Assignment: Technology in Nursing

Assignment: Technology in Nursing

The writer’s nursing background includes work within an emergency department, and a BScN program. Professional interests include emergency medicine, nursing education to both students and staff, and student retention.

Informatics has pushed the nursing profession to move forward and embrace the advancement of health care technology. By doing so, the nursing profession ensures to remain up-to-date and applies emerging technologies (Ball et al., 2011). The use and application of technology within nursing allows for the improvement of patient safety, quality, and access to care. Within Sault Area Hospital, advancements of healthcare technology have seen updated versions of electronic medical records (EMR) within the platform of Meditech. In 2018, Sault Area Hospital introduced Meditech expanse EMR as part of the NELHIN ONE initiative. This provided nurses with the ability to complete documentation and assessments electronically.

The use and application of technology allows for nurses to meet standards of care. Informatics competencies, such as those noted by TIGER, ensure that nurses can efficiently and effectively utilize technology. TIGER competencies provide guidelines to prepare nurses to adopt electronic health records (Ball et al., 2011; Technology Informatics Guiding Education Reform (TIGER). (n.d). Informatics allows nurses to ensure that patients have access to a variety of services from the comfort of an individual office, or even their home, thus enhancing the quality of care. By allowing the use of an EHR, records are available to practitioners which can avoid duplication of diagnostics and result in timely diagnosis and treatment (American Nurses Association, 2015).

In an individual assessment, the writer feels they have a good basis of knowledge regarding informatics. Strengths include application of resources in assessment including instruments and tools to ensure efficient workflow and communication (American Nurses Association, 2015). Through bedside nursing and education, the application of healthcare technology and resources to involve the client, family, and other healthcare providers is also a strength (American Nurses Association, 2015). The TIGER initiative provides a more detailed, and specific list including strengths such as how to access email, utilize search engines, and how to save a document (Technology Informatics Guiding Education Reform (TIGER). (n.d). Challenges regarding informatics includes advanced competencies and knowledge development such as gaining further comprehension of statutes, rules, and regulations (American Nurses Association, 2015). To build this knowledge base, it would be beneficial to utilize these topics in further posts to provide further learning opportunities.

Jessica

References

American Nurses Association. (2008). Nursing informatics: Scope and standards of practice. Silver Spring,

MD: Author.