the Internet.  My research focus is to examine, by using qualitative research approaches, how patients experience help seeking in managing their illness using support groups both face-to-face and electronic.  Interactions that occur during help seeking need to be examined especially when considering an electronic environment.  Electronic mail and Internet connections open the door to nearly unlimited possibilities for help seeking. Research is needed to examine these interactions and determine the most effective methods.  This knowledge can be applied to clinical practice and nursing education settings to prepare nurses to practice in this environment.

     Dickerson, S.S. (1993). Support Needs of Spouses of Cardiac Patients. The Journal of New York State Nurses Association, 24(2), 17-21.

     Dickerson, S.S. (1998). Help seeking in spouses of cardiac patients. Clinical Nursing Research. 7(1), 6-28.

     Dickerson, S.S., Posluzney, M, & Kennedy, M. (2000). Help seeking in a support group of individuals with implantable cardioverter
         defibrillators (ICD) and their support persons. Heart & Lung, 29(2),87-96.

     Dickerson, S.S., Flaig, D. & Kennedy, M.C. (2000). Therapeutic connection: Help seeking on the Internet for individuals with implantable
           cardioverter defibrillators. Heart & Lung, 29(4), 248-255.

     Dickerson S.S. (2002). Redefining life while forestalling death: the experience of living with sudden cardiac death through technology.
           Qualitative Health Research 12 (3), 360-372.

      Dickerson, S.S. & Brennan, P. F. (In press). The Internet as a catalyst for shifting provider/patient relationships. Nursing Outlook

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Last update: August 2002
Comments, Questions? E-mail: sdickers@buffalo.edu