What is the Definition of Nursing Informatics?
Advances in technology just keep changing the way we do our jobs, and the field of nursing is no exception. One important area of nursing that has been altered by technological innovations in communication is in the management of information, with the evolution of a relatively new field of patient care known as "nursing informatics." This is something you might hear about while in nursing school. Nursing informatics encompasses how information and knowledge produced through the practice of nursing are managed and communicated through various technologies to improve health.
Nursing Informatics is a somewhat technical niche when compared to other nursing fields. It draws on nursing skills and knowledge but also makes use of technology to obtain better data, so there are fewer medical errors and improved patient security.
Documentation is key in nursing informatics. To deliver high quality care, today's health care providers require speed and accuracy in information delivery. The process begins from the moment a nurse makes notes on a chart, and proceeds throughout treatment and rehabilitation as procedures and results are added to the charts.
The informatician plays a crucial role by ensuring that health care providers, patient, and family are up to speed with essential information. Informatics allows health care providers to make the best-informed decisions possible about the kind of care needed.
A Life in Nursing Informatics
While patient care remains the number one goal of nursing, in today's world information management and communication have become interwoven with that care. The aspiring nurse should plan to acquire extensive knowledge of traditional subjects such as anatomy, microbiology, chemistry, algebra, and nutrition, as well as practical procedures such as turning and lifting patients or applying an IV. But those who pursue a less traditional route in informatics will also need to acquire excellent computer skills for information gathering.
Nursing professionals with the right skills can transition into nurse informaticians, who in turn will be tasked with developing communication and information technologies. Those who are not ready for an executive position may find work as skilled professionals in the informatics field, as nurse managers, nurse programmers, and nurse communicators. The essential difference in these kinds of jobs is the informatician acts as a technical liaison, but may be performing other nursing duties as well.
The strategic goals a nurse informatician might be tasked with are varied. Here are some possibilities:
- Contributing to a national data infrastructure accessible by a wide network of stakeholders
- Contributing to research and education
- Disseminating new knowledge so it becomes practicable in health care
- Developing information/communication technologies to address work flow needs throughout a network of care venues
- Developing information retrieval methods that enhance safe care
- Providing input into the development and design of information/communication technology
- Defining public healthcare policy
Among the many health care settings where nurse informatics is playing an important part are these:
- Hospitals
- Public health
- Pharmacology
- Global health
Preparing for a Future in Nursing Informatics
The first step for entering the new field of nursing informatics is to become a registered nurse. To become a registered nurse, you must successfully complete the coursework leading to an associate degree, and then pass a state board exam (NCLEX). It's increasingly common for registered nurses to go on and obtain a bachelor's degree. After you obtain your RN, you should probably make plans to pursue your bachelor's degree, which should be helpful in opening doors in the informatics field.
Are you drawn to informatics but are unsure if it's a good match for you? Here are some of the traits that might be of use to an informatician:
- Good problem solver
- Creative thinker
- Excellent communication skills
- Critical and original thinker
- Maintains good interpersonal relationships
- Good organizational abilities
Good nursing skills are obviously essential to enter informatics, but so are computer skills. Besides information technology courses, you might also pursue areas of study such as nursing management, healthcare database systems, systems analysis and design, and healthcare workflow.
Is the science of nursing something that interests you? If you want to become a registered nurse and earn your Associate of Applied Science in Nursing, consider ECPI University for the education you’ll need. With accelerated classes, you could earn your degree in as little as 18 months. For more information, connect with a helpful admissions counselor today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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