The Future of Nursing Informatics Part II

As discussed in my previous blog about how nursing as a profession can embrace technology better in the future, the other topic I would like to discuss to go along with that is how nursing schools can integrate informatics.

Since I have started this class of nursing informatics, I have thought that this type of class should not only be taught in BSN programs, but also should be required for ASN programs as well.  The reason for this idea is that in today’s field of nursing, there is so much that is technology based that it is important for all nurses to be knowledgeable in the field of nursing informatics.

For the nurses who complete their ASN schooling but never pursue their BSN, they do not have any teaching about nursing informatics which puts them at a disadvantage.  In order for the field of nursing informatics to expand and have more active participants, we must educate all nurses about this topic.  I think this change would not only further the knowledge of all nurses individually, but it would also further the future of technology in nursing as well.

The Future of Nursing Informatics

The future of nursing informatics has a very bright future in my opinion.  There are many endless opportunities in this field of nursing informatics.  I think this area has been advanced through many of the nurses who embrace informatics and what it has to offer.  As I say this though, it leads to the very topic that I would like to discuss in this blog about nursing informatics.  The topic of how nursing as a profession can embrace technology better in the future is a very important issue to be discussed for the future of nursing informatics.

Nursing, as a whole, has embraced the advances in health care technology over the years and is successfully transitioning at the fast pace these changes are occurring.  Going from paper charting to electronic health records is a perfect example of this transition.  Many nurses were skeptical at first, but this change was made successfully.  This is only the beginning though, think of all the changes that are to come in the future.  There are already many updates and changes that are being made to computerized charting, but we take these changes in stride and learn to adapt.

This idea of adapting to and embracing the advances and changes in technology is a very important one if our future of nursing informatics is to be successful.  We as nurses must not just “deal” with these changes, but must be active participants in how we can keep these advances coming to better our nursing future.  Many nurses are already doing this, but all of us as a collective entity must strive for advancing our future in informatics.

So how can we as the nursing profession be active leaders in furthering our future in informatics and technology?  One way is to participate in the current technologies that are available to nursing.  For example, on twitter there is a nursing chat called “RNchat” that brings together nurses from all over the world to discuss current issues in nursing and allows for different nurses from different work environments to share their thoughts and ideas.  This is a great way to allow for communication between nursing professionals all over the world.  This is just one way that technology has further advanced the nursing profession.

Another way we can embrace technology better in the future is to research what is currently happening in the world of nursing informatics and technology.  Being aware and knowledgeable of up-to-date information about technology in nursing is essential in order to be able to contribute anything to the future of nursing technology.

The main points to come away with from this discussion is that the nursing profession must be an advocate for the future of nursing technology.  We must research current topics of this field and be aware of changes that are to come.  We must also be active participants in nursing informatics so that we can share these excellent technologies with everyone to help expand this field in nursing.  I feel these are the best ways that we as nursing professionals can embrace technology better in our future.  So go and share your nursing informatics knowledge with your fellow nursing professionals, be an advocate, and further the future of technology in nursing!

Rnlife’s Webliography

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis is a disease that has so many unknown aspects to it that are being avidly researched today.  What exactly causes this disease process of Multiple Sclerosis?  Is there a possible cure for this debilitating disease?  What I do know from my experience is the horrific effects this disease can have on your life.  My personal experience consists of watching my aunt of 56 years of age go from being an average person with no physical limitations, to someone who requires a walker and motorized cart to move her from place to place within a span of a few years.  The effects this disease can have on people can be absolutely devastating.

It is obvious that I have great personal interest in this topic because of my aunt and what she has gone through, which is why I chose to write my webliography about multiple sclerosis.  This disease is also known to be hereditary in nature, which puts me and my siblings at risk for this disease as well.  For these reasons, I have always been very interested in researching information pertaining to Multiple Sclerosis.

Multiple Sclerosis is a disease that can be mild in nature or can have debilitating physical effects.  Progression of this disease can be rapid in nature, but can also go into remission, which means there is no progression of the disease process within a span of time.  There are many treatment options for multiple sclerosis now, but there is still no cure.  Tremendous amounts of research is being done today in order to hopefully find a cure for this disease someday.

The following list of websites and databases are valid and reliable resources that are useful for people who are looking for information pertaining to multiple sclerosis and topics related to this disease.

National Multiple Sclerosis Society

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/index.aspx

This is the official website for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.  This organization helps aid in research, support, and community outreach for people living with multiple sclerosis.

Medline Plus:  A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/multiplesclerosis.html

This site provides information about the pathology of Multiple Sclerosis, clinical signs and symptoms, as well as treatment options that are available to people with Multiple Sclerosis.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (National Institutes of Health)

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/multiple_sclerosis/multiple_sclerosis.htm

This site provides information about a variety of neurological disorders.  Specifically regarding Multiple Sclerosis, this site discusses research that is being done through the National Institutes of Health that is looking for better treatments and therapies for Multiple Sclerosis.  This site also discusses prognosis, treatment, and the pathology of Multiple Sclerosis.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

http://www.cdc.gov/

This site provides reliable health information about various disease states.  Specifically, this site provides reports about research that has been conducted related to Multiple Sclerosis.

CINAHL:  Research Database

Interferon Beta for Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2010)

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,url,cookie,uid&db=rzh&AN=2010231101&loginpage=custlogin.asp&site=ehost-live&scope=site

A journal article retrieved from CINAHL research database that is found in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2010) that discusses treatment of Multiple Sclerosis with Interferon Beta.

EBSCOhost:  Research Database

Motor and cognitive slowing in multiple sclerosis:  An attentional deficit?

Clinical Neurology & Neurosurgery Journal (April 2010)

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,url,cookie,uid&db=aph&AN=48404917&loginpage=Login.asp&site=ehost-live&scope=site

A journal article retrieved from EBSCOhost research database that is found in the Clinical Neurology & Neurosurgery Journal (April 2010) that discusses a study performed to evaluate action slowing in people with Multiple Sclerosis.

RNlife’s First Blog

As it is going into every new BSN online course, I did not know what to expect from this class.  I had no idea what health care informatics even was or what it would teach me that would further my nursing career.  There is always a little bit of anxiety that comes with starting a new course because you don’t know how difficult the class will be, especially when you are unsure of what the class will even be teaching you.  I learned very quickly what exactly health care informatics is about, and that I knew more about this topic than I thought I did.  I realized that by just simply working in a hospital setting that uses an electronic health record (EHR), I knew something about health care informatics already!

So what is health care informatics? What I know so far about health care informatics is that this topic is a combination of things.  First and foremost, health care informatics deals with a person’s health and medical information.  Next, this information is combined with computer technology to build what is called an electronic health record (EHR) as I discussed earlier.  This EHR allows health care providers to get the most up to date information about their patient’s conditions, history, treatments, etc.  This type of system also allows for safety features that help prevent charting errors in the patient’s EHR.  All in all, this type of documentation and information system in health care is faster, safer, and more efficient than the past use of paper charting.

What have I learned my first week of health care informatics? Besides all of the information about what this class is actually about, I have learned how to be more technologically and computer savvy!  For me this is a big step due to the fact that beyond emailing people and making my way through online classes, I have little knowledge about computers and all the different avenues they have to offer.  I am officially on twitter now, which by the way, I have never had a facebook, myspace, or twitter account before, so this was a tremendous change for me!  I am really enjoying having the twitter account and find that I am learning a great deal about health care topics and issues just from what people post on this site.  I also have this new wordpress account which is my first blogging site.  I am still trying to figure this out as well, but I find that I am enjoying this new piece of technology also!

I am very excited about what this class has to offer me and hope to learn much more than I already have just in our first week of class.  This topic of health care informatics is so versatile and applicable to so many people, and I am excited about the opportunities this class will bring to us and to nursing.  I hope you enjoyed my first blog and look forward to writing to you all again!

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