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Support the statement, the computer is a tool for informatics , but not the focus.

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Nursing informatics integrates computer science, nursing science, and information science to manage and communicate data, knowledge, and information. The discipline focuses on finding various methods in which one can improve information management and communication, reduce costs, and improve the quality of patient care. Healthcare informatics is linked to technology and computer advances, yet documentation is a key primary focus of informatics.

The quality of care for a patient is dependent upon effective communication between various healthcare disciplines. Computers aid in allowing various health care providers to be properly informed of all aspects of a patient's care in a timely fashion, but computers are not the main focus. The advances in technology allows for healthcare providers to have access to up to date information on patients which in turn allows for better decisions to be made to regard their care. Timeliness and effectiveness of the systems are essential. If a system is too difficult to navigate, not user friendly, or impedes on workflow one may be against using the system.

American Dental Education Association (2012). Nursing Informatics. Retrieved from Nursing Informatics | explorehealthcareers.org

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Informatics is the science of information, where information is data plus meaning rather than just computer applications.

The focus of informatics is not on “how do we computerize health care” but rather now how we can process data to gather information and knowledge that improves healthcare by utilizing tools such as computers (Bernstam, Smith, & Johnson, 2010).

The domain of nursing informatics is grounded in nursing science that incorporates computer science and information science in identifying, collecting and processing, and managing information to support nursing practice, administration, education, and research and to expand nursing knowledge.

Nursing informatics requires the use of technology be it computers, handheld devices, voice recognition and other tools, that can effectively store, process, retrieve, and communicate data and information in and across healthcare disciplines to aid in the delivery of patient and nursing care, link research resources and findings to nursing practice, and apply educational resources to nursing education (Staggers &Thompson, 2002)

Yet there are major roles of Informatics like the study of information flow in clinical environments does not necessarily involve computers. Rather, it can focus on interruptions, errors or how information is presented to the user (Bernstam et al., 2010).

Staggers and Thompson(2002), argue that congnitive interactions and work flow between the nurse, the nursing process, nursing data, patients and the technology are aspects of informatics that are not solely dependent on computers.

Stager, N., & Thompson, C.B. (2002). The evolution of definition for nursing informatics. J Am Med Inform Assoc, 9(3), 255–261. doi: 10.1197/jamia.M0946

Bernstam, E. V., Smith, J. W., & Johnson, T. R. (2010).What is biomedical informatics. J Biomed Inform. 43(1), 104. doi: 10.1016/j.jbi.2009.08.006

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The computer is a tool for informatics but not the focus. In centuries past, medical information was compiled into books, journals, and newspapers. Patient records were also manual. As recently as the early 2000s, clinicians were expected to know something about 10,000 different diseases in addition to thousands of medications and labs (Sewell & Thede, 2013, p. 11). Information has existed since the beginning of time. The computer now makes it possible for all of the information that would be valuable to a clinician to be available in one physical place within the reach of a keyboard.

Informatics, simply stated, is the use of information technology in healthcare (Sewell & Thede, 2013). Information technology can involve storing, retrieving, or sending information. The computer is the tool, or system used to do each of these three things. In relation to nursing, the data being stored, retrieved, and sent is healthcare related. The combination of the computer system, which is the tool, the information added to it, along with the use of the computer to access that information in healthcare is a part of informatics. That being said, computers are not required for informatics.

Nursing Informatics is the "science and practice that integrates nursing, its information and knowledge, with management of information and communication technologies to promote the health of people, families, and communities worldwide" (American Medical Informatics Association, 2014). Computers are just one of the most currently used methods to make access to that information more readily available in order to provide more efficient care.

American Medical Informatics Association. (2014). Nursing informatics. Retrieved April 1, 2014 from

Nursing Informatics | AMIA

Silverstein, Scot. (n.d.). What is medical informatics and why is it important to society? Retrieved April 1,

2014 from Nursing Informatics | AMIA

Sewell, J., & Thede, L.Q. (2013) Informatics and nursing: Opportunities and challenges. (4th ed.).

Philadelphia: Lippincott.

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Jauclyn I think you hit on an important point. Documentation is an important element, particularly for nurses. The more efficient and accurate the documentation, the more relevant the data and information that is being documented is to the intercommunication system among healthcare professionals.

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Esha, it is true that the nursing process and aspects that you mentioned have been around before computers became mainstream tools at the forefront of healthcare. Take the tool away, and many of those aspects will still be there. Like you said, each of those aspects are note soley dependent on computers.

Stager, N., & Thompson, C.B. (2002). The evolution of definition for nursing informatics. J Am Med Inform Assoc, 9(3), 255–261. doi: 10.1197/jamia.M0946

Bernstam, E. V., Smith, J. W., & Johnson, T. R. (2010).What is biomedical informatics. J Biomed Inform. 43(1), 104. doi: 10.1016/j.jbi.2009.08.006

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Esha, I think you make a great point here. It does not matter how advanced technology is if the flow of information is interrupted. This put the emphasis on communication back on health care providers. Timely communication must occur and it must occur in a manner that allows for the best decisions in patient care to occur. If there is a break down in the flow of information that then renders the informatics portion of the system useless.

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Lindsey, you made a good point that really solidifies that fact that computers are a tool and not a focus of informatics. You mentioned in your reply to Esha that if computers were taken away many of the aspects would still be there and that is absolutely correct. Not all hospitals have integrated an EMR. Many hospitals still use paper charts. For instance Baptist Memorial Hospital and Regional One Medical Center have been using paper charting up until 3 weeks ago, yet they still had effective patient care. Upon launching the system at Baptist there were so many issues with the system and such an extensive break down in communication regarding how to obtain pertinent information within the system that Regional One Medical Center delayed their launch to ensure the same issues would not occur. The computer is a tool and it can be helpful or a hindrance if it does not run properly, but the fact that many hospitals still use paper charting solidifies that regardless if computers were a factor or not the knowledge and information would still be there so in essence informatics would still be there.

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Nursing informatics includes three basic threads: basic computer skills, informatics knowledge, and information literacy. Although computers are important, they are not the focus. Thede (2012), in her article, evaluates the progression of nursing informatics. Upon inception in the 1980s, it was envisioned that nurses would spend minimal time in documentation and work together with patients to document past history and care received. Nursing informatics was thought to be used as a lifetime healthcare record. Aggregated data could have been used to improve nursing practice (Thede, 2012). None of this would be possible without the use of a computer.

Although many hospitals are using electronic medical records (EMR), there is still a need for improvement. Today many healthcare systems are not integrated. The non integration of systems increases the chance of error because data is being reentered by multiple people. Much work is still needed in the field of nursing informatics. The computer is needed, but not the focus nursing informatics, whose goal is optimal patient care.

Thede, L. ( 2012). Informatics: Where is it. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 17. doi: 10.3912/OJIN.Vol17No1InfoCol01.

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Jauclyn, this is so true. At the hospital, I have witnessed the effectiveness of communication between healthcare disciplines. Some disciplines have access to the EMR, while others don't. The behavioral health specialists do not chart in the EMR, they uses paper charts. Not having behavioral assessments not available in the EMR can be frustrating for a nurse.

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Lindsey, interesting statement that computers are not required for informatics. No, they are not required, but I think that it definitely makes the process easier and improves patient care. The use of computers brings nursing care and healthcare into the 21st century. Patients are not able to communicate with medical staff, make appointments, review disease processes and medications all within the comforts of their home.

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Esha, a study on information flow is definitely needed in healthcare. In the hospital, patient care is often inhibited when nurses have to page doctors for orders. Waiting for doctors to return calls or having to repage doctors is a barrier to patient healthcare. With informatics, hopefully the future will bring easier and better communication between nurses and doctors.

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