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Policies

Thank you for visiting the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) website. This site does not collect personal information about users, other than information automatically collected and stored when someone visits our website, or as you choose to provide that information to us. NINR follows NIH policies for web privacy, which are further detailed below.

Protecting your privacy is very important to us. Our website links to other NIH sites, federal agency sites and occasionally to private organizations. Once you leave the primary www.ninr.nih.gov site, you are subject to the privacy policy for the site(s) you are visiting.

We do not collect any personally identifiable information (PII) about you during your visit to the NINR website unless you choose to provide it to us. We do, however, collect some data about your visit to our website to help us better understand how the public uses the site and how to make it more helpful. We collect information from visitors who read, browse, and/or download information from our website. NINR never collects information for commercial marketing or any purpose unrelated to the NINR and NIH mission and goals.

When visitors send email messages containing personal information to the general NIH.gov email box info@ninr.nih.gov, NINR staff responds to the letters and files them. Only designated staff members requiring access to the emails to respond may view or answer them.

 

Types of Information Collected

When you browse through any website, certain information about your visit can be collected. We automatically collect and temporarily store the following type of information about your visit:

  • Domain from which you access the Internet
  • IP address (an IP address is a number that is automatically assigned to a computer when surfing the internet)
  • Operating system and information about the browser used when visiting the site
  • Date and time of your visit
  • Address of the website that connected you to an NIH website (such as google.com or bing.com)

We use this information to measure the number of visitors to our site and its various sections and to help make our site more useful to visitors.

How NIH Collects Information

NIH websites use a variety of different web measurement software tools and specific information regarding information collection can be found on their respective websites.

www.ninr.nih.gov uses Google Analytics measurement software to collect the information in the bulleted list in the Types of Information Collected section above. Google Analytics collects information automatically and continuously. No personally identifiable information is collected. The NINR staff conducts basic analyses and reports on the aggregated data from Google Analytics. The reports are only available to www.ninr.nih.gov managers, members of the www.ninr.nih.gov Communications and Web Teams, and other designated staff who require this information to perform their duties. NINR retains the data from Google Analytics as long as needed to support the mission of the www.ninr.nih.gov website.

How NIH Uses Cookies

The Office of Management and Budget Memo M-10-22, Guidance for Online Use of Web Measurement and Customization Technologies allows Federal agencies to use session and persistent cookies.

When you visit any website, its server may generate a piece of text known as a "cookie" to place on your computer. The cookie allows the server to "remember" specific information about your visit while you are connected. The cookie makes it easier for you to use the dynamic features of web pages. Cookies from NIH web pages only collect information about your browser’s visit to the site; they do not collect personal information about you.

There are two types of cookies, single session (temporary) and multi-session (persistent). Session cookies last only as long as your web browser is open. Once you close your browser, the cookie disappears. Persistent cookies are stored on your computer for longer periods.

Session Cookies: We use session cookies for technical purposes such as to enable better navigation through our site. These cookies let our server know that you are continuing a visit to our site. The OMB Memo 10-22 Guidance defines our use of session cookies as "Usage Tier 1-Single Session." The policy says, "This tier encompasses any use of single session web measurement and customization technologies."

Persistent Cookies: Persistent cookies allow us to gather anonymous summary demographic information about visitors, including gender, age range, and areas of interest for adults over the age of 18. We do this by using Google Demographic and Interests reports. When you visit a website that has partnered with the Google Display Network, Google stores a number in your browser using a persistent cookie to remember your visits. This number uniquely identifies a web browser, not a specific person. Browsers may be associated with a demographic category, such as gender or age range, based on the sites that were visited. This demographic information is used to help us better understand our visitors' interests and needs to more effectively develop content to serve you.

Most Internet browsers automatically accept persistent cookies. Although using persistent cookies creates a much better experience for you, this site will also work without them. If you do not want to accept cookies, you can edit your browser's options to stop accepting persistent cookies or to prompt you before accepting a cookie from the websites you visit. Please see the How to Opt Out or Disable Cookies section below for more information.

The OMB Memo 10-22 Guidance defines our use of persistent cookies as "Usage Tier 2-Multi-session without Personally Identifiable Information (PII)." The policy says, "This tier encompasses any use of multi-session Web measurement and customization technologies when no PII is collected."

How to Opt Out or Disable Cookies

If you do not wish to have session or persistent cookies placed on your computer, you can disable them using your web browser. If you opt out of cookies, you will still have access to all information and resources at www.ninr.nih.gov. Instructions for disabling or opting out of cookies in the most popular browsers are located at https://www.usa.gov/optout-instructions. Please note that by following the instructions to opt-out of cookies, you will disable cookies from all sources, not just those from www.ninr.nih.gov.

How Personal Information Is Protected

You do not have to give us personal information to visit the NINR or other NIH websites. However, if you choose to receive alerts or e-newsletters, we collect your email address to complete the subscription process.

If you choose to provide us with personally identifiable information, that is, information that is personal in nature and which may be used to identify you, through an e-mail message, request for information, paper or electronic form, questionnaire, customer satisfaction survey, epidemiology research study, etc., we will maintain the information you provide only as long as needed to respond to your question or to fulfill the stated purpose of the communication. If we store your personal information in a record system designed to retrieve information about you by personal identifier (name, personal email address, home mailing address, personal or mobile phone number, etc.), so that we may contact you, we will safeguard the information you provide to us in accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. Section 552a).

If NINR or other NIH sites operate a record system designed to retrieve information about you in order to accomplish its mission, a Privacy Act Notification Statement should be prominently and conspicuously displayed on the public-facing website or form which asks you to provide personally identifiable information. The notice must address the following 5 criteria:

  • NINR or NIH legal authorization to collect information about you
  • Purpose of the information collection
  • Routine uses for disclosure of information outside of NIH
  • Whether the request made of you is voluntary or mandatory under law
  • Effects of non-disclosure if you choose to not provide the requested information

For further information about the NIH privacy policy, please contact the NIH Senior Official for Privacy at privacy@mail.nih.gov, call 301-451-3426 or visit https://oma.od.nih.gov/DMS/Pages/Privacy-Program-Privacy-Act.aspx.

Disclosure

NINR does not disclose, give, sell or transfer any personal information about our visitors, unless required for law enforcement or by statute.

P3P Compliance

NINR's public Web sites comply with P3P (Platform for Privacy Preferences Project) protocols.

Privacy Questions?

Questions about NINR privacy policies should be sent to the NINR webmaster at: info@ninr.nih.gov.

Disclaimers

Much of the information on this site is considered within the public domain. Unless stated otherwise, documents and files on the NINR website servers can be freely downloaded and reproduced.

NINR is not responsible for the availability or content of external sites. NINR does not endorse, recommend, warrant or guarantee the products, processes, services or information described or offered at other Internet sites. Documents sponsored by private companies and other non-NIH organizations may retain all rights to publish or reproduce such documents.

Some documents available from this server may also be protected under U.S. and foreign Copyright laws. Permission of the author(s) to reproduce these documents may be required.

The views and opinions of authors expressed on NIH websites do not necessarily state or reflect those of the U.S. Government and may not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.

Endorsement Disclaimer — External Linking Policy

NINR provides links to other Internet sites on www.ninr.nih.gov for the convenience of Internet users. NINR cannot control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of information contained on a linked website. Posting a link does not imply NINR endorses, warrants, or guarantees the products, services, information, or opinions offered at these other Internet sites. It is NINR’s policy to only post links to other Federal websites and to professional societies and organizations.

A graphic indicator next to a link on the NINR website indicates that the link leads to another site that is not a federal government website.

When users select a link to an outside website, they are leaving the NINR website and are subject to the privacy limitations and policies of the owners/sponsors of that website. The NINR cannot guarantee that outside websites comply with Section 508 (Accessibility Requirements) of the Rehabilitation Act. It is the responsibility of the user to examine the copyright and licensing restrictions of linked pages and to secure all necessary permissions. Users cannot assume external websites will abide by the NINR copyright policy.

NINR strives to keep its website links up to date. If you encounter a broken link, however, please report the error to us.

Endorsement Disclaimer — Pop-Up Advertisements

When visiting our website, your web browser may produce pop-up advertisements. These advertisements were most likely produced by other websites you visited or by third party software installed on your computer. Neither the National Institutes of Health (NIH) nor the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) endorse or recommend products or services for which you may view a pop-up advertisement on your computer screen while visiting our site.

Information Disclaimer

The information provided using this website is only intended to be general summary information to the public. It is not intended to take the place of either the written law or regulations.

It is neither NIH nor NINR's intention to provide specific medical advice to users of our website. Instead, we provide users with information to help them better understand their health, diagnosed conditions, and the current approaches related to treatment, prevention, screening, and supportive care. NIH and NINR urge users to consult with a qualified health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their personal medical questions.

Press releases and other materials meant for public use will not be posted to the NINR website unless they were developed by or for NIH or NINR.

Intrusion Detection

This site is maintained by the U.S. Government. It is protected by various provisions of Title 18, U.S. Code. Violations of Title 18 are subject to criminal prosecution in federal court.

For site security purposes and to ensure that this service remains available to all users, we employ software programs to monitor traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage. In the event of authorized law enforcement investigations, and pursuant to any required legal process, information from these sources may be used to help identify an individual.

Accessibility

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Nursing Research are making every effort to ensure that the information available on our website is accessible to all. If you use special adaptive equipment to access the web and encounter problems when using our site, please email us via our Infoline and we will attempt to provide the information to you in a suitable format. Please be as specific as possible when describing the information you seek.

If you prefer to call our Infoline, our main number is (301) 496-0207.

For NINR employees who need assistance with accessibility, please contact the appropriate person or persons on the NIH Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion officer list for our IC.

To learn more about the regulations governing the accessibility of federal electronic information products, visit the United States Access Board or the official Section 508 page.

Document Viewers

Notice to Limited English Proficient Individuals

NIH is renewing its commitment to providing meaningful access to its programs and activities for people with limited English proficiency (LEP). In accordance with Executive Order 13166, "Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency," the information translated on the nih.gov site and on the sites of its Institutes and Centers (https://www.nih.gov/icd/) is free of charge to the public.

NINR provides certain materials in Spanish. These materials are available free of charge. If you need more information about available resources in your language, please call 301-496-0207, or email us at info@ninr.nih.gov.

Content Inventory and Posting Schedule

The National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), following the guidance of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), developed this inventory of content as required by Section 207(f)(2) of the E-Government Act of 2002. Learn more about the background on this requirement.

Categories of Information Disseminated by NINR

Column 1 lists the categories of information NINR disseminates.
Column 2 indicates the priority NINR assigns to publication of each category.

  • Priority 1: Urgent public health emergency and safety information.
  • Priority 2: Time-sensitive information.
  • Priority 3: Information of interest to a broad spectrum of audiences.
  • Priority 4: Other information.

Column 3 indicates the publication schedule for the category.

Category Priority  Publication Target
Press information, including press releases, fact sheets, speeches, events, and testimony. 2As available, unless otherwise required by law
Authoritative health, scientific and consumer information intended for consumers, the professional community, students, researchers, and the media. 3As available, unless otherwise required by law
General agency information, such as mission and function statements, leadership biographies, visitor information, employment opportunities, staff directories, etc. 4As available, unless otherwise required by law
Programmatic and administrative information, including descriptive narratives, statistical information, technical assistance materials, best practices, and reports. 4As available, unless otherwise required by law
Grant and contract policy and funding information related to all programmatic activities. 2As available, unless otherwise required by law
Research resources such as data banks, gene collections, model organisms, cell registries, and reagent repositories. 4As available, unless otherwise required by law
Reports to Congress as required by statute. 4As available, unless otherwise required by law

Use of the NINR Logo

NINR-funded researchers may credit the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) on their websites in text; it is not permissible for them to use the NINR logo, which is reserved for official NINR communications created by or for NINR for the principal benefit or use of NINR. This rule applies to all private sector individuals and organizations including grantees, vendors, and contractors, regardless of commercial or non-profit status. 

There are rare exceptions, if NINR is an official co-sponsor of a conference or workshop, in which it may be permissible to use the logo. In these rare exceptions, a disclaimer and express permission from the NINR Office of Communications and Public Liaison are required. If you have questions regarding use of the NINR logo or the reproduction or use of any graphics, contact us

Contractors may not use the NINR logo on documents that are consulting deliverables or proposals intended for NINR use.

The NINR logo should not be combined with other elements to create a new logo for an office or program.

Reprinting and Reusing NINR Publications

NINR publications are in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission from NINR. NINR encourages you to reproduce them and use them in your efforts to improve public health. Citation of NINR as a source is appreciated. However, using government materials inappropriately can raise legal or ethical concerns, so we ask you to use these guidelines:

  • NINR does not endorse or recommend any commercial products, processes, or services, and publications may not be used for advertising or endorsement purposes.
  • NINR does not provide specific medical advice or treatment recommendations or referrals; these materials may not be used in a manner that has the appearance of such information.
  • NINR requests that non-federal organizations not alter publications in a way that will jeopardize the integrity and "brand" when using publications.
  • Addition of non-federal government logos and website links may not have the appearance of NINR endorsement of any specific commercial products or services or medical treatments or services.
  • Images used in publications are of models and are used for illustrative purposes only. Use of some images is restricted.

If you have questions regarding these guidelines and use of NINR publications, please contact us.

No FEAR Act - Notification and Federal Employee Anti-discrimination and Retaliation Act

On May 15, 2002, President Bush signed into law the Notification and Federal Employee Anti-Discrimination and Retaliation (No FEAR) Act (Public Law No. 107-174) to increase federal agency accountability for acts of discrimination or reprisal against employees. The No FEAR Act became effective on October 1, 2003.

The act requires that federal agencies post on their public Web sites certain summary statistical data relating to equal employment opportunity complaints filed against the respective agencies.

Statistical information in accordance with the No FEAR Act relating to the National Institutes of Health equal employment opportunity complaints is available on the NIH/OEODM Web site.

Third-Party Websites and Applications

GovDelivery Subscription Management

NINR uses GovDelivery to send e-newsletters, alerts, and other messages to visitors who subscribe to them. To subscribe to an NINR product, you must provide an email address and indicate your subscription preferences, including the items you want to receive. The email subscriber lists are password protected by GovDelivery. Only the NINR managers who send newsletters, alerts or memos via GovDelivery and staff members who monitor the results of email initiatives have access to the subscriber lists. GovDelivery never allows access to the subscriber lists to anyone outside of NINR or for any purpose. GovDelivery collects and provides non-identifying information about the number of messages sent, clicks and open rates. This information is password protected and only available to members of the NINR communications and web teams, and other designated staff who require this information to perform their duties. The GovDelivery privacy policy is available at: https://www.govdelivery.com/legal-privacy.

IdeaScale

NINR uses IdeaScale to engage the scientific community, professional organizations and the public in an online dialogue. While visitors may read the submitted questions and comments without registering for an IdeaScale account, visitors who want to contribute questions or comments, follow questions, receive e-mail alerts, or use other site features must create an account at https://ninriq.ideascale.com/?signup. To create an account, you must provide the following information: name, e-mail address, and password. Your e-mail address will not be visible to the public and we do not collect, maintain, disclose, or share any information about the registered IdeaScale users. Please note: Questions and comments submitted to the site are public. As such, please do not include any personal information. If you do not wish to create an account, you can submit your innovative questions to NINR via e-mail at info@ninr.nih.gov. The Privacy Policy for IdeaScale is available at https://help.ideascale.com/ideascale-privacy-policy.

LinkedIn

NINR uses the "groups" feature on LinkedIn to engage with current and past employees and members of the public. In order to join a NINR group on LinkedIn, you must register for a LinkedIn account and provide your first and last name and e-mail address. Upon confirmation of your email address, you must provide LinkedIn with information regarding your employment, country, zip code, job title, etc. The amount of visible personal information will depend on your LinkedIn user privacy settings. You can completely avoid displaying any PII by not creating a LinkedIn account, not joining NINR LinkedIn groups, or not interacting with NINR LinkedIn groups in any way (i.e., private messaging, posting on group pages, etc.). Although NINR staff managing LinkedIn groups may view the information you provide when you submit a request to join NINR LinkedIn groups, NINR staff does not collect, use, or disclose any of this information. The LinkedIn privacy policy is available at: https://www.linkedin.com/static?key=privacy_policy&trk=hb_ft_priv

X/Twitter

NINR uses X/Twitter to send short messages to share information about NINR with visitors and respond to comments and inquiries sent to us via Twitter. While visitors may read the Twitter feeds (@NINR) without subscribing to them, visitors who want to subscribe to (or follow) these Twitter feeds must create a Twitter account at www.twitter.com. To create an account, you must provide some personal information, such as name, user name, password, and e-mail address. Visitors have the option to provide additional personal information including a short biography, location, or a picture. Most information you provide for a Twitter account is available to the public, but you can modify how much of your information is visible by changing your privacy settings at the Twitter.com website. NINR will monitor the number of subscribers and respond to comments and queries via Twitter, but staff never takes possession of the personal information belonging to Twitter followers. We do not collect, maintain, disclose, or share any information about people who follow us on Twitter. The Twitter privacy policy is available at: https://twitter.com/privacy.

YouTube

NINR posts videos on YouTube (youtube.com/ninrnews) to make them available to all of our visitors. You do not need to register with either YouTube or Google (YouTube owner) to watch our videos. When visitors watch videos, YouTube may record non-personally identifiable information about its site usage, such as channels used, videos watched, and data transfer details, to improve its services. If you log on to the YouTube site before watching our videos, YouTube may associate information about your site use with your YouTube account. Commenting on a video while you are logged in would allow others to see information about you associated with your comment; however, the NINR videos do not allow viewers to comment at this time. The YouTube privacy policy is available at: www.youtube.com/t/privacy.