The current advancement of technology has already became an important factor in healthcare. As a matter of fact, nurses have already been involved in the purchasing, designing, and even implementing of various information technology programs in health care. Nursing informatics is commonly known as the combination of three sciences namely nursing science, information science, and computer science. This branch of science is specifically used by nurses for the management and analysis of data into knowledge (Murphy, 2010).
Despite the presence of nursing informatics as a branch of science for three decades, there are still numerous definitions for it. Some sources describe it as the use of information technology which are associated to the purview of nursing and are performed by the nurses when doing their respective duties. Thus, it can be stated that the usage of information technology when dealing with the health care of the patient, administrating the facilities of the health institution, or when preparing individuals are considered to be within the scope of nursing informatics (Staggers & Thompson, 2002).
Another definition provided by the American Nurses Association (1994) expanded the definition provided by other experts. According to the association, nursing informatics refer to the integration of computer science, nursing science, and information science in the identification, collection, process, and management of data and information. The data and information obtained can help support the nursing practice specifically in terms of administration, education, and research. The definition also stated that nursing informatics is significant because (1) it allows analysis of information requirements; (2) it is responsible for the design, implementation, and evaluation of the available information systems and data structures; and (3) it helps in the identification and application of computer technologies in healthcare.
As an advanced practice nurse, it is important to be knowledgeable on nursing informatics because the health field is already immersed in various technologies and machineries. Being equipped with the appropriate knowledge in nursing informatics allow advanced practice nurses to manage, interpret, and communicate important medical data produced by different health centers and institutions. Nursing informatics can help advanced practice nurses to incorporate the obtained knowledge in information technology in various clinical settings. Additionally, these nurses will also be equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to perform researches which are focused on clinical data and clinical trials. Aside from these, advanced practice nurses will also be able to help patients manage their own health through the available information systems. Advanced practice nurses will also be given the chance to participate in biosurveillance and outbreak responses during epidemics. Lastly, nurses with the adequate knowledge on nursing informatics can help in the development of storage and analytic technology which can be used for the production of optimal data for research (Lee, 2014).
Personally, computer science is nursing is mainly focused on the nurses’ ability to utilize and explore softwares and programs used for the different analysis. On the other hand, information science enters nursing informatics during the collection, management, and even analysis of the data and information obtained. Lastly, nursing science is mainly involved in the application and utilization of these technologies to enhance the quality of services provided to the patients. Since technology is already present in the field of health care, I have already been exposed to various products of technologies such as the barcode system for the administration of medicines, the use of software programs for the statistical analysis of various researches, and even software programs used to integrate patient information and laboratory results.
References
American Nurses Association Council on Computer Applications in Nursing. (1992). Report on the designation of nursing informatics as a nursing specialty. Congress of Nursing Practice unpublished report. Available from: American Nurses Association, Washington, DC.
Lee, A. (2014). The role of informatics in nursing. Nursing Made Incredibly Easy! 12(4): 55.
Murphy, J. (2010). Nursing informatics: The intersection of nursing, computer, and information sciences. Nursing Economics 28(3): 204-207.
Staggers, N. and Thompson, C.B. (2002). The Evolution of Definitions for Nursing Informatics. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association 9(3): 255-261.
