TN003 Data to Information to Knowledge to Wisdom

Student Name

University

NURS 6051 Transforming Nursing and Healthcare Through Technology

Prof. Name

Date

Practice Statement

As a prospective Informatics Nurse Specialist (INS), I acknowledge the significant impact of recent technological advancements on Electronic Health Records (EHRs). This shift from traditional paper charts to EHRs, coupled with the introduction of standardized nursing terminologies (SNTs), has notably propelled and enhanced the nursing profession. This paper aims to elucidate the role of data and information in shaping knowledge within nursing practice, examine the variability of this knowledge across healthcare systems, and assess the potential implications of such disparities on nursing standards. Furthermore, it will delve into the significance of SNTs, exploring both their advantages and disadvantages in implementation.

Data and Information to Knowledge of Nursing Practice

Data and information derived from nursing documentation, whether in paper format or EHRs, serve as fundamental building blocks for knowledge within nursing practice. Nursing documentation provides insights into nurses’ problem-solving methodologies and showcases the efficacy of nursing interventions. Central to the principles of nursing practice is the process of gathering pertinent data, synthesizing information alongside existing knowledge, analyzing clinical scenarios, and disseminating resulting insights to fellow healthcare providers. This iterative process, mirrored in nursing documentation, underscores its role as a measurable indicator of quality. Researchers and INSs leverage data and information from both paper and electronic records to evaluate and standardize the quality of nursing care, thereby enriching the collective knowledge base of nursing practice.

NURS 6051 Assessment 1 TN003 Data to Information to Knowledge to Wisdom

Standards for Nursing

The divergence in health record systems across healthcare institutions, including the adoption of EHRs, necessitated the establishment of standards for nursing documentation. Prior to the inception of the North American Nursing Diagnosis (NANDA) in 1973, a universal language for conveying nursing care was absent (Rutherford, 2008). Subsequently, various sets of SNTs specific to nursing practice received approval from the American Nurses Association, addressing this gap in standardized nursing language (Rutherford, 2008). Discrepancies in the understanding of nursing practice underscored the imperative for standardizing nursing language, which also serves as a catalyst for nursing research. Consequently, healthcare organizations began integrating SNTs to bolster evidence-based nursing practice (Macieira et al., 2017).

Standardized Nursing Terminologies

SNTs, regarded as “common data elements” within EHRs, hold immense potential for advancing both big data science and the nursing profession (The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, 2017; Macieira et al., 2017). By employing SNTs in nursing documentation, a standardized language is cultivated, facilitating seamless data sharing and comparison. This uniform terminology effectively communicates the impact of nursing interventions on patient outcomes, thereby fostering nursing research (Lundberg et al., 2008; Rutherford, 2008). Essentially, the utilization of SNTs in documenting patient care transforms such documentation into retrievable data that embodies nursing practice and clinical judgment. The integration of SNTs is indispensable, as it propels nursing practice research, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes.

Benefits and Challenges of Implementation

One notable benefit of SNT implementation lies in its facilitation of nursing-specific research endeavors. Nursing data encoded with SNTs not only accelerates the advancement of nursing practice knowledge but also streamlines data processing compared to unstructured data formats (Macieira et al., 2017). The adoption of SNTs translates to time and workload savings, enabling swift data retrieval and processing.

Conclusion

As a prospective INS, recognizing the benefits and challenges associated with SNTs and their implementation is paramount. Engaging in the study of nursing informatics and acquainting oneself with prevailing SNT frameworks can significantly benefit both academic pursuits and professional endeavors. Armed with this foundational knowledge, future INSs hold the potential to effect positive transformations within EHR systems.

References

Abdelhak, M., Grostick, S., & Hanken, M. A. (2014). Health information management of a strategic resource. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Glassman, K. S. (2017). Using data in nursing practice. American Nurse Today, 12(11).

Lundberg, C., Warren, J., Brokel, J., Bulechek, G., Butcher, H., McCloskey Dochterman, J., … & Spisla, C. (2008). Selecting a standardized terminology for the electronic health record that reveals the impact of nursing on patient care. Online Journal of Nursing Informatics, 12(2).

Macieira, T. G. R., Smith, M. B., Davis, N., Yao, Y., Wilkie, D., Lopez, K. D., & Keenan, G. (2017). Evidence of progress in making nursing practice visible using standardized nursing data: A systematic review. AMIA Annual Symposium Proceedings, 1205–1214.

McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. (2017). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (4th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Rutherford, M. (2008). Standardized nursing language: What does it mean for nursing practice. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 13(1), 243-50.

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. (2017). Standard nursing terminologies: A landscape analysis. https://www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/snt_final_05302017.pdf

TN003 Data to Information to Knowledge to Wisdom