NURSING INFORMATICS LECTURE

This was discussed by our instructor Mr. Karlou Rios Borja, RN. According to his lecture, he said that nursing is a dynamic profession and computer technology can transform the nursing profession. Clinical Information System is common to modern health care and is a computer based system that is designed for collecting, storing, manipulating and making available clinical information important to the healthcare delivery process. The computer is the most powerful technological tool to transform nursing profession prior to the new century and computer has transformed the nursing paper based record to computer based record. Nurses are becoming more computer literate and the nursing profession is implementing practice standards for its clinical care and data standards for its nursing information technology system. (NI) Nursing informatics is specialist emerged as a new specialty in the field of professional nursing practice. Computer is a general term referring to information technology ( IT) and computer systems. In nursing it synonymous into nursing information system (NIS). Clinical Information system can be used interchangeably with electronic information systems (EHR-S) computerized patient and electronic medical record. It refers to a set components that form the mechanism by which patient records are created,  used, stored and retrieved usually located within a healthcare provider setting. It includes people, data rules and procedures, processing and storage devices, communication and support facilities (institute of Medicine, 1991). In 1960's, use of computers in healthcare is questioned, but studies on computers in nursing is started. The introduction of cathode ray tubes and development of hospital information system for financial transactions started. In 1970's, nurses assisted in the design of HIS. Computers are used in financial and management functions, and several communities developed management information system. In 1980's, nursing Informatics is formally accepted as new nursing specialty. In 1990's, computer technology became an integral part of the healthcare setting. And in the year 2000, Clinical Information System became individualized in the electronic patient record, mobile computing device were introduced, new technologies were utilized, internet provided new  means of development and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 was enacted. Computers can perform a wide range of activities that save time and help nurses provide quality nursing care. Computer systems, patient care data and NCP’s are integrated to Electronic Health Record. Need for EHR was perceived and new nursing terminologies were recognized by ANA. Computers linked department together, hospital data are accessed through computer and process goes on line, and internet was utilized. In Nursing Education, most nursing schools offered computer enhanced courses. Then, the computer technology was integrated into teaching methodologies and WWW facilitates student-centered instructional settings. In Nursing Research, it provides an avenue for analyzing data and research databases engaged.