Competency is the possession of knowledge, skills, behavior, and the capacity to enhance the patients’ safety, medical outcome and satisfaction. Informatics as a nursing competency focuses on the integration of technology as an evolving practice of nursing. The use of electronic health records in the healthcare management has been critical in the promotion of the patient’s safety, medical outcome, and promotion of efficiency in health institutions. This paper will study the importance of informatics competencies in enhancing patients’ safety, medical outcome and satisfaction. Also, the study will put into perspective the implications of informatics on nursing education, practice, and research.
Nursing is an ever-changing profession that requires the caregivers to have specific competencies that are essential for the provision of the safe care. According to Hart (2010), the primary endeavor of informatics competencies is to enhance patients’ safety, making informed clinical decisions, and communication. This is because the nursing profession is guided by the collection of the patient’s data, storage, retrieval and the usage of the information. The electronic health records help in making precise clinical decisions and the management of the health information. The development and implementation of nursing informatics have created a new educational need for caregivers regarding the possession of the requisite capacity for the practice.
Implication on nursing education
The increasing demands for informatics competencies have a significant impact on both nursing education and training. Integration of Informatics in the training of nurses is fundamental in the bridging the technological gap between the seasoned nursing professionals and the new graduates. Also, the integration of informatics in nursing has enhanced the development of continuous education to promote patient safety (Gwen & Barnister, 2013). This is because many seasoned professionals did not receive training on basic computer application and how to use electronic health records. Some of the major skills that are taught during the in-service programs include informatics skills, computer skills, and informatics knowledge management.
Implication for the nursing practice
The need for informatics competencies has influenced the nursing practice. Many health institutions have adopted the technology in the recording and storage of the patient’s data. Most of the medical processes are always based on research. Besides the integration of technology in health management has enhanced the involvement of the patient in the care process. Electronic health records have also been used by managers in the monitoring and controlling activities in the hospitals.
Implications for research
Medical informatics has an impact on research. Electronic health record allows the doctors to detect new infections in the general public since the physician can monitor the trend of common diseases. Besides, information on the new infections can act as a basis for research on the cause of the new infections and the regions that are highly affected by the new disease. Furthermore, informatics competencies allow for health practitioners share information with other colleagues all over the world. Also, the sharing of the medical information exposes medical researchers to a wide range of information that is critical in guaranteeing the safety of patients. Hart (2010) further opines that informatics competencies have seen the translation of medical evidence into practice in today’s research. New approaches that help nurses how to enhance efficiency, safety, implementation research and translational improvements have been critical in promoting safety and medical outcomes.
How informatics could improve working environment
Patients’ Safety
The use of EHR in the management of healthcare provides a platform where the nurse and the patient interact even while the patient is at home. Nursing informatics has been significant in ensuring that the patient participates actively in the care process a fact that has a positive impact on not only the recovery but also on the safety of the patient. Besides, EHR allows patients to receive regular updates concerning their health condition. The patient can also use the platform to ask questions regarding his condition. Also, the regular updates promote consistency in the provision of care since the patient is always reminded on his next appointment with the doctor in time.
The use of electronic health records in care management is significant in enhancing communication between the nurse and the patient. Also, EHR helps in enhancing effective communication in healthcare whereby information is communicated in a timely and accurate manner so as to enhance safety. Besides, provision of accurate information helps the nurses in making appropriate clinical decisions and judgments from many alternatives regarding the management of the patient’s condition. Effective communication also tends to reduce the possibilities of making medical errors.
Since the introduction of the EHR, medical errors have reduced tremendously. This is because care providers can share the parents data that acts as a guide while making clinical decisions and making prescriptions (Casey & Willis, 2011).
As noted by Kathleen (2013), the use of HER in healthcare management helps in the storage of the patient’s data safely. The stored data makes it easy for the nurse to access the medical history of the patient. This technique is critical to ensuring that the caregiver makes accurate clinical decisions basing on past medical history. Also, Hart (2010) contends that EHR helps in enhancing public health. The caregivers can easily detect new infections and allergies among the public. If a disease outbreak is detected, nurses can promptly respond to the health issue so as to prevent the spreading of the disease.
Cost reduction
Electronic Health Records help in reducing the amount of time that a patient takes in the hospital. This is because the system directs the patients on whether his condition requires inpatient or outpatient care. According to Barnsteiner et al. (2013), the use of informatics has helped in the reduction of both financial and time costs. The involvement of the patient in the care management enables the patient to manage his condition while at home through constant communication with the doctor. The doctor can provide regular updates and prescription through regular alerts. The strategy is of great significance to the reduction of the medical cost since the patient does not incur extra costs like admission and consultancy fees.
Patients’ satisfaction
Another key benefit of integrating technology into the care management is that it boosts patients’ satisfaction. A study by Kathleen (2013) highlights that the use of EHR has helped in enhancing medical outcomes since caregivers share the patient’s medical information and thus making correct medical judgments. This strategy has also seen the reduction in medical errors during major operations since the EHR promotes efficient collaboration among physicians. Also, nurses who are working in shifts can retrieve the patient’s data, thus enhancing continuity in the care process. Continuity in the care process is of significance in promoting medical outcomes a fact that has a direct impact on patients’ satisfaction. The collaboration between the nurses helps in boosting the collaboration and morale among physicians.
Conclusion
Medical informatics has been of great impact in enhancing medical outcome and patients’ safety. This is because Electronic Health Records have helped in the reduction of the medical errors. Also, EHR has made it easier for the nurses to retrieve patients’ data, thus making informed clinical decisions. Furthermore, informatics competencies have had an impact on the nursing education, research and practice.
References
Barnsteiner, J., Disch, J., Johnson, J., McGuinn, K., Chappell, K., & Swartwout, E. (2013). Diffusing QSEN competencies across schools of nursing: The AACN/RWJF Faculty Development Institutes. Journal of Professional Nursing, 29(2) 68-74. doi: 10.1016/j.profnurs.2012.12.003
Casey, A., and Wallis, A. (2011). Effective communication: Principles of nursing practice. Nursing Standard, 23(32), 35-7.
Gwen, S.and Barnister, J. (2013).Quality and safety in nursing: A competency Approach to improve outcomes. Journal of nursing regulations, 3(4), 64
Hart, M. (2010). A Delphi study to determine baseline informatics competencies for nurse managers. Computer informatics nursing, 21(1), 364-370.
Kathleen, R.S (2013).The impact of evidence-based practice in nursing and the next big ideas. The online journal on issues of nursing, 18(2), 1-12.
