Nursing Informatics Best Practices

Nursing Informatics Best Practices Essay

Nursing informatics is a discipline which integrates computer and information science with nursing profession. Informatics competencies are a must for every professional nurse nowadays. The basis of the nursing informatics competencies are user-level competencies related to working knowledge of basic software programs and processes (Park, Murray & Delaney, 2006).

Nursing Informatics Competencies Assessment Paper

My current informatics competencies are the following. I have the skills of a regular computer user, keyboard typing skills, skills of using portable devices such as tablets and smartphones, and possess working knowledge of the following programs: word processors (basic text processors and MS Word), table processors and spreadsheets (MS Excel and Google Docs), software for creating presentations (MS Power Point) and databases (basic knowledge of MS Access and creation of small databases in MS Excel). I am an experienced user of the internet, can search and evaluate information in the web, work with wikis, blogs and social media, can send email and use online messengers such as Skype. I can also set up and use software for managing emails such as MS Outlook. These competencies might be enough to fulfill basic nursing tasks, but I am eager to expand my knowledge of nursing informatics and acquire more specialized knowledge and skills in nursing informatics.

Registered nurses should be able to work with computer software at three levels – user level, modifier level and innovator level (Park, Murray & Delaney, 2006). Currently most of my competencies are at the user level. I would like to improve my technical competencies at modifier and innovator level. In particular, I would like to learn how to apply technology support in order to provide evidence-based nursing practice, how to synthesize data from different sources, how to use decision support systems, etc. With regard to nursing-specific skills, I would like to learn how to design, implement and analyze EMR, how to use software-based protocols and patient tracking software, to gain experiences with electronic drug guides, medication administration software, etc.

Using the information and skills gained during the nursing informatics course, I will be able to demonstrate the capacity for professional leadership in the 21st century healthcare environment; I will be able to explain my thoughts and ideas to the audience, engage and motivate others and effectively achieve my professional goals. Advanced knowledge of nursing informatics will allow me to share information and maintain information security, create and manage relevant content and support others in using the relevant software and sources of information.

The role or nurses and the scope of nursing have been transformed by the use of computerized information management systems. For nursing, the relevant computerized information management systems are also referred to as clinical information systems (Hunt, Sproat & Kitzmiller, 2004). The processes of automating patient care have changed the responsibilities of nurses and requirements towards their skills.

Using clinical information systems, nurses can optimize their administrative responsibilities, reduce the number of errors, reduce costs of these responsibilities and devote more time to direct patient care (Thede & Sewell, 2010). In addition to this, nurses now can effectively use expert knowledge provided by the information systems to improve the quality of care and to integrate evidence-based practices in their workflows (Hunt, Sproat & Kitzmiller, 2004). Therefore, in order to respond to the changing needs of the clinical environment, nurses should have working knowledge of nursing informatics, understand the principles and processes of computerized information management systems and use the technology to improve the quality of patient care.

Assessment 2

Nursing Informatics Best Practices Essay

Imagine an organization asks you to contribute to the development of an information system best-practices policy to help maintain patient safety and patient confidentiality in their practice setting. The organization wants you to create a document to help the group better understand why an informatics policy is needed and the practices that should be included in the policy.

A nursing informatics best-practices document can serve multiple purposes, such as a handout for new-hire orientation or as a background report given to a committee tasked with creating or updating a nursing informatics best-practices policy.

Create a description of a nursing informatics best-practices policy document designed to define and encourage effective and safe data use in a practice setting or organization.

• Purpose Statement: Statement of why an organization would create the policy. Include any reasons and intent that supports the creation of an informatics best-practices policy.
• Best Practices Definitions and Descriptions:
  • Definitions of secure practices, data security, and patient confidentiality.
  • Ethical standards.
  • Regulatory requirements.
• Implementation:
  • Behaviors – describe the behaviors nurse leaders will need to demonstrate that will guide implementation of the policy.
  • Skills required – describe the skills needed to ensure policy adherence.

Write 3–5 pages in which you describe a nursing informatics best practices policy for effective and safe data use in a nursing practice setting or organization.

1.      Describe the best practices needed to promote and support data security

2.      Describe the ethical standards needed to promote patient confidentiality

3.      Describe regulatory requirements that promote and support positive patient outcomes related to a specific population

4.      Describe the types of behaviors and skills nurse leaders need to guide the use of information technology and research for improved patient-care outcomes

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