Nursing informatics

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Nursing informatics is a sub-specialty of health informatics that integrates computer science and information science to manage nursing practice. Nursing informatics facilitates the integration of data, information, and knowledge to support patients, nurses and other providers in their decision-making in all roles and settings.” [1]. As cited in the TIGER Report, Nursing Informatics is defined by the American Nurses Association (ANA), Nursing Informatics Practice Scope and Standards of Practice of 2008 as “the integration of nursing science, computer information science, and cognitive science to manage communication and expand the data, information, knowledge and wisdom of nursing practice” Gugerty, B., & Delaney, C. (2008). Informatics Competencies for Every Practicing Nurse: Recommendations form the TIGER Collaborative. TIGER Initiative Retrieved November 24, from http://www.tigersummit.com/Competencies_New_B949.html) p. 3. Nurse Informaticians analyze, design and implement information systems in a variety of settings, translate between health care providers, patients and technical staff, and ensure high quality data are captured and translated into knowledge that can be used to improve health outcomes Gugerty, B., & Delaney, C. (2008). Informatics Competencies for Every Practicing Nurse: Recommendations form the TIGER Collaborative. TIGER Initiative Retrieved November 24, from http://www.tigersummit.com/Competencies_New_B949.html.

History

A 2009 HIMSS survey on the impact of informatics nurses shows that nursing informatics is involved in a variety of roles related to information technology. This includes workflow analysis, education, HIT implementation and support. On a 1-7 point scale, with 7 being the highest, survey respondents rated the value of nursing informatics an average 6.29 This value is seen in patient safety, workflow, facilitating user acceptance and change management. (2)

In the last few years, hospitals have been shifting their focus from operations to outcomes. This shift translates into reimbursement. Leveraging information technology (IT) will facilitate this process. IT can be used in the collection of data to determine which quality outcomes an organization should emphasize. Nursing informaticists play a role in the collection and interpretation of this data. (3)

With the focus of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on electronic health records and financial incentive, the role of nursing informatics is becoming more important. Meaningful use criteria must be met by 2015 in order to receive full reimbursement. Nursing informaticists can help organizations achieve this goal. Their knowledge on the integration of evidence-based knowledge and information systems that promote patient safety and quality outcomes is essential to meet meaningful use. (4)

Nursing Informatics Organizations

The Alliance for Nursing Informatics (ANI) is a group of organizations that represent more than 5000 nursing informaticists. In a statement to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Initiative on the Future of Nursing, the ANI states that nurses are in a position to positively affect quality in healthcare. Nursing informatics brings skills in information technology, change management and quality improvement. With technology so integrated into nursing care, the ANI proposes that funding be dedicated to the partnership of nursing and nursing informatics in shaping the future of nursing. (5)

The Technology Informatics Guiding Education Reform (TIGER) Initiative was formed in 2004 to bring together experts and develop a vision, a strategy and specific actions to improve nursing education and practice. In 2006 a TIGER summit was called and collaborative teams of experts constructed recommendations to create a nursing workforce capable of using IT to improve the delivery of care (Gugerty & Delaney, 2008).

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) joined forces in 2008 and formed the Quality Safety Education for Nursing (QSEN). QSEN created a handbook for nurses that addressed several areas that needed improvements, including new nurse competencies (AHRQ, 2008). Competency 5, titled Utilize Informatics urges organizations to “fully harness informatics to ensure safety and enhance care quality” (AHRQ, 2008, p. 84).



References

  1. American Nurses Association. (2001, October). Scope and Standards of Nursing Informatics Practice (Education Standards). Washington, D.C.: American Nurses Publishing.
  2. Healthcare Informatics and Management Systems Society. (2009, April 2). HIMSS 2009iInformatics nurse impact survey (Executive Summary). Retrieved from HIMSS website: http://www.himss.org/content/files/HIMSS2009InformaticsNurseImpactSurvey.pdf
  3. Murphy, J. (2010, August). The journey to meaningful use of electronic health records. Nursing Economics, 28, 283-286.
  4. Sensmeier, J. (2009, September). The latest? A shift from operations to outcomes. Nursing Management, 2-9.
  5. Sensmeier, J. (2010, January/February). Alliance for nursing informatics statement to the Robert Wood Johnson foundation initiative on the future of nursing: Acute care, focusing on the areas of technology, October 19, 2009. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 63-67.

Submitted by: Kathy Gaines