Nursing Implications Bellevue University Stacey Monk Introduction The HIMSS position statement on transforming nursing practice through technology & informatics (2011) defines nursing informatics as a specialty that integrates nursing science, computer science, and information science to manage and communicate data, information, knowledge, and wisdom in nursing practice. The HIMSS position statement highlights many implications for nursing practice, including the involvement of nurses in patient centered care, electronic health records, and care coordination. The utilization of electronic healthcare records can consist of different types of personal health records, which can be maintained by the patient, or the providers of …show more content…
This link dates as far back to Florence Nightengale’s hand washing campaign that prevented soldiers from dying of hospital acquired infections (Dykes & Collins, 2013.). Nightengale utilized quality improvement data and statistics to support this position (Dykes & Collins, 2013.). Nursing in the present age can benefit from Nightengale’s work by integrating nursing informatics and electronic health records to improve the safety and efficiency of patient care. An application of integrating the use of electronic health records for improved patient safety in the workplace might be that of the utilization review nurse collecting adverse event (i.e. medication errors, falls) specific data into a report. Once compiled into a report, the event specific data will be reviewed and utilized in the development and implementation of nursing education, which will aide in the improvement of patient safety. The utilization of these educational programs will also aide in improving the efficiency of patient …show more content…
Institution-centered records allow consumers (patients) to have access to specific portions of their healthcare records that are maintained by providers of a certain healthcare agency, or by their insurance company (Thede, 2008). The self-maintained records are sometimes maintained online by the consumer, while linked records allow patients the capability to import information from different sources, usually oneself, and/or a healthcare agency (Thede, 2008.). By teaching patients how to utilize these records, and providing guidance for their use, the HIMSS’s position that the role of a bedside nurse be expanded is supported. In addition to allowing patients to monitor their health records, patient outcomes might also be improved because patient’s will have access to vital health information, such as a mediation list, at all times. Ensuring that patient’s are able to access their medical records via patient portals can be vital to patient outcomes in times of emergency. By ensuring this access, the patient will be able to provide emergency personnel with a list of medications and allergies, decreasing the likelihood that a patient will have a drug interaction or allergic reaction. The role of the nurse informaticist in EHR is vital in the development of programs that will