Nursing Informatics Best Practice

Nursing Informatics Best Practice

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Introduction

Nursing informatics is an established field within the nursing realm which has evolved into an integral part within the realm of healthcare and a differentiating aspect in the evaluation, implementation and selection of health information technology that supports safe, high quality and patient-centric care. The realm of nursing informatics competencies have evolved since the inception of computer literacy. First and foremost competency is the ability to demonstrate knowledge, attitude and skill of a specific task that is measurable and evaluated against certain expectation. Nursing informatics on the other hand is “the integration of the nursing science, computer and information science and cognitive science in the management, communication and expanding the data, information, knowledge and wisdom of nursing practice,” (Hunter et al., 2013). Nursing informatics competency in accordance to Hunter et al is an acceptable level of knowledge, skills and ability that is required for the completion of certain informatics tasks (2013). Chung and Staggers suggests that nursing informatics competency is the demonstration of knowledge, attitude and skills of nursing practice that is integrated with the realm of computer and cognitive sciences that manages, processes and collects the data of a patient (2014). The realm of nursing informatics competencies revolves around the notion of information and management, ethics, and data protection and security aspects that are the central focus in the paper.

Information Management

Information management is the underlying principle upon which nursing informatics competencies are built. Information management is the process that entails the collection, processing, presenting and communicating of the processed data as information. The underlying concept in information management is the data-information-knowledge continuum. Information is managed by nurses in a variety of ways but the most preferable aspect is information systems. Information systems is composed of both human and computer elements that work independently in the processing of data into information. The fundamental aspect in the information management competency for the nursing realm is the electronic health record system (EHRS). EHRS systems enables nurses to manage clinical information but the nursing responsibilities haven’t changed despite the increased usage of EHRS. Nursing informatics executives play a great role in the information management realm. Not only do they support the operational role of the EHRS systems but also aid in the implementation and adapting to changes in the healthcare environment. Nursing informatics plays a great role in engaging the necessary transformational activities and bridging the new care delivery systems into clinical practice with the right technology solutions (Ball et al., 2011). In addition to that they are not only focused in the improvement in quality, patient safety and outcomes but also managing costs as the technologies must integrate with the clinical and business solutions in monitoring and informing outcomes. Technology would continue to be a fundamental enabler in the future realm of delivery models and information management is essential in the transformation of nursing practice through technology (Ball et al., 2011).

Ethics

With the increased interconnection and the adoption of the realm of technology in the medical institutions, the code of ethics for nurses is of great essence taking into consideration that the notion of patient information privacy is of great essence. With the increased usage of the EHRS maintenance of the privacy and security of the patient health information from others is of great essence. With the increased usage of the social media realm, nurses must be conformed to the legal and ethical implications of sharing patient information with individuals that are not supposed to have access to. In addition to that, the realm of informatics also promotes the aspect of nonmaleficence that is the avoidance of harm to the patient is improved through the usage of clinical decision support an aspect that is embedded in most of the EHRs that are used in the modern realm. For instance when the nurse utilizes medication scanning in the administration of medication thus if any piece of the medication is incorrect the nurse is alerted. With strong foundation in nursing informatics ethics the nurse heeds to the warning.

Data protection and security

Security of the electronic systems that assists in the daily running of the health organization such as the EHRS system can be compromised from malicious or accidental access thus security competency is of great essence. The nursing informatics executive has to ensure that the health organization system requirements meets the reprimanded conditions through conducting periodic review of the system security, establishing a process to review logs for unauthorized access to the system, encryption of confidential information, displaying warning concerning unauthorized use of confidential information and ensuring that the nurses meet the standards of HIPPA security checklist (Samadbeik et al., 2015).

Conclusion

Competency in the nursing informatics realm influences the clinical decision making and the outcome of the chosen decision. The clinical decision-making process in the nursing realm involves making choices in patient care and the management of patient care. The Intuitive Humanist Model exemplifies the nurse’s capacity in the formulation of the appropriate decision based on the relationship between experience and knowledge (Kaminski, 2012). With the eminence of accurate information and competency in the nursing informatics, best actions are being taken with the respective patient.

References

Ball, M. J., Douglas, J. V., Hinton Walker, P., DuLong, D., Gugerty, B., Hannah, K., . . . Troseth, M. R. (Eds.). (2011). Nursing informatics: Where technology and caring meet (4th ed.). London, England: Springer-Verlag

Chung, S. & Staggers, N. (2014). Measuring nursing informatics competencies of practicing nurses in Korea. Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 32(12), 596-605

Hunter, K., McGonigle, D., & Hebda, T. (2013). TIGER-based measurement of nursing informatics competencies: The development and implementation of an online tool for self-assessment. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 3(12), 70-80. doi: 10.5430/jnep.v3n12p70

Kaminski, J. (2012). Nursing Informatics Competencies: Self – Assessment. Retrieved from http://nursing-informatics.com/niassess/index.html.

Samadbeik, M., Gorzin, Z., Khoshkam, M., & Roudbari, M. (2015). Managing the Security of Nursing Data in the Electronic Health Record. Acta Informatica Medica, 23(1), 39. doi: 10.5455/aim.2015.23.39-43