Posted: September 30th, 2024

The Nurse’s Role in Informatics Essay

The Nurse’s Role in Informatics.

Nurses play multiple roles with regard to the informatics that supports healthcare. These roles are crucial for integrating technology into patient care effectively. These roles differ depending on their position and their skills and knowledge base. Informatics includes “the use of information and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision making” (Masters, 2015, 306). This definition highlights the importance of informatics in enhancing healthcare outcomes. This can be illustrated with regard to Helen, a new graduate of nursing school; Paul, a registered nurse in the neurosurgery unit with ten years of experience who provides direct patient care; and Lisa, a nurse manager responsible for nursing operations. Each of these individuals demonstrates unique applications of informatics in their daily tasks. Each has complementary responsibilities that ensure the systems can benefit patient care in nursing.

Helen has recently become a nurse and been hired to work in the medical nursing unit. Her role marks the beginning of a journey into the practical application of her academic knowledge. Helen uses informatics in her work, and most of her responsibilities currently are input. Her responsibilities include becoming a competent user of the many informatics systems which are used at the hospital. This competency is essential for maintaining the accuracy and efficiency of healthcare delivery. Such systems might include a bar code medication administration (BCMA) system, electronic medical records (EMR). She also accesses information such as the scheduling system to see when she is working. This access allows her to manage her time and responsibilities effectively. As a recent graduate she is also aware of the more technical aspects of informatics, including the research which uses the data from the systems. Her awareness ensures she contributes to the broader goals of healthcare innovation. For this reason she always ensures the information she enters is accurate, as this will benefit the data which is used as evidence for research which can innovate on current practices.

Paul, the RN who has significant experience and works in the neurosurgery unit, also chairs the unit’s nursing council to improve patient care. His leadership role involves integrating new research findings into clinical practice. Paul may therefore be interested in researching and communicating to the council recent findings in nursing research so that the latest evidence can be implemented in practice. Paul also uses informatics when he implements best practices in relation to the many technologies in the neurosurgery unit. These technologies are vital for ensuring high standards of patient care and safety. In order to ensure patient safety while the surgeon is using the microscope, various machines and informatics based techniques assist the scrub nurse to maintain situational awareness while assisting with surgery (Afkari, Bednarik, Mäkelä & Eivazi, 2016). Such collaboration is key to successful surgical outcomes. As with Helen, Paul must be trained and competent in the use of nursing informatics systems which administrate day to day operations, including reporting for the patient’s EMR and BCMA. This training ensures that all patient data is handled with precision and care. Because of his position as chair of the patient safety council for his unit Paul also has informatics responsibilities in relation to reviewing the work of others which is often based in data as well as determining design of data capture for inquiries relating to patient safety. His role is critical in fostering a culture of safety and accountability.

Lisa, the nurse manager, leads the intensive care units and this includes multiple roles in relation to informatics. Her leadership ensures that the unit operates smoothly and efficiently. Lisa has responsibility for ensuring that informatics systems are working properly. This responsibility is crucial for maintaining the integrity of healthcare operations. This includes ensuring that new recruits and staff are trained in and competent in the use of these systems. Training is a continuous process that adapts to new technologies and practices. Lisa also uses informatics to research information relating to questions for other health care professionals or to provide excellence in operations and the provision of patient care (Collins, 2014). Her research supports evidence-based decision-making and strategic planning. She uses informatics in order to schedule staff and determine budgetary considerations relating to human resources (Collins, 2014). Effective scheduling and budgeting are essential for optimal resource management. This may involve the use of research and calculations by Lisa or her staff, but it likely also includes the use of business intelligence systems (Collins, 2014). These systems provide valuable insights that guide operational decisions.

Just like nursing itself, there are multiple and different roles that must be carried out with regard to informatics in nursing. These roles are dynamic and evolve with advancements in technology. There are responsibilities that all nurses share, such as ensuring competency through training before using systems, input of information and how and why to access information in informatics systems. Shared responsibilities foster a collaborative environment that enhances patient care. There are also specialized systems in each area and various responsibilities for nurses who work in those areas. Specialization allows nurses to develop expertise that benefits their specific fields.

References
Mollart, L., Newell, R., Geale, S. K., Noble, D., Norton, C., & O’Brien, A. P. (2020). Introduction of patient electronic medical records (EMR) into undergraduate nursing education: an integrated literature review. Nurse Education Today, 94, 104517.

Whitt, K. J., Allen, C. L., Hogg, C. W., Pericak, A., Beebe, S. L., Braungart, C., … & McNelis, A. M. (2024). The use of electronic health records in advanced practice nursing education: a scoping review. Journal of Professional Nursing, 50, 83-94.

Sulaiman, M., & Arifudin, A. (2024, July). Electronic Medical Records (EMR) For Nursing Documentation: A Concept Analysis. In 2nd Lawang Sewu International Symposium on Health Sciences: Nursing (LSISHS-N 2023) (pp. 147-163). Atlantis Press.

Junior, L. A. V. (2024). Addressing Patient Safety in Healthcare: The Health Information Technology Safety Maturity Model (Doctoral dissertation, [sn]).

Nursing Informatics,
Healthcare Technology,
Patient Safety,
Electronic Medical Records (EMR),Nursing Education,

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Tags: Electronic Medical Records (EMR), Healthcare Technology, Nursing Education, Nursing Informatics, patient safety