TIGER Standards & Interoperability Collaborative Informatics and Technology in Nursing

Objectives  Upon completion of this module, the student will be able to : Define the term information. Define Nursing Informatics. Name at least 2 ways technology and informatics can help to improve patient safety. Name at least 2 ways technology and informatics can improve the quality of healthcare.

Information Information as a concept can mean many things – communication, instruction, data, knowledge, meaning, perception, or representation. The earliest English version of the word meant the act of informing or giving shape to the mind, such as instruction or training. Information is a message received and understood, and upon which conclusions may be based.

Nursing Informatics “Nursing informatics is a specialty that integrates nursing science, computer science, and information science to manage and communicate data, information, knowledge and wisdom in nursing practice. Nursing informatics supports patients, nurses, and other providers in their decision-making in all roles and settings.” ANA, Nursing Informatics: Scope and Standards of Practice April, 2007

Goal of Nursing Informatics “ The goal of Nursing Informatics it to improve the health of populations, communities, families, and individuals by optimizing information management and communication. These activities include the design and use of informatics solutions and/or technology to support all areas of nursing, including, but not limited to, the direct provision of care, establishing effective administrative systems, managing and delivering educational experiences, supporting life-long learning, and supporting nursing research.” ANA, Nursing Informatics: Scope and Standards of Practice April, 2007

Institute of Medicine (IOM) Report In 1996, national efforts were focused on assessing and improving the nation’s quality of care. In 1999, the report “To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System” was released, which showed a major difference between what we know to be good quality care and what is the norm in practice.

IOM Report – (con’t) The report estimated that as many as 98,000 people die each year in the hospital as a result of medical errors that could be prevented. In the IOM report “Preventing Medication Errors” from July 2006, the committee estimates up to 1.5 million adverse drug events occur in the U.S. each year.

IOM Report – Conclusions Errors are caused by faulty systems, processes, and conditions that cause people to make mistakes or fail to prevent them. Nursing needs to focus on ways to improve patient safety, and utilize the tools available to accomplish this. Nursing needs to help implement safety systems to ensure safer practices at the patient care delivery level. By far, the largest problems lie in the ordering, dispensing, and administering of medications.

So Why is This Important For Nursing?

Nursing Must Have an Active Role in Patient Safety Be aware of the JCAHO standards and National Patient Safety Goals each year, and how your institution is meeting each of these. Participate in patient safety committees and initiatives. Assist in implementing patient safety tools in your organization. Utilize technology to assist in providing for patient safety and measuring outcomes.

Technology and Patient Safety Exercise: Try and name at least 5 ways that your organization uses technology to improve patient safety.

Technology and Patient Safety (con’t) Technology can improve communication between caregivers, by providing computerized alerts, messages, orders, results. Computerized physician order entry can significantly decrease the number of transcibed medication errors. Electronic MARs and Bedside Medication Verification (BMV) scanning can ensure the 5 rights prior to administering a medication. Newer technologies can include: scanning for phlebotomy, scanning for transfusions (replaces second nurse) and “smart” IV pumps.

How Does Technology Improve Quality of Care? Provides for more efficient care – the same work is performed with fewer resources. Increases patient safety – by providing alerts, reminders, dose warnings, potential adverse drug reaction warnings. Provides for prevention of disease – by alerting providers of risk factors and recommending vaccinations and screenings. Provides better chronic disease management – by identifying patients requiring frequent monitoring, and setting up those reminders.

How Does Technology Improve Quality of Care? (con’t) Improves communication – between physician offices, hospitals, other health care providers. Trends – with the collection and storage of data, trends in the outcomes of patient care can be identified and processes can be modified to improve the quality of care.

Question – multiple choice: Technology and informatics can: A.Improve communication between providers B.Decrease the number of transcribed medication errors. C.Decrease the number of administered medication errors. D.All of the above.

Answer: If you answered D, All of the above – you are correct! Technology, if utilized as designed, can decrease medication errors and improve communication throughout the organization.

References - websites IOM Report – To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System Nov IOM Report – Preventing Medication Errors, July American Nurses Association, Nursing Informatics: Scope and Standards or Practice, April HIMSS Patient Safety Survey, August 25,

References – websites (con’t) Health Information Technology: Can HIT Lower Costs and Improve Quality? The Joint Commission SafetyGoals/ SafetyGoals/