This document discusses nursing informatics, which integrates nursing science with information management and analytical sciences. It is the science of processing and managing nursing data, information, and knowledge to support various areas of nursing. The field has grown with the increasing use of technology in healthcare, such as the transition to electronic health records. The document outlines the history of computing in nursing and covers topics like clinical information systems and the nursing informatics model.
2. As technology has changed over the years, so has the job of nursing.
Federal mandates now require healthcare providers to transition to
electronic health and medical records, so nurses with an interest in
technology may want to consider a move into nursing informatics.
3. Informatics is the science of processing data for storage and retrieval
Informatics is the science of information and computer information systems.
4. Informatics studies the application of information technology to practically any field,
while considering its impact on individuals, organizations, and society. It uses
computation as a universal tool to solve problems in other fields, to communicate,
and to express ideas.
5. As an academic field it involves the practice of information processing, and
the engineering of information systems.
It also develops its own conceptual and theoretical foundations and utilizes
foundations developed in other fields. As such, the field of informatics has
great breadth and encompasses many individual specializations, including
disciplines of computer science, information systems, information
technology and statistics.
Since the advent of computers, individuals and organizations increasingly
process information digitally. This has led to the study of informatics with
computational, mathematical, biological, cognitive and social aspects,
including study of the social impact of information technologies
6. Nursing informatics (NI) is the specialty that integrates nursing science
with multiple information management and analytical sciences to identify,
define, manage, and communicate data, information, knowledge, and
wisdom in nursing practice
Nursing Informatics is the "science and practice (that) integrates nursing,
its information and knowledge, with management of information and
communication technologies to promote the health of people, families,
and communities worldwide."
7. Nursing Informatics Model
designed to assist in the management and processing of nursing data, information, and knowledge
to support nursing practice, education, research, and administration
8. HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF
NURSING AND COMPUTER
The computer help transform the nursing profession prior to the new
century. It includes the transformation of paper-based records to
computer-based records
It is use to manage information in patients care, monitor the quality of care
and evaluate the outcomes of care. It can be used for communication and
enhancing education and support nursing research.
9. Computerization of health care delivery includes computerization
of the medical records popularly known as the Electronic Medical
Record System (EMR), Electronic Prescriptions, Personal Digital
Assistants, Computer Automated Cancer Detection and
Computerized Theatre Management Applications. The
implementation of voice recognition technology in mobile
healthcare settings is yet another recent innovation
10. CLINICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM
A Clinical Information System (CIS) is a computer based system that is designed for collecting,
storing, manipulating and making available clinical information important to the healthcare
delivery process.
Clinical Information Systems may be limited in extent to a single area or they may be more
widespread and include virtually all aspects of clinical information
11. Clinical Information Systems provide a clinical data repository that stores clinical data such as
the patient’s history of illness and the interactions with care providers. The repository encodes
information capable of helping physicians decide about the patient’s condition, treatment
options, and wellness activities as well as the status of decisions, actions undertaken and other
relevant information that could help in performing those actions.
12. Some of the areas addressed by Clinical Information Systems are:
•Clinical Decision Support: This provides users with the tools to acquire, manipulate, apply and
display appropriate information to aid in the making of correct, timely and evidence-based
clinical decisions.
•Electronic Medical Records (EMRs): this contains information about the patient, from their
personal details, such as their name, age, address and sex to details of every aspect of care
given by the hospital (from routine visits to major operations)
.
•Training and Research: Patient information can be made available to physicians for the
purpose of training and research. Data mining of the information stored in databases could
provide insights into disease states and how best to manage them.
13. For years, research has been done to show the value of Clinical Information Systems, and these have
highlighted not just the benefits but also the barriers that might be faced by hospitals who implement
such systems.
Some of the benefits are:
•Easy Access to Patient Data: Clinical Information Systems can provide convenient access to medical
records at all points of care. This is especially beneficial at ambulatory points, hence enhancing
continuity of care. Internet-based access improves the ability to remotely access such data.
•Structured Information: The clinical information captured in Clinical Information Systems is well
organised, thus making it easier to maintain and quicker to search through for relevant information. The
information is also legible, making it less likely that mistakes would be made due to illegible writing.
•Improved Drug Prescription and Patient Safety: Clinical Information Systems improve drug dosing and
this leads to the reduction of adverse drug interactions while promoting more appropriate
pharmaceutical utilization.
14. Despite the benefits being offered by Clinical Information Systems, they are not without the barriers that
prevent them from being rolled out in every hospital. These include some of the following:
•Initial cost of acquisition: the high cost of basic infrastructure of clinical information technology can be
a stumbling block to many healthcare organizations.
•Privacy and Security: There are still huge concerns in the healthcare industry about the privacy of
patient data on computer systems and how to keep such information secure. The HIPAA and Data
Protection Act passed by respective governments in the US and the UK were introduced to address
some of these concerns.
•Clinician Resistance: Clinicians usually have 10-20 minutes to see their patients and if their
interactions with a CIS during these sessions proves to be counterintuitive by taking up more time than
is necessary, there is bound to resistance to it use.
•Integration of Legacy Systems: This poses a stiff challenge to many organizations.
ensuring that all information is accessible to doctors, nurses, specialists and the patients themselves.
Nursing: the profession or practice of providing care for the sick and infirm
Computer science- works to make software
IT- uses pre/existing software and integrates it
Computer engr- fabricates hardwares
(e.g. laboratory systems, ECG management systems) (e.g. electronic medical records).
These tools include computerized alerts and reminders to care providers and patients; clinical guidelines; condition-specific order sets; focused patient data reports and summaries; documentation templates; diagnostic support, and contextually relevant reference information, among other tools.
Counterintuitive: contrary to intuition or to common-sense expectation
Legacy system: This can also imply that the system is out of date or in need of replacement.
Top vendor of ehs: cerner corp, epic systems corp, allscripts, nextgen health cacre info system inc.
