Medical standards of care and clinical practice guidelines are established by a consensus of
health care professionals as diagnostic and therapeutic actions or behaviors that are
considered the most favorable in affecting the patient’s health outcome.
The Internet offers a wide variety of expert consensus and evidence-based standards and
guidelines, which provide insight, on a national level, to a broad scope of medical practice.
Additionally, standards of care are established through, state and federal regulations,
institutional policy & procedures, expert witnesses and literature.
MEDICAL STANDARDS & GUIDELINES
SEARCH-RESEARCH
ANESTHESIA
American Society of Anesthesiologists - practice guidelines, standards, & statements .pdf
Anesthesia Linx- anesthesia point of care
GASNet
Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation
Malignant Hyperthermia Association
Anesthesia Awareness - website
American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
Practice Guidelines for Management of the Difficult Airway .pdf
Virtual Anaesthesia Textbook - Airway Management
CARDIOVASCULAR
American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association - clinical statements & guidelines
Cardiosource - American College of Cardiology website to guidelines by topic
Antithrombotic and Thrombolytic Therapy: evidence-based guidelines - American College of Chest
Physicians
AHA/ASA Guidelines for Prevention of Stroke in Patients With Ischemic Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack
European Society of Cardiology - guidelines
The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions - guidelines
Society for Vascular Ultrasound - position statements and guidelines
Atlas of Perioperative Echocardiography
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute - clinical practice guidelines
The Internet Stroke Center - comprehensive professional guidelines & consensus statements
National Stroke Association - professional guidelines
American Stroke Association - scientific statements
CARDIOTHORACIC
American College of Chest Physicians - clinical practice guidelines
American Thoracic Society - scientific statements and practice guidelines
CHIROPRACTIC
ChiroWeb - chiropractic care
Spine Universe
CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE
Society of Critical Care Medicine - guidelines & practice parameters
Neurotrauma Critical Care
DENTISTRY
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research - diseases & conditions
American Dental Association - evidence based dentistry, practice parameters
American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry - clinical guidelines
DERMATOLOGY
Electronic Textbook of Dermatology
American Academy of Dermatology
EMERGENCY/TRAUMA
Association of Emergency Physicians - policy & position statements
American College of Emergency Physicians - clinical policies
Trauma Clinical Guidelines - Washington State department of health
Brain Trauma Foundation - Critical Care/Neurosurgical Practice Guidelines
ENDOCRINOLOGY
American Diabetes Association - clinical practice recommendations
The Endocrine Society - website
American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists - medical guidelines for clinical practice
American College of Endocrinologists - clinical practice guidelines, position statements
EAR, NOSE & THROAT (ENT) (OTOLARYNGOLOGY)
American Academy of Otolaryngology - head and neck surgery, Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) - physician
resources
Martindale's "Virtual " medical center - otolaryngology
GASTROENTEROLOGY
American Gastroenterological Association - practice resource library
American College of Gastroenterology - clinical guidelines
Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES)- clinical guidelines
The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract - guidelines
American Association for the Study of Liver Disease - guidelines
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE)- standards of practice
GENERAL GUIDELINES
Evidenced-Based Medical Resource Center - clinical practice guidelines, all specialties
University of California San Francisco Guidelines - primary care clinical practice guidelines
Family Practice Notebook - a family medicine resource -all specialties
American College of Physicians - clinical guidelines
American College of Physicians - Best DX/Best RX, point of care, clinical recommendations
National Guideline Clearinghouse - news, advisories, & clinical guidelines
ICSI (Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement)- best clinical practices, clinical guidelines
Ontario Guideline Advisory Committee - recommended clinical guidelines, all specialties
Family Practice Notebook - a family medicine resource, all subjects
E-Medicine - articles by specialty
American Osteopathic Medicine
GERONTOLOGY
The American Geriatrics Society - guidelines & position statements
Iowa Geriatric Education Center - resources for health professionals
Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing - clinical resources
HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION/RISK MANAGEMENT
American Hospital Association
Health and Human Services (HSS) - regulations, policy
The Doctors Company - clinical practice risk reduction
HEMATOLOGY
American Society of Hematology - clinical guidelines
American Society of Clinical Oncology - practice guidelines
HOSPITAL MEDICINE
Society of Hospital Medicine - hospital intensivists/hospitalist quality improvement clinical tools
Hospital Medicine - Google book on-line
IMMUNOLOGY/INFECTIOUS DISEASE
Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology - guidelines
Infectious Disease Society of America -standards, practice guidelines, and statements
LABORATORY/BLOOD BANK MEDICINE
NACB: Laboratory Medicine Practice Guidelines
American Association of Blood Banks
American Red Cross - for hospital laboratory services
LONG TERM CARE MEDICINE
American Medical Directors Association - clinical practice guidelines
American Health Care Association - clinical practice
NEPHROLOGY
National Kidney Foundation - clinical practice guidelines
National Kidney Foundation K/DOQI Guidelines - clinical practice guidelines
National Kidney and Urological Diseases Information Clearinghouse - website
NEUROLOGY
American Association of Neurological Surgeons - clinical practice guidelines
American Academy of Neurology - practice guidelines
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - brain & nervous system disorders
Society of Neurointerventional Surgery
NeuroWiki
Neurotrauma Critical Care
Congress of Neurological Surgeons
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy / Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (RSD/CRPS) - clinical guidelines
NURSE PRACTITIONER
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners - website, position statements
Standards for NP practice in retail based clinics
OBSTECTRICS/GYNOCOLOGY
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists - website
Diseases of the Breast - guidelines, reviews, position statements, recommendations, standards
Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses - clinical resources
Brachial Plexus Palsy Foundation
ONCOLOGY
American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology - clinical practice tools
Oncolink - understanding cancer types, symptoms, diagnosis & appropriate treatments
Cancer Control Planet - comprehensive cancer resources
National Comprehensive Cancer Network - clinical practice guidelines: detection and treatment
American Cancer Society Guidelines for Cancer Prevention and Early Detection -guidelines
American Society of Clinical Oncology - clinical guidelines
Journal of Clinical Oncology - American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guidelines
OPTHALMOLOGY
National Eye Institute - website
American Academy of Ophthalmology - website, eye care America
ORTHOPEDIC
Wheeless' Orthopaedics - Duke University orthopedic surgery online medical textbook
Spine Universe- back pain, pathology & treatment
North American Spine Society - clinical care
Spinal Cord Injury Information Network - website
Paralyzed Veterans of America - clinical guidelines
PAIN MEDICINE
American Academy of Pain Medicine - all clinical guidelines and resources under lock of membership
American Academy of Pain Management - website
American Pain Society - clinical practice guidelines
Pain & the Law - clinical guidelines
American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians - Guidelines, predominantly chronic spinal pain
PATHOLOGY
American Society for Clinical Pathology - website
College of American Pathologists - practice resources, laboratory standards
The Pathology Guy - if you can't find it on this site, it probably doesn't exist
PEDIATRICS/NEONATOLOGY
American Academy of Pediatrics - policies & clinical practice guidelines
North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition - guidelines, position
statement
Pediatrics on the Internet - pediatric health from A-Z
Neonatology - guidelines
Martindale's Virtual Medical Center - Neonatology
PHARMACOLOGY
GlobalRPh - clinicians reference site
American Society of Consultant Pharmacists - practice resource
American Pharmacists Association - practice issues/resources
US Pharmacopeia - website
PHYSICAL MEDICINE & REHABILITATION
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation - clinical practice issues
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT
American Academy of Physician Assistants - AMA guidelines for physician-physician assistant practice
American Academy of Physician Assistants - practice resource, clinical issues
PLASTIC SURGERY
American Society of Plastic Surgeons - guidelines & practice parameters
PODIATRIC MEDICINE
American Podiatric Medical Association - website
PREVENTATIVE HEALTH
CDC - expert panel recommendations
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force - clinical recommendations
Community Preventive Services - community policy
PSYCHIATRY
American Psychiatric Association - practice guidelines
American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (AAPL) - website, forensic resources
PULMONARY
American Association of Respiratory Care - clinical practice guidelines
American College of Chest Physicians - clinical practice guidelines
American Sleep Apnea Association - resources
RADIOLOGY
Society of Interventional Radiology - clinical practice guidelines
American College of Radiology - practice guidelines & technical standards
RHEUMATOLOGY
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - health topics
American College of Rheumatology
SURGERY
Society of Neurointerventional Surgery
Congress of Neurological Surgeons
American Association of Neurological Surgeons - policy statements
The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract - guidelines
Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES)- clinical guidelines
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy -(ASGE)standards of practice
Ambulatory Surgery Center Association - patient care
TOXICOLOGY
Forensic Toxicology - WWW Virtual Library
American College of Medical Toxicology - position statements
TRAVEL MEDICINE
Aerospace Medical Association - Medical Guidelines for Airline travel/Airline passengers
Federal Aviation Administration - passenger health & safety
International Council of Cruise Lines - medical facilities
Health Care Guidelines for Cruise Ship Medical Facilities- American College of ER Physicians
Air Ambulance Association
UNLICENSED PROFESSIONALS
American Association of Medical Assistants
UROLOGY
American Urological Association - clinical guidelines
INSTITUTIONAL / GOVERNMENT STANDARDS & GUIDELINES
National Library of Medicine - world's largest medical library
Center for Disease Control (CDC) - US government health information on disease, injury, & disability
Agency for Health Care Research and Quality - agency for health care research & quality
National Institute of Health - primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute - clinical practice guidelines
Medline Plus - authoritative information from NLM, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other
government agencies and health-related organizations.
National Library of Medicine (NLM) Health Services/Technology Assessment
National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases - health topics
Pain and the Law - clinical guidelines
Veterans Administration: Office of Quality & Performance - VA clinical guidelines
Federal Drug Administration - US food & drug administration
JOINT COMMISSION
Joint Commission (formerly known as JCAHO) is considered the gold standard for quality and safety in
today's health care. Accreditation is the process by which a recognized organization assesses and
acknowledges that a health care organization meets applicable predetermined and published standards of
care. These standards are regarded as optimal and achievable, and are designed to encourage continuous
quality of care within accredited organizations. Accreditation is voluntary; however, accreditation by a
nationally recognized agency qualifies the health care organization in meeting the federal standards with the
Conditions of Participation in receiving Medicare and Medicaid payments. Joint Commission has been deemed
as meeting the federal Conditions of Participation for Medicare and Medicaid: therefore, organizations that
achieve Joint Commission certification are not subjected to Medicare survey.
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health care Organizations (JCAHO) - setting the standards of care
JC National Patient Safety Goals
JC Sentinel Events - website
JC Sentinel Events - core measures
JC Standards
NURSING STANDARDS & GUIDELINES
Vigilance: The Essence of Nursing
National Council of State Boards of Nursing - nursing boards of regulation
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners - publications, position statements
John Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing - news, research, resources
American Association of Critical Care Nurses - clinical issues in advance practice
Association of Peri-Operative Registered Nurses - news, practice, policy
Emergency Nurses Association - position statements
Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses - clinical resources
American Association of Neuroscience Nurses - clinical practice guidelines
National Flight Nurses Association - position papers
National Association of Orthopedic Nurses - clinical practice
American Association of Nurse Anesthetists - scope & standards of practice
Wound, Ostomy & Continence Nurses Society - library, position statements
Online Journal of Issues in Nursing - current topics in nursing practice
NurseLinx - news, nursing articles all specialties
Nursing calculators - medication dosage, IV rates, etc.
Health Canada - clinical practice guidelines for nurses in primary care, excellent resource
National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel - gold standards in pressure ulcer prevention &
management
American Nephrology Nurses' Association - position statements
The Licensed Practical Nurse Workforce - practice, work, demand for, and/or efficient utilization of
the licensed practical nurse
Unlicensed Assistive Personnel - ANA position statement on nursing assistants, technicians, etc.
PATIENT SAFETY
Institute for Safe Medication Practices
National Quality Forum
Institute for Health care Improvement
FDA - Patient Safety News
Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation
AHRQ - Patient Safety Network
Agency of Health care Research and Quality
National VA Center for Patient Safety
National Patient Safety Group
The Leapfrog Group
SEARCH/RESEARCH
Merck Medicus - comprehensive medical resource
Medscape - comprehensive news, resource, medical education
Medical Board State Directories - research MD license, state medical board regulations
Amedco - medical literature guide, journal - article subject search
Google Scholar - search for specific scholarly literature or search by author
Medical Journals from around the World - free
Health Hippo - anything and everything related to health
Law Firm Directory - law firm directory and attorney search includes nurse consultants
eICD9.com - medical procedure and diagnostic code reference
Pub Med - the ultimate database of biomedical references
E Medicine - up to date articles from MD authors in all medical specialties
Medical Abbreviations - understanding medical acronyms
Acronym Finder - comprehensive dictionary of acronyms, abbreviations
Factfind - US public records, State and County
HIPAA Guidelines - Federal protection for the privacy of personal health information
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