NR 351 Week 6 Discussion – Use of Informatics in Professional Nursing
According to Blais and Hayes (2011, p. 301), “Nursing informatics is the combination of computer and information science with nursing science.” In my current position, we strictly utilize electronic medical records (EMR). The use of EMRs is essential for me to be able to perform my duties. When I first became a nurse, EMRs were a rarely new concept. At that time, many nurses were resistant to EMRs being introduced. Many of the nurses did not fully understand the benefits of having EMR, and I recall many of the “experienced” nurses opting for retirement. I, for one, was excited to have the new technology, but I also understood the hesitancy these experienced nurses felt.
According to the Massachusetts Action Coalition Future of Nursing (2016, p. 12), nursing informatics is designed to “improve the health of populations, communities, families and individuals by optimizing information management and communication.” Nursing informatics and technology have advanced significantly in the last few years. Each and every day, new advances are being made and will continue to improve. I believe that nursing informatics and the use of technology have changed the way nurses practice in general. As technology continues to advance, the nursing process will continue to evolve. Informatics assist nurses in many ways, including having a patient’s information, test results, diagnoses, etc., at their fingertips. Having patients’ health information at the nurse’s fingertips saves time and helps to prevent many errors.
NR 351 Week 6 Discussion – Use of Informatics in Professional Nursing
With the continued advancement in nursing informatics and technology, there are also bound to be some issues that will arise. One issue is breaches of confidentiality. While breaches can (and do) occur in situations that do not involve informatics, it appears to be much more of a widespread issue with the introduction of social media. According to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. (2011, p.1), “Social media can benefit health care in a variety of ways, including fostering professional connections, promoting timely communication with patients and family members, and educating and informing consumers and health care professionals.” The utilization of social media by nurses can also lead to an array of ethical and legal issues if the nurse shares information that can lead to a violation of the patient’s privacy, even if it is accidental. Intentional and unintentional breaches of confidentiality can lead to Board of Nursing referrals, sanctions, and in some cases, financial penalties. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (2011) reports that in most cases, the disclosure of patient information on social media is not intentional. Many nurses are not aware that even with the patient’s permission, it is still not acceptable to post patient information, photographs, etc. on social media. When healthcare workers spend extended amounts of time with their patients, ethical issues increase as more professional boundaries are crossed.
References:
Blais, K. K., & Hayes, J. S. (2011). Professional nursing practice: Concepts and perspectives (6th ed.).Boston, MA: Pearson.
Massachusetts Action Coalition Future of Nursing (2016). The Massachusetts Nursing Core Competencies: A toolkit for implementation in education and practice
settings. (2nd ed.). Retrieved from http://www.mass.edu/nahi/documents/NursingCoreCompetenciesToolkit-March2016.pdf
National Council of State Boards of Nursing. (2011). White paper: A nurse’s guide to the use of social media. Retrieved from https://www.ncsbn.org/Social_Media.pdf
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Question 
NR 351 Week 6 Discussion – Use of Informatics in Professional Nursing
How do you use informatics and technology in your nursing practice? How do you see that use changing in the future? What ethical issues have arisen or might arise from the use of technology and informatics in professional nursing?