Post a thoughtful response to at least two (2) other colleagues’ initial postings. Responses to colleagues should be supportive and helpful (examples of an acceptable comment are: “This is interesting – in my practice, we treated or resolved (diagnosis or issue) with (x, y, z meds, theory, management principle) and according to the literature…” and add supportive reference. Avoid comments such as “I agree” or “good comment.”

References:

• Response posts: Minimum of one (1) total reference: one (1) from peer-reviewed or course materials reference per response.

Words Limits

• Response posts: Minimum 100 words excluding references.

Discussion 1

This week the discussion is focused on information and data that is utilized in everyday clinical practice. Those of us that practice today and are relatively new nurses may not be completely aware of how much informatics has created and affected daily life for many clinical providers especially when it comes to electronic health records. Years ago, electronic health records weren’t commonly used in some facilities and in this day and age it can be hard to believe. This post will look a little closer into informatics as well as the implementation of the electronic health record that is so heavily used today.

Informatics is a large part of health care and for that reason there will be a closer look placed into informatics and more specifically clinical informatics. Informatics is generally related to the information system that is set up to receive information online to make things easier to locate. Essentially informatics is the science of information and can also be known to a degree as information technology or IT (Aston, 2014). There are those in the clinical setting that are directly responsible for managing informatics and help to manage the process of easing providers in better understanding the system and the electronic health records (Aston, 2014). Clinical informatics are related more specifically to information around health technologies versus general informatics which is related to various innovations in technology that has created large databases that becomes more easily accessible every day (Huber, 2014).

Clinical informatics can generate a lot of positivity for patient care within an organization. One recent example of clinical informatic within the unit that I work in is the initiating of allowing patients to receive some access to their health record. The access that the patient can gain is through an iPad used during their stay that can allow them to specifically see who is caring for them from doctors to nurses and patient support assistants. This has allowed patients to better recognize the providers that are interacting with them, at times the interaction can be so quick that they may not remember who they spoke with that day. Another example of clinical informatics that helps with patient care is bed management/monitoring systems within organizations such as the one that I work in that helps to keep track of the patient census. Along with that census it keeps track of the location of patient which can help when a nurse just comes on shift and may not know which area the patient is located at the time from dialysis to an MRI or a CT. These are just two examples of clinical informatics that have led to positive experiences for patients and staff members to help improve and better manage patient care.

Along with clinical informatics within a unit and organization there are also methods of data management that nurse managers can utilize to improve patient care within a unit. One example of data management and collection is the effort nurse managers make to ensure that proper hang hygiene is used. This example seems silly but there has been a significant decrease in the number of caretakers that aren’t practicing good hand hygiene when entering and leaving a room. Another example of this is data collection and management related to reducing infections f central lines which revolve around improved patient hygiene. When the data was brought back after the implementation of the hygiene audits and discussion of the topic there was a directly correlation to the decrease of these infections. Data management done through the various systems that exist help managers to better track these thing as well as improve patient care.

Lastly the electronic health record needs to be discussed a little more thoroughly when it comes to clinical informatics. Specifically, the implementation of the electronic health record being mandated by then President Bush. In 2004, President Bush had created an initiative to mandate the creation of electronic health records for all by 2014. With the growth in technology many felt the need for improvement in health care as well, which would further be seen with health care reform during the presidency of Barack Obama. The health care record for patients began to become electronic which is now so common place now that one would find it hard to imagine that it had not always been this way. For President Bush the mandated implementation of the electronic health record was setting in progress the movement to better health technology for all.

References

Aston, G. (2014, January). Powering the Information Machine. Retrieved July 2, 2018, from https://blackboard.ohio.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-8213791-dt-content-rid- 54487195_1/courses/NRSE_4580_SU2_1031_LEC_SUM2_2017- 18/CONTENT/MODULE_3/INSTRUCTIONAL_MATERIALS/REQUIRED_RESOUR CES/NRSE_4580_M3_IM_Powering_the_Information_Engine.pdf

Huber, D. (2014). Leadership and nursing care management. 5^th edition. St. Louis, Missouri: Saunders.

Discussion 2

Patient care has evolved significantly over the past few decades. It has transformed from a trail of paper charting to a collection of electronic healthcare data. Various information is now collected electronically as part of routine care, allowing for easier analysis and more prompt improvements. As a result, real-time data can be used to expedite patient care, create safer hospital environments, and better utilize nurses’ time. The purpose of this paper is to discuss informatics within healthcare, how it improves patient care within my healthcare organization, as well as discuss the reasoning behind the 2014 mandate of electronic health records.

Over the past few decades, information technology has rapidly changed the face of healthcare practice and delivery. The use of informatics, which is the general application of data, information and knowledge within multiple professions and organizations, uses data collection and computations as a tool to solve problems, as well as determine consequences to individuals, organizations, and society (Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, 2018). Clinical informatics is the integration of informatics and information technology within healthcare itself. This process uses data to analyze, design, implement and evaluate information and communication systems to enhance health outcomes, improve patient care, as well as strengthen the clinician-patient relationship (American Board of Preventive Medicine, 2018).

Two clinical informatic examples that have improved patient care within my organization include the integration of the SurgiCount Safety-Sponge System, a scanning device that provides an accurate, real-time count for surgery lap sponges in the operating room, and Bar Code Medication Administration (BCMA) technology, an inventory control system that utilizes barcodes to prevent human error during medication administration. SurgiCount Safety-Sponge System is a handheld, mobile computer and scanner that accounts for each safety-sponge used during patients’ surgery or procedures, such as cesarean sections and vaginal deliveries. This device has prevented over1,300 surgical sponges from being left inside patients, thereby averting unnecessary complications and pain, as well as eliminating more than $825 million in additional health care costs (Wynder, 2017). BCMA technology systems decrease medication and transcription errors, as well as improves patient safetybyelectronically verifying a patient’s identity before medication administration (Truitt, Thompson, Blazey-Martin, NiSai, & Salem, 2016).

Two data management tools that are used by the unit Nurse manager include Purposeful Hourly Rounding and Bedside Shift Report Statistics. This feedback reports patients’ perception of nurse engagement within their hospital experience. These two strategies improve patient care and safety by encouraging nurses to intentionally and routinely round on patients, as well as exchange current patient information at bedside and at the start of each shift. For example, Purposeful Hourly Rounding calls for staff nurses to check-up on patients routinely every hour. This strategy improves patients’ perception of nursing staff responsiveness, reduces patient fall incidences and use of call lights, as well as improves patient satisfaction scores (Mitchell, Lavenberg, Trotta, & Umscheid, 2014). Bedside Shift Report ensures that patients and their families are aware of the plan of care, ensures safe handoff from nurse-to-nurse, improves communication between the patient, family and staff, and provides an opportunity for questions and concerns to be voiced, leading to improved quality of care and safety (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2017).

On April 27, 2004, President George W. Bush implemented the use of electronic health records (EHRs). As a result, this order created a new national health information system that linked health care networks, thereby improving the quality and efficiency of health care (Huber, 2014). EHRs provide quick access to current patient information, help clinicians to more effectively diagnose patients, improve productivity and efficiency, provide complete documentation and reduce overall costs (HealthIT.gov, 2018). Prior to this mandate, records were disjointed and if patients sought care from multiple clinicians, their health data was not immediately available and frequently incomplete.

In conclusion, there are many benefits to technological advancements within healthcare – improving patient safety, decreasing overall costs, and streamlining data processes, to name a few. Information and data integration through the mandate of EHR usage also provides clinicians with a more comprehensive picture of medical information. Together, this technology has reshaped the face of healthcare, which has resulted in improved patient care and outcomes.

References

American Board of Preventive Medicine. (2018). Clinical Informatics. Retrieved from American Board of Preventive Medicine: https://www.theabpm.org/become-certified/subspecia…

HealthIT.gov. (2018, March 21). What are the advantages of electronic health records. Retrieved from The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology: https://www.healthit.gov/faq/what-are-advantages-e…

Huber, D. (2014). Leadership and nursing care management. (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier-Saunders.

Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis. (2018). Informatics Defined. Retrieved from Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis: https://soic.iupui.edu/about/what-is-informatics/

Mitchell, M. D., Lavenberg, J. G., Trotta, R., & Umscheid, C. (2014). Hourly rounding to improve nursing responsiveness: A systematic review. Journal of Nursing Administration, 44(9), 462-472. doi:10.1097/NNA.0000000000000101.

Truitt, E., Thompson, R., Blazey-Martin, D., NiSai, D., & Salem, D. (2016). Effect of the implementation of barcode technology and an electronic medication administration record on adverse drug events. Hospital Pharmacy, 51(6), 474-483. doi:10.1310/hpj5106-474.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2017, December). Strategy 3: Nurse bedside shift report. Retrieved from Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: https://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/systems/hospita…

Wynder, E. (2017, August 10). Hospitals absorb surgical safety system. Retrieved from Grand Rapids Business Journal: https://www.grbj.com/articles/88626-hospitals-abso…

 

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