NURS 6051 Discussion Interaction Between Nurse Informaticists and Other Specialists
Interaction Between Nurse Informaticists and Other Specialists
One of the major roles of the nurse informaticist is integrating information technology knowledge and nursing knowledge, intending to ensure that information technology use is maximized in nursing and that healthcare services are delivered effectively. However, the nurse informaticist does not only work with the nurses but also must collaborate with other specialists in the institution. This essay reflects on my observation and experience with Informaticists’ collaboration and proposes strategies that would be used to improve these collaborative experiences. The impact the continued evolution of nursing informatics as a specialty and the emergence of new technologies might have on professional interactions will also be discussed.
Among the specialists collaborating with nurse informaticists in their work include physicians, nurses, IT staff, pharmacists, and hospital administrators. I have experienced close collaboration between the nurse Informaticists and nurses in my workplace. One of the ways in which nurse informatics works with the nurses is by standardizing and developing nursing terminology used in nursing reporting and documentation systems and incorporating them into the systems. De Groot et al. (2020) note that standardized nursing terminologies enhance accurate and consistent documentation, thus improving efficiency. Nurse informaticists also collaborate with us to ensure that EHR systems are easy to use through training and technical support,
Furthermore, I have observed nursing informaticists working with doctors by directing them as they use new clinical decision support systems. Nurse informaticists also collaborate with doctors to develop these systems, thus helping them recommend evidence-based treatment options to patients (Wu et al., 2020). Additionally, nurse informaticists collaborate with IT specialists in the institution to provide technical support to other healthcare specialists in case of technical issues with healthcare technological devices and systems. They also work together to improve existing technologies and recommend further technology use in the institution.
The nurse informaticist also collaborates with the pharmacists in the institution to facilitate the smooth running of electronic medication entries in clinical decision support systems and electronic health records. According to Flynn (2019), nurse informaticists and pharmacists should ensure accurate medication information is in the health systems to avoid medication errors and other related inefficiencies. In addition, nurse informaticists work with hospital administrators to develop and use administrative information systems effectively.
The proposed strategies to improve the collaborative interaction between nurse informaticists and other specialists are fostering open and effective communication between the nurse informaticists and other specialists and cultivating a culture of providing feedback and suggestions. Open and effective communication increases the efficiency of the interaction (Wang et al., 2019). For example, an informaticist-physician collaboration will require open communication to ensure that they are clear of the interaction’s expectations, thus increasing efficiency. In addition, feedback and suggestions would help improve the collaboration and its outcomes, thus promoting maximum participation between the nurse informaticists and other specialists.
According to Hebda et al. (2019), nursing informatics as a specialty will continue to evolve as new healthcare technology emerges and the need for skills increases. I believe that the evolution of nursing informatics will continue to refine professional interactions with other specialists. With new technology emerging, there will be more need for effective collaboration between nurse informaticists and other healthcare specialists as they offer guidelines and recommendations on new technologies and information systems.
Nurse informaticists collaborate with other healthcare specialists to enhance efficiency in healthcare provision. As discussed above, they work with pharmacists, nurses, IT specialists, doctors and nurses. The evolution of nursing informatics as a specialty as new healthcare technology emerges will continue to refine the professional interactions between nurse informaticists and other healthcare specialists.
NURS 6051 Discussion Interaction Between Nurse Informaticists and Other Specialists References
De Groot, K., De Veer, A. J., Paans, W., & Francke, A. L. (2020). Use of electronic health records and standardized terminologies: a nationwide survey of nursing staff experiences. International Journal Of Nursing Studies, 104, 103523. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2020.103523
Flynn A. (2019). Informatics and technology enable us to learn from every patient: Pharmacists’ many roles in learning health systems. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy: AJHP: Official Journal of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 76(15), 1095–1096. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajhp/zxz118
Hebda, T., Czar, P., & Hunter, P. (2019). Handbook of informatics for nurses and Health care professionals. 6th Edition. Pearson Prentice Hall. ISBN 10: 0-13-471101-7
Wang, J., Gephart, S. M., Mallow, J., & Bakken, S. (2019). Models of collaboration and dissemination for nursing informatics innovations in the 21st century. Nursing Outlook, 67(4), 419–432. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2019.02.003
Wu, G., Yang, P., Xie, Y., Woodruff, H. C., Rao, X., Guiot, J., Frix, A. N., Louis, R., Moutschen, M., Li, J., Li, J., Yan, C., Du, D., Zhao, S., Ding, Y., Liu, B., Sun, W., Albarello, F., D’Abramo, A., Schininà, V., and Lambin, P. (2020). Development of a clinical decision support system for severity risk prediction and triage of COVID-19 patients at hospital admission: an international multicentre study. The European Respiratory Journal, 56(2), 2001104. https://doi.org/10.1183/13993003.01104-2020
NURS 6051 Discussion: Interaction Between Nurse Informaticists and Other Specialists Instructions
Nature offers many examples of specialization and collaboration. Ant colonies and bee hives are but two examples of nature’s sophisticated organizations. Each thrives because their members specialize by tasks, divide labor, and collaborate to ensure food, safety, and general well-being of the colony or hive. Discussion: Interaction Between Nurse Informaticists and Other Specialists
Of course, humans don’t fare too badly in this regard either. And healthcare is a great example. As specialists in the collection, access, and application of data, nurse informaticists collaborate with specialists on a regular basis to ensure that appropriate data is available to make decisions and take actions to ensure the general well-being of patients. Discussion: Interaction Between Nurse Informaticists and Other Specialists
In this Discussion, you will reflect on your own observations of and/or experiences with informaticist collaboration. You will also propose strategies for how these collaborative experiences might be improved.
To Prepare:
- Review the Resources and reflect on the evolution of nursing informatics from a science to a nursing specialty.
- Consider your experiences with nurse Informaticists or technology specialists within your healthcare organization.
By Day 3 of Week 3
Post a description of experiences or observations about how nurse informaticists and/or data or technology specialists interact with other professionals within your healthcare organization. Suggest at least one strategy on how these interactions might be improved. Be specific and provide examples. Then, explain the impact you believe the continued evolution of nursing informatics as a specialty and/or the continued emergence of new technologies might have on professional interactions. Discussion: Interaction Between Nurse Informaticists and Other Specialists
Module 2: The Role of the Informatics Specialist in Healthcare (Weeks 3-4)
Laureate Education (Producer). (2018). The Nurse Informaticist [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Accessible player
Learning Objectives
Students will:
- Analyze interactions between nurse informaticists, data/technology specialists, and other professionals in healthcare organizations
- Recommend strategies to improve interactions between nurse informaticists and other professionals
- Analyze how nursing informatics as a specialty and new technologies impact interactions between nurse informaticists and members of healthcare teams Discussion: Interaction Between Nurse Informaticists and Other Specialists
- Recommend nursing informatics projects to improve outcomes or efficiencies in healthcare organizations
- Identify stakeholders impacted by nursing informatics projects
- Analyze how nursing informatics projects improve outcomes or efficiencies in healthcare organizations
- Identify technologies required for implementation of nursing informatics projects
- Analyze the role of the nurse informaticist in nursing informatics project teams
| Due By | Assignment |
| Week 3, Days 1–2 | Read/Watch/Listen to the Learning Resources. Compose your initial Discussion post. |
| Week 3, Day 3 | Post your initial Discussion post. Begin to compose your Assignment. |
| Week 3, Days 4-5 | Review peer Discussion posts. Compose your peer Discussion responses. Continue to compose your Assignment. |
| Week 3, Day 6 | Post at least two peer Discussion responses on two different days (and not the same day as the initial post). |
| Week 3, Day 7 | Wrap up Discussion. Deadline to submit your Assignment. |
| Week 4, Days 1-6 | Continue to compose your Assignment |
| Week 4, Day 7 | Deadline to submit your Assignment |
Learning Resources
Required Readings
McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2017). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (4th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
- Chapter 25, “The Art of Caring in Technology-Laden Environments” (pp. 525–535)
- Chapter 26, “Nursing Informatics and the Foundation of Knowledge” (pp. 537–551) Discussion: Interaction Between Nurse Informaticists and Other Specialists
Ng, Y. C., Alexander, S., & Frith, K. H. (2018). Integration of Mobile Health Applications in Health Information Technology Initiatives: Expanding Opportunities for Nurse Participation in Population Health. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 36(5), 209-213.
Sipes, C. (2016). Project management: Essential skill of nurse informaticists. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, 225, 252-256.
Discussion: Interaction Between Nurse Informaticists and Other Specialists
Nature offers many examples of specialization and collaboration. Ant colonies and bee hives are but two examples of nature’s sophisticated organizations. Each thrives because their members specialize by tasks, divide labor, and collaborate to ensure food, safety, and general well-being of the colony or hive.
Of course, humans don’t fare too badly in this regard either. And healthcare is a great example. As specialists in the collection, access, and application of data, nurse informaticists collaborate with specialists on a regular basis to ensure that appropriate data is available to make decisions and take actions to ensure the general well-being of patients. Discussion: Interaction Between Nurse Informaticists and Other Specialists
In this Discussion, you will reflect on your own observations of and/or experiences with informaticist collaboration. You will also propose strategies for how these collaborative experiences might be improved.
To Prepare:
- Review the Resources and reflect on the evolution of nursing informatics from a science to a nursing specialty.
- Consider your experiences with nurse Informaticists or technology specialists within your healthcare organization.
By Day 3 of Week 3
Post a description of experiences or observations about how nurse informaticists and/or data or technology specialists interact with other professionals within your healthcare organization. Suggest at least one strategy on how these interactions might be improved. Be specific and provide examples. Then, explain the impact you believe the continued evolution of nursing informatics as a specialty and/or the continued emergence of new technologies might have on professional interactions. Discussion: Interaction Between Nurse Informaticists and Other Specialists
By Day 6 of Week 3
Respond to at least two of your colleagues* on two different days, offering one or more additional interaction strategies in support of the examples/observations shared or by offering further insight to the thoughts shared about the future of these interactions.
*Note: Throughout this program, your fellow students are referred to as colleagues.
Submission and Grading Information
Assignment: The Impact of Nursing Informatics on Patient Outcomes and Patient Care Efficiencies
In the Discussion for this module, you considered the interaction of nurse informaticists with other specialists to ensure successful care. How is that success determined?
Patient outcomes and the fulfillment of care goals is one of the major ways that healthcare success is measured. Measuring patient outcomes results in the generation of data that can be used to improve results. Nursing informatics can have a significant part in this process and can help to improve outcomes by improving processes, identifying at-risk patients, and enhancing efficiency. Discussion: Interaction Between Nurse Informaticists and Other Specialists
To Prepare:
- Review the concepts of technology application as presented in the Resources.
- Reflect on how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence may help fortify nursing informatics as a specialty by leading to increased impact on patient outcomes or patient care efficiencies.
The Assignment: (4-5 pages not including the title and reference page)
In a 4- to 5-page project proposal written to the leadership of your healthcare organization, propose a nursing informatics project for your organization that you advocate to improve patient outcomes or patient-care efficiency. Your project proposal should include the following:
- Describe the project you propose.
- Identify the stakeholders impacted by this project.
- Explain the patient outcome(s) or patient-care efficiencies this project is aimed at improving and explain how this improvement would occur. Be specific and provide examples. Discussion: Interaction Between Nurse Informaticists and Other Specialists
- Identify the technologies required to implement this project and explain why.
- Identify the project team (by roles) and explain how you would incorporate the nurse informaticist in the project team.
- Use APA format and include a title page and reference page.
- Use the Safe Assign Drafts to check your match percentage before submitting your work.
By Day 7 of Week 4
Submit your completed Project Proposal.