Information Technology Role in Nursing

The modern healthcare system has integrated information technology into nursing leading to the rise of a specialty called nursing informatics. It is a specialty integrating nursing science with various information management and the analytical sciences.

Nurse informatics (NI) specialist have a minimum of a Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) and get certification allowing working in healthcare facilities. It is possible to advance to earn a Masters in Science Nursing degree and specialize in informatics.Integrating NI into nursing practice helps to simplify the identification, definition, management, and communication of data, information as well as knowledge.

Current Information Technology Role in Nursing

Improve documentation

Nursing technology informatics health related information technology to nursing practice to improve the methods of documentation and healthcare delivery. Nursing informatics is essential in creating and establishing new and simpler way of operations to improve the accuracy of medical documentation, increase productivity and streamline analysis of clinical data to eliminate unnecessary repetitions.

The professionals in NI field keep on innovating ways of establishing more economical and productive management procedures for effective communication of patient information or other medical data in different health care settings.

Increase accuracy of decisions

Information technology in nursing helps to integrate accurate data, knowledge, and information to support nurses in their decision making roles. Informatics facilitates the use of standard nursing language in a healthcare facility thus eliminating instances of misunderstanding. A template of nursing notes is one of the methods that assist nurses in reducing their workload and preparing reports that everyone in the team will understand. NI facilitates the use of new documentation methods into electronic health record and uses templates that remind users of important information when documenting patient care.

Simplifies problems identification

Applying technology to nursing knowledge helps to identify the potential problems before they escalate. For example, the using electronic documentation helps to identify any changes in patient status quickly as the information freely available. It also simplifies interpretation of patient’s vital signs as it is accessible as the system interprets, systemizes and arranges the data. Nurses can use this knowledge to formalize the most appropriate action plan.

Improves communication

Accurate communication is critical in an integrated healthcare systems. Nurses need to share information and decisions with other medical staff. Information technology in nursing has reduced medical errors for the benefit of the patients. Computerized provider order entry allows doctors to make requests into electronic devices rather than a writer on paper. A skilled nursing informatics specialist knows how to interpret what the doctor wants nurses to do without requiring someone to read the instruction. It also provides an electronic trail that NI can retrace and access when there is need to verify something. It is a better method than paper files that someone can lose or misplace.

Technology advancement in informatics for nursing has freed their care givers from the tedious task of transcribing orders by physicians or calling severally to verify or correct orders.

The Future of Information Technology in Nursing

IT in health care industry will proliferate as medical facilities keep looking for ways to enhance the level of patient service and care. There is a need for new more efficient administrative processes to keep up with demand by patients for more accurate, timely and cost effective medical services. When patients get a taste of nursing informatics, they always prefer it to the old paper system. Healthcare facilities will continue relying on information technology to streamline current processes of recording patient data and other tasks to increase overall productivity.

Nurses who have an interest in build a career as nursing informatics specialists can attain their desires through continued education and experience. Information technology continues to increase new research roles for nurses including clinical analysts, director of clinical informatics and clinical informatics coordinator.

These positions encompass working more with medical teams to improve processes and minimal or no contact with patients. Job responsibilities mainly are in development testing and developing new systems or training staff on how to use them.

Information technology now has a strong foundation in nursing. It is still a continuing process but so far has improved efficiency in nursing.