Reflection on Nursing Informatics

Initial Understanding of Nursing Informatics

I started this course knowing very little about nursing informatics, mainly connected to electronic health records and digital charting. At first, I thought the field was primarily about computer technology and not much focused on clinical care apart from reporting data. Once I studied the content in greater detail, I saw that nursing informatics connects healthcare and technology through information gathered from data to improve patient care, optimize daily activities, and back up decision-making among medical staff: Reflection on Nursing Informatics.

With this new perspective, I realized that informatics supports the structure of current healthcare. Nursing informatics contributes to nursing operations in everyday care, administration, research activities, and nursing education.

It was meaningful for me to see how raw data needs to be organized and applied, helping me appreciate how informatics helps nurses change observations into clinical judgments and actions. I realized that information in nursing does not only involve paperwork but affects all aspects of clinical work, assessment, and safety. Because of principles of nursing informatics such as interoperability, standardization, data integrity, and usability, nursing informatics is essential for providing safe, efficient, and research-based care. As a result of these principles, nursing informatics appears to me as a well-planned and strategic profession.

Moreover, being familiar with NANDA-I and the International Classification for Nursing Practice (ICNP) emphasized how important it is for nurses to use standard language in their clinical reporting. According to Rodríguez-Suárez et al. (2023), using these standardized terms in nursing makes it clearer that assessments, actions, and outcomes are accurate and understood by all. My understanding of the main ideas helped me realize that nursing informatics encourages better patient safety, contributes to better communication, and helps move healthcare forward on both a national and global level. My perspective has shifted from thinking informatics backed the background of nursing to believing it guides the main aspects of high-quality nursing care.

Engagement with Course Materials

Working through the course materials over the term was necessary for my grasp of nursing informatics. I was particularly impressed with the Week Two terminology paper, which allowed me to look into standardized nursing terminologies used for clinical notes. To complete this assignment, I picked a nursing terminology approved by the American Nurses Association and used it to illustrate its use in nursing practice.

I found that this assignment allowed me to create documentation that’s easy to understand and work with by different professionals in the healthcare sector. In addition, it showed that using the same language for communication among other areas of medicine helped to ensure that the care provided stays the same and results in better outcomes for patients.

I also found the case study in Week Eight to be really valuable, where we learned about solving medical errors with technology’s assistance. For this assignment, I researched and found out that barcode medication administration (BCMA) and automated dispensing systems can decrease the chances of error and enhance the safety of patients in the healthcare system (Mulac et al., 2021). Thinking about the main reasons for medication errors and finding technology-based ways to solve them showed me how nursing informatics makes clinical environments safer.

Participating in weekly discussions further improved my learning. For example, during the Week Six discussion on digital data privacy and security, I took time to study scenarios of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) issues and the use of mobile phones. As a result, I could engage with a variety of views, reflect on diverse perspectives, and put the things I learned from the course to good use. The course further addressed the main ethical and legal factors affecting nursing informatics.

Evolution of Knowledge and Perspective

Gradually, I learned how nursing informatics goes beyond its technical aspects and considers it as part of the bigger clinical systems. I realized that informatics aids various important nursing activities, such as drug administration, patient education, staff schedules, and policy development. The use of concepts like clinical decision support systems (CDSS), system development life cycle (SDLC), and electronic documentation now seems practical and reasonable.

Using technology in nursing changes how care is given, making it easier to provide personal care to one patient or many patients at once. Because of this in-depth understanding of informatics, I am able to apply critical thinking to healthcare solutions.

I now view nursing informatics as providing nurses with the tools they need to drive better healthcare delivery. Using data mining and predictive analytics, I learned that big data plays a key role in shaping decision-making and boosting health results. My perspective is now shaped to value nurses working in informatics as true leaders, expert system coordinators, and advocates for patients in any healthcare environment.

Applying Learning to Future Nursing Practice

I plan to combine the ideas and methods of nursing informatics in my future nursing practice to make sure patients receive safe, quality care, and I advocate for new technology in healthcare. I intend to implement my knowledge by using standard documentation in different systems, as well as information from population health to support evidence-based interventions. I am committed to supporting efforts that improve quality, using data to pick out patterns and reduce errors in healthcare.

As I continue my career, I see myself contributing to policy development and training others on best practices in informatics. The skills I have gained will not only benefit my patients but also position me as a leader in digital healthcare transformation.

References

Mulac, A., Mathiesen, L., Taxis, K., & Granås, A. G. (2021). Barcode medication administration technology use in hospital practice: A mixed-methods observational study of policy deviations. BMJ Quality & Safety, 30(12), 1021–1030. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2021-013223

Rodríguez-Suárez, C., la Torre, H. G., Luis, M. H., Fernández-Gutiérrez, D., Martínez-Alberto, C., & Brito-Brito, P. (2023). Effectiveness of a standardized nursing process using NANDA international, nursing interventions classification and nursing outcome classification terminologies: A systematic review. Healthcare, 11(17), 2449. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11172449

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In this assignment, you will create a reflective blog post documenting your journey through the exploration of Nursing Informatics. Reflect on the key areas covered in the course and how they have influenced your understanding and perspective on the intersection of nursing practice and technology.

This assignment is intended to allow you to show evidence in achievement of the following course learning outcomes:

• Understand the foundational concepts of nursing informatics
• Analyze current and emerging technologies to support safe practice environments, and to optimize patient safety, cost-effectiveness, and health outcomes.
• Demonstrate proficiency in utilizing informatics tools and technologies for various applications in nursing practice, education, research, quality improvement, population health management, and clinical decision-making.

Reflection on Nursing Informatics

Assignment Instructions:

• Reflect on your initial understanding of Nursing Informatics and how it has evolved throughout the course. Discuss the core principles that guide Nursing Informatics and how they have shaped your perception of this specialty.
• Reflect on your engagement with course materials, including assigned readings, PowerPoints, assignments, and discussions. Discuss how these learning experiences have deepened your understanding of Nursing Informatics concepts. Include at least two learning activities (assignment, quiz, discussion).
• Discuss how your knowledge and perspective on Nursing Informatics have evolved.
• Reflect on how you plan to apply what you have learned to your future nursing practice.

Paper Guidelines:

• Your blog should be written in APA format, including a title page, proper citations, references, and overall organization.
• Write a reflective blog post of approximately 800-1000 words. Use a reflective tone and personal voice to convey your thoughts and insights.
• Address each of the prompts thoroughly, providing insightful analysis and integrating information from relevant sources, if applicable
• Ensure clarity, coherence, and proper grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure throughout your blog.