Nursing Informatics In Enhancing Patient Care – IoTWorm

Society has changed significantly with the advent of the most recent technological boom. Almost every facet of life has evolved to some degree, and healthcare is no exception. There have been incredible advancements in the field over the past several decades, making it easier than ever before to gather, interpret, use, and transmit data to the healthcare professionals in need of it. As this process has become more and more reliable, a new realm of computer and medical science has sprung up to further enhance data gathering. Known broadly as ‘healthcare informatics’, it explores the way that technology can improve patient care. More specifically, ‘nursing informatics’ looks at how nurses can utilize technology to improve the quality of the help that patients receive.

Nursing informatics is not the most straightforward of concepts, but we have everything you need to know about it in this article. Let’s take a closer look at the definition of nursing informatics, how it is used in patient care, and how you can develop the informatics skills you need to become a nurse leader.

What is Nursing Informatics?

Nursing informatics refers to a specialization in nursing resources, including elements such as:

• Telenursing
• Security
• Patient care
• Intelligent systems
• Information systems
• Information science
• Imaging informatics
• Human-computer interaction
• Ethics
• Electronic patient records
• E-learning
• Decision support systems
• Data recovery
• Computer science

More specifically, nursing informatics is often defined as the application of IT and similar technologies in nursing duties, including practice, management, and education. Nursing informatics is the integration of information and computer science with nursing science. It enhances the way that nurses care for patients and also the way that nurses are managed and educated. It is also heavily used in nursing research.

Nursing Informatics Leadership Skills

We now know how important informatics is to nursing, but how can you use informatics to improve your nursing ability and prime yourself for leadership roles? The good news is that the right education can give you a leg up on informatics in nursing. A program valuing nursing leadership skills and positioning graduates to hit the ground running, for example, emphasizes skills such as computer technology, data interpretation, and independent research so that by the time you graduate, you’re ready to start working. Baylor University, for example, offers a DNP – Executive Nurse Leadership program, which includes classes utilizing nursing informatics.

Are you interested in learning more about nursing informatics and how it helps nurses better serve patients? If so, keep the information above in mind and branch out! If you’re looking for a nursing program to enter, make sure to pick a trusted educator with established programs.

How is Nursing Informatics Used to Enhance Patient Care?

Nursing informatics is more than just a buzzword. When used correctly, nursing informatics can help greatly enhance the care that patients receive both inside the hospital and outside. Below, we explore some of the most common ways that informatics is used in nursing. Remember that this is far from an exhaustive list! If you are interested in a specific type of technology that isn’t listed here, don’t worry – dig into the field a bit more and you’ll probably find what you’re looking for. With that said, let’s take a closer look!

Computerized provider order entry (CPOE)

CPOE is an application used to directly enter medical orders via computers, typically within the patient’s room. If you have had a check-up within the last few years or so, you’ve probably seen this first-hand. When providers look information up and input new information into a computer terminal, the chances are good that they’re using CPOE.

According to the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMMS), this kind of electronic charting and storage allows nurses to find the information they need efficiently and quickly, leading to a better daily workflow and improving the care that patients receive. Electronic systems such as this also enhance patient care across the board as the information can be easily accessed and updated by everyone else on the patient’s care team.

Electronic medical records (EMRs)

In a similar vein to the above, EMRs are electronic versions of paper charts often used in clinics, hospitals, and clinician offices. While some doctors are partial to keeping records in long-hand, most providers and nurses are embracing the ease of storing and accessing information digitally. This simplifies the update process and helps ensure that patients’ information is as up-to-date as possible.

Patient portals

While much of the benefit of informatics in patient care is experienced in the provider’s office or hospital, it can also make life easier for patients in their everyday lives. Instead of waiting on hold to schedule appointments or check test results, for example, patients can often log into patient portals, which allows them to communicate directly with their care providers. Portals give patients anytime access to their medication records, test results, and other personal health data 24 hours a day. This makes healthcare even more accessible in today’s mobile and module-dominated society. Patients can take their records with them anywhere, even out of the system, as long as they have access to their patient portals.

Healthcare workflow management

Proper healthcare workflow management allows providers, including nurses, to give patients the care they need in a timely and safe manner. It provides nurses with enhanced internal controls that significantly improve efficiency and reduce risk while increasing productivity and compliance with local and federal laws and regulations.

Healthcare workflow management systems can also monitor the ratio of nurses to patients to determine when new hires need to be onboarded and trained. This, in turn, helps reduce the rate of burnout among nurses.

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• Source: https://iotworm.com/role-of-nursing-informatics-in-enhancing-patient-care/