NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper

NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper Informatics is changing the face of healthcare. As technology advances, healthcare organizations and providers are able to collect, analyze and leverage data more effectively, influencing the way care is delivered, resources are managed and teams operate each day. You would be hard-pressed to find an aspect of medicine that has yet to be touched by the mass collection and analysis of data that has been ushered in by the Information Age. NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper One specific area that health informatics is having a significant impact on is the practice of nursing. Though the mission of nursing remains unchanged, the daily work of these professionals is being strongly influenced by informatics, with particular attention to the accuracy and communication of patient data and care. Permalink: https://nursingpaperessays.com/ nurs-6401-inform…case-study-paper / ? Health informatics in nursing The nursing profession is rapidly changing to keep up with advancements and new challenges in the healthcare field. As direct caregivers, nurses are in the front lines of patient care and consequently often feel the impact of changes in best practices more immediately than other healthcare professionals. NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper Spyros Kitsiou, Assistant Professor of Biomedical and Health Information Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago, reported that there are three specific challenges that healthcare is currently facing: the aging population, the incidence and prevalence of chronic diseases – such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and pulmonary disease – and the shortage of doctors and nurses. Though these problems are diverse, there is a solution that addresses all three: data. “A lot of these challenges can be supported by the avocation of information and communication technologies, particularly as hospitals are becoming more and more interested in reducing their costs and shifting care from hospital care to home care,” Spyros said. “Information and communication technologies, mobile health devices, wearable technologies are all becoming very, very important for supporting remote patient monitoring and home care.” NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper In nursing, as with healthcare in general, informatics is being used to address the challenges of the day, significantly impacting the way nurses function in patient care. One of the primary ways that informatics has changed nursing practice is through documentation. Gone are the days of paper charts that had to be meticulously updated with handwritten notes. Today, nurses are more likely to input notes into electronic health records and other systems that keep a patient’s medical history up-to-date and easily accessible. The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society reported that as the result of electronic charting, nurses are able to obtain information quickly and efficiently, using the information to improve the daily workflow. Storing the information electronically is more easily available to all members of the care team, including the physician and other care providers, as well as staff teams at other healthcare organizations that the patient may visit. As the U.S. population becomes more mobile, it is increasingly important that their personal medical records can travel with them to any office or medical organization they may visit during their lifetime. NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper Health informatics is also an important part of care coordination in nursing. The ability to track staffing, workflow and communication can help nurses to identify areas where current processes can be improved. This can also help ensure that staffing levels remain adequate, which is critical for providing patients with the best possible care. If the nurse-to-patient ratio drops too low, patients are more likely to suffer adverse results. Maintaining adequate levels helps nurses provide the best possible care each day without burning out. Evidence-based practices have long been an essential part of nursing. Today, determining those best practices involves the use of health informatics. Analyzing the mass quantities of data collected regarding patient care and outcomes helps to determine how best to treat these conditions and situations in the future. The more data that is collected and analyzed, the more accurate the resulting conclusions tend to be, providing the best possible information for determining how best to care for patients in the future. NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper The growing role of informatics in nursing has also created a number of new job titles for those with clinical experience and an interest in working with data. A nursing career in informatics Nurses at every level now work with informatics through patient records and other technology. However, some nurses choose to specifically focus their career on the intersection of informatics and clinical practice. There are a number of career options available in this lane, including the following: NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper Clinical informatics specialist Nursing informatics specialist Clinical analyst Clinical informatics manager Clinical informatics coordinator Nursing informatics analyst These roles can be found at every level and facet of healthcare organizations, including leadership and management, advocacy, risk analysis, compliance, consultation, research, evaluation and education. As informatics becomes a more prominent component of the nursing field, job opportunities will likely continue to develop. While health informatics roles are open to professionals from a variety of backgrounds, nurses are particularly well-suited for these roles due to their knowledge of clinical workflow, previous healthcare education and experience with healthcare technology and information systems. If you already have a clinical background in nursing, your next step en route to one of these jobs is to pursue training specifically in health informatics. Though there are several ways to do this, one option is to earn a Master of Science in Health Informatics degree. In a master’s program, you will take courses on important topics such as healthcare information systems, healthcare IT vendor management, health information systems analysis and design and organizational issues in health informatics to prepare for a career in health informatics. NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society defines nursing informatics as “a specialty that integrates nursing science, computer science, and information science to manage and communicate data, information, knowledge, and wisdom in nursing practice.” Informatics is becoming increasingly present in our profession due to rapidly changing techno logic advances. Healthcare systems are assimilating technology into daily practice at a quick pace. Security and patient privacy must be upheld while achieving the goal of transforming data into useful knowledge. Integrating informatics with evidence-based practice (EBP) can only help improve the care we provide to our patients. Applying technology to knowledge may help identify potential problems earlier. For example, with the use of electronic documentation, identifying changes in patient status can occur quickly because the information is readily available. Trending of patient vital signs is always accessible and the data are interpreted, systematized, and arranged. The nurse is able to use this knowledge to formalize an appropriate plan of action. NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper Standardizing nursing language will facilitate acceptance of new methods of documentation in the electronic health record. A template for nursing notes is one method of assisting with our daily workload. The use of a template can remind you of important information required in the documentation of patient care. Research studies, patient care data, and national and local standards are used to develop informatics programs at healthcare organizations. Other measures include return on investment analysis, patient preferences and/or needs, and infection control data. How’s the need for technology addressed? Let’s say a high rate of medication errors is identified. Analysis of how and why the errors are occurring must be conducted. The research can include collecting data from other facilities in the area to determine if the same problem exists elsewhere. Following data collection, the findings are presented to a review board. A plan to improve the problem is implemented, such as the use of bar code scanners. Data collection continues to determine if implementation is successful. The most important piece of implementation is presentation of the evidence to staff to identify how the change will improve the day-to-day actions of nurses. NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper Nursing informatics is a growing field. As nurses, we face ever changing and challenging practice situations; competency in nursing informatics promises to strengthen our clinical decision-making skills. Although new technology may be a challenge for some, informatics will enhance nursing practice. We’ll have quicker access to patient information, improve overall efficiency, and see a reduction in potential errors. How Nurses Are Using Health Informatics to Improve Patient Care Nursing is increasingly becoming as “high tech” as it is a “high touch” profession. Today’s nurses have more technology at their disposal than any nurses ever before, and as one might expect, it’s considerably improving patient care. One area where nurses are putting technology to use is in informatics. Officially known as the study of information, in the world of health care, health informatics is the management of health information. Using electronic medical records, devices that collect health information electronically, and other electronic information standards, health informatics nurses are responsible for managing, interpreting, and communicating the data that comes in and out of health care facilities, all with one primary purpose: Improving the quality of patient care. NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper But how does that happen, specifically? How are nurses using informatics as a way to improve the care they — and their colleagues — provide to patients? As it turns out, there are several key ways that informatics is part of that effort. Improved Documentation Documentation has long been considered an important part of the nursing profession, but it’s more vital than ever to the delivery of quality care. While the theory and practice of nursing, the standards of nursing practice, legal and ethical considerations, and other points that are taught in advanced nursing programs all influence the practice of nursing, it’s information, and specifically, electronic documentation, that is having the greatest influence on modern nursing. Modern nursing care is driven by individual patient needs and history — information that is collected and organized in electronic patient records. By documenting a patient’s condition, and sharing that information electronically, nurses are able to more effectively manage care, and by extension, improve the quality of that care. NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper A great deal of documentation takes place automatically thanks to connected devices, which collect specific information in real time and transmit it to patient records. By looking at the documentation of a patient’s condition over time, nurses can make better decisions about how to provide care and when changes or adjustments need to be made. Reduced Medical Errors Patient safety is a primary concern of any health care provider, and nurses are often on the front lines of ensuring that their patients are kept safe and preventing medication errors, misdiagnoses, falls, and other problems. Health informatics provides important data that can prevent these errors; for example, an electronic record can provide information about a possible dangerous medication interaction or allergy that might not otherwise be immediately apparent. Armed with data, nurses can make quick decisions that keep their patients safe. NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper In fact, in a study by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), a majority of nurses reported that when they have access to EHRs, they have fewer problems with getting patients ready for discharge, fewer medication errors, and better quality of care. And when it comes to transfers between departments, nearly 15 percent of the nurses surveyed reported that information was more likely to be shared and less likely to “fall between the cracks” when electronic systems are used. Reduced Costs Medical errors cost nearly $40 billion every year, and many of those errors are preventable with informatics. Not only does information provide nurses with alerts to avoid errors, it also helps to automate certain tasks, both improving nurse productivity and preventing some of the costs associated with health care. NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper Improved Coordination of Care Nurses are often called upon to help coordinate the care of their patients. This often means relaying information from physicians, therapists, pharmacy, billing, and more, both during care and at discharge. Without all of the necessary information, patient care could suffer. Informatics improves the coordination of this information, allowing nurses to give their patients all of the information they need, improving both outcomes and the satisfaction with care. While there are some who criticize the use of informatics and technology to help manage care, arguing that it makes health care more impersonal, with the provider-patient relationship being replaced with data and algorithms, there is actually overwhelming evidence that informatics actually improves care. Nurses who are trained in this technology and how to best incorporate data into their workflow are often more productive and able to provide better care than ever before. NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper The healthcare industry recognizing the need for communication between information technology personnel and healthcare practitioners in order to address the issues of patient care, created nurse informatics specialist positions. Nurse informatics specialists are an integral part of the healthcare delivery process and a deciding factor in the selection, implementation and evaluation of healthcare, which supports safe, high-quality and patient-centered care (Elkind, 2009). The American Nurses Association (2008) defined Nursing informatics as “A specialty that integrates nursing science and computer science to manage and communicate data, information and knowledge in nursing practice (p. 1). Nursing informatics can also be defined as any use of information technology by nurses for the purpose of enhanced patient outcomes, the management of healthcare facilities, nurse education and nursing research. NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper Many healthcare individuals associate the field of nurse informatics as having two types of roles, the clinician who uses the health information technology and the specialist, who creates, facilitates, tests, and implements new information technology. Healthcare settings now integrate electronic medication prescribing, tele-health, online appointment scheduling and mobile laboratories where informatics nurses are essential in guaranteeing that the computerized solutions interface with each other (HIMSS, 2011). In order to accomplish information related activities, informatics nurses must synchronize and exchange significant clinical and technical information with the goal of supporting and coordinating safe, effective patient care and assuring an efficient workflow. NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper A vital element of healthcare information is nursing documentation. Information systems are designed for nurses where documentation can be best utilized to expand their knowledge of quality of care. The evolution of knowing has been exponential in the past forty years due to the new ways of learning that have been discovered. Nursing in particular has benefited from these new concepts and continues to find newer and better methods to improve patient care. Nurses bring to their practice a personal history that develops the way their nursing care is performed. Nursing theory, standards of practice, legal and ethical obligations must be understood and utilized to enhance the quality of nursing care. The electronic patient record has become an important aspect in the information workflow, and using information technology will result in improving patient outcome quality and efficiency. Patient documentation is a vital skill in communicating the patient’s condition and organizing their care according to the patient’s needs. Nursing practice is primarily guided by patients’ needs and depending on those needs and their environments, different theories can be applied for individualized care. The application of individual nursing practice is based on an combination of medical, philosophical, psychological and other nursing theories. NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper Barbara Carper, a professor at the College of Nursing at Texas Woman’s University, wrote an essay in 1978 titled the “Fundamental Patterns of Knowing in Nursing,” that has identified four ways of knowing that nurses apply to meet patients’ needs. Today many universities and nursing colleges are using her fundamental patterns to help nursing students gain a more universal approach to assessing, understanding and treating patients. One of Carper’s patterns is the empirical knowing that is based on the result of the most relevant and supported evidence derived from research. This includes research related to nursing informatics and the use of technology in healthcare. Before the digital age, nurses were utilizing paper forms to document important patient information. A significant factor in the nursing profession and healthcare systems is the transition to electronic documentation. Electronic documentation contains flow sheets that help in assembling information about the patient’s needs, improve the patient’s information accuracy, and enhance the quality of patient care. A well designed information system can facilitate and provide an easier and faster information flow that is needed for efficient documentation processing. Nurses play an essential role in patient’s safety where the quality of the nursing environment and electronic documentation has a positive influence on patients. The electronic documentation method has evolved to provide a plan of care for patients, efficient communication between clinicians, and direct patient care processes. Nurses are very diligent in coordinating, monitoring and delivering patient care to guarantee effective documentation flow. Nursing computer based software allows nurses to collect, store, recover data and integrate clinical data with nursing management resources. NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper Among multiple healthcare organizations, nurses represent the largest technology user group. In the beginning nurses believed that electronic documentation and information systems were an interruption to their daily workflow and a disruption from bedside care (Lee, 2004). Over the years however, nurses have become more accustomed to the technology, which is positive since their acceptance of it is imperative to successful system implementation. Today, nurses are more proficient in all aspects of information technology while maintaining superior levels of patient care. Most nurses now have a positive attitude related to the improved quality of electronic documentation and a new appreciation of the decreased workload afforded when using a well- designed system. However, despite the benefits of electronic documentation for nursing workflow, there are barriers that can obstruct the utilization of computerized documentation systems. Some of these barriers can result from behavioral issues in regards to perception and satisfaction toward information technology and the time spent documenting the patient information. The challenge comes when some nurses (i.e. older nurses) have doubts about working in a nursing environment filled with technology. Even though they are provided with reference guides, screen shots, and cheat sheets that are helpful, some nurses still have a hard time adjusting to electronic charting. Some of them have a fear of clicking in the wrong place as they work with computerized charts and they become aggravated when they cannot perform their electronic tasks. NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper With electronic charting, nurses have the capability of accessing information quickly and efficiently and are able to use information to improve the quality of nursing workflow. In most of these situations, nurse informatics specialists play a pivotal role in assisting nurses in identifying and addressing these challenges. Many nursing theories have been developed to promote nursing practice efficiency. For an informatics nurse, change theory is the most integrated theory in their practice. Nurse informatics specialists apply theories in directing patient care, while providing guidance and technical assistance for staff nurse workflow as well as providing leadership for system change. NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper Kurt Lewin’s theory of change offers a tactical approach that can help informatics nurses in implementing and evaluating the projected changes in the system processes. An interesting article was written by Polly Ryan in 2009 where she stated that: “the integrated theory of health behavior change suggests that health behavior change can be enhanced by fostering knowledge and beliefs, increasing self-regulation skills and abilities, and enhancing social facilitation” (p. 161). Informatics nurses motivate and encourage nurses to use innovative problem-solving methods by providing them with support. The informatics nurse is part of the delivery of care, the building of knowledge, skills, and the experience in the use of information technology. They often lead clinical informatics committee meetings that have a major influence for nurses in assisting them to coordinate all the multifaceted technology activities in regards to patient care, documentation and safety. Informatics committees provide continuing guidance in the development and implementation of information technology and digital solutions for nursing practice and patient care. The significance of developing and maintaining positive attitudes and computer-use acceptance among nursing staff have been discovered in multiple literature reviews. For a successful implementation of an electronic documentation system, it is important to understand the various levels of computer familiarity, and acknowledge nurses’ computer use needs, attitudes, skills, beliefs and readiness to learn. An informatics committee also provides structure, support and staff development to nurses from different departments who interface with or are impacted by information technology. NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper Informatics and nurses support for ongoing professional development that implements the work knowledge of nurses leads to high quality care and patient satisfaction. Research reveals the importance of nurse’s involvement in informatics committee meetings where they can participate in system design, redesigning workflow, and improving interdisciplinary communication (Lee, 2007). Many nurses are professionally and ethically motivated to contribute to new knowledge, high quality improvement, and innovation through evidence based decision making. Evidence-based practice and decision-making began with Florence Nightingale in the 1850s during the Crimean War. She realized a correlation between poor sanitary situations in the hospitals and rising death rates among wounded soldiers. Her consequent efforts to keep the hospitals disinfected in order to save soldiers resulted in a remarkable drop in patient mortality (Alligood, 2014). Since Nightingale’s work in improving healthcare conditions, the progress of evidence based practice has evolved over time. Effective nursing care relies on the gathering and use of nursing evidence. The pattern of empirical knowledge is founded in evidence-based research and objective experience, and has been identified as the most prevalent in nursing practice. Evidence based practice functions as the key standard for quality in nursing practice by enhancing patient satisfaction. Evidence-based quality improvement was redesigned to transform healthcare into an environment of care that is effective, safe, and efficient. Research is being used progressively as the basis for clinical decisions in many organizations. The stream of information through the increase of technology, has transformed the decision-making process for clinicians. Research authenticates, enhances and creates a scientific base for nursing practice and is facilitated and disseminated through the use of information technology and nursing informatics. The nurse’s ultimate goal through the use of information technology is patient education, while providing high quality care and most importantly patient safety. NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper It has been observed that patient education has slowly become a major concern and that hospitals want to get involved in implementing better education for patients and their families. The importance of patient education is an example of critical study and evidence based practice by nurses that has shown that knowledge, on the part of patients and their families, can reduce re-admission rates, decrease healing time, improve mental discomfort, and produce better patient results. Today, patients are educated with the help of technology including modern televisions, I-pads and other sophisticated electronic devices where the patient can watch, learn and explore their illnesses and care. Partnership with team members and families is essential to optimal treatment. The application of individual nursing practice is based on an arrangement of the clinician and the patient. Traditional patient education relied on written material about disease processes, medication, medical management, and self-care instruction guidelines. Today, patients benefit from many forms of education and with all these forms of education nurses can provide patients with knowledge that enables them to understand the disease process and make important decisions about their health. Nursing interventions in proper patient education improves patient self-care, satisfaction, moral support, coping skills and mental stability. Addressing improvement in nursing workflow is essential to the improvement of patient stability and safety. NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper Healthcare outcomes including quality of life measures are the result of a multifaceted relationship between the patient, the nurse, the treatment and the information healthcare system. A strong foundation for addressing the challenges of electronic documentation is the informatics nurse’s capability to understand and direct the balance of patient care with the technology systems and organizational structure that supports this balance. In order to guarantee a successful implementation of a computer system while managing patient care it is important to integrate nurses’ perceptions, beliefs, and knowledge in the use of new technology and how nurses implement this technology into their daily nursing practice. Finding the right balance of information science in conjunction with nursing science is a continuing process that will rely on the forward thinking and perseverance of today’s modern nurse and the support of nursing informatics specialists. How Nursing Informatics Improves Patient Care The healthcare information revolution is upon us. Clinicians have more access than ever to electronic health records, diagnostics, and treatment plans. Clinical communication and collaboration platforms are making it easier to manage healthcare workflows, improve coordination, and enhance patient outcomes. Systems integration and data access mean that information and analysis are more vital than ever. NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper The secret to using this data to provide better care comes down to nursing informatics — integrating nursing science with other areas to identify, define, manage, and communicate data, information, knowledge, and wisdom to provide better care. As the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society says, “The informatics nurse is part of the delivery of care, the building of knowledge, skills, and experience in the use of information technology. They often lead clinical informatics committee meetings that have a major influence for nurses in assisting them to coordinate all the multifaceted technology activities in regards to patient care, documentation, and safety.” Let’s dig into exactly how nursing informatics achieves that. Aligning Nursing Best Practice with Clinical Workflows and Care Nursing informatics is focused on the best ways to achieve good patient outcomes — it is about applying the overall process and best practice to maximize patient care wherever possible. As a result, nurse informatics are often involved in process design, clinical workflow reviews, and new diagnostics and treatment plans. They take into account the various options for providing care and use objective facts and analysis to determine the actions that will lead to the most patient-centered, value-based care. Improving Clinical Policies, Protocols, Processes, and Procedures Data is the lifeblood of nursing informatics. That data and information can be used to measure the success of the various protocols, processes, and procedures used in a healthcare organization. A nurse informatics will measure and analyze how specific parts of the organization are performing, with a focus on the resulting patient outcomes. They can then make changes to specific parts of the process to streamline activities, avoid bottlenecks, and improve care. Informatics will see what the results are and continue making changes to enhance every part of the clinical care process. NURS 6401 – Informatics in Nursing and Healthcare Assignment Case Study Paper Providing Training and Learning Based on Objective Data One of the most valuable ways a nursing informatics can enhance patient outcomes is through providing training to clinical staff. They can use data to identify endemic issues in a healthcare organization and consult on the best way to resolve these problems. These leanings can be integrated with on boarding new staff, ongoing in-house training, or external education and certification. Nursing informatics can help to create highly-targeted educational programs to deal with specific gaps between ability and provider expectations. Selecting and Testing New Medical Devices Connected IoT medical devices can provide vast amounts of health data on patients. Nursing informatics are ideally positioned to understand the true value of that data and provide recommendations on how it can be recorded, accessed, and used. Involving informatics in the selection of medical devices will ensure you have additional criteria for understanding how device data can inform diagnostics, treatment plans, and ultimately

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