Julie D Luengas, RN-BC,

BSN, MBA, FHIMSS

The Value of Nursing Informatics

Objectives

• Define integration strategies to improve Quality

• Identify opportunities to improve workflow optimization

with automated solutions

• Understand impact of Healthcare policies and initiatives

which impact Nursing Informatics

• Nursing informatics (NI) is the specialty that integrates nursing science with multiple information management and analytical sciences to identify, define, manage, and communicate data, information, knowledge, and wisdom in nursing practice. NI supports nurses, consumers, patients, the interprofessional healthcare team, and other stakeholders in their decision-making in all roles and settings to achieve desired outcomes. This support is accomplished through the use of information structures, information processes, and information technology. Nursing Informatics: Scope and Standards of Practice 2nd Edition ANA 2015

• 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.“ (AMIA)

Nurse Informaticist Defined

Critical Thinking

Assessment

Diagnosis

Planning Implementation

Evaluation

Nursing Process

Quality Improvement

• Merriam Webster Dictionary

– How good or how bad is something

– High level of value or excellence

• Business Dictionary

– Measure of excellence, free from defects

• US Department of Health and Human Services

– Getting the right care to the right patient every time

Quality Defined

Quality Improvement Informatics Strategies

Improved Quality

Organizational Goals

Clinical Experience

Community Initiatives

Patient

• Strategy: Reduce Central Line infections (CLABSI)

– Multidisciplinary team

– Situation, Background, Approach, Resolution

– Current metrics

– Desired goals

– Barriers

– Training

– Auditing

– Reporting process

Quality Improvement Initiative-

• Evidence Based Practice (EVP) defined

• Electronic Medical Record (EMR) Design

– Orders, Documentation, Decision Support

• Automated reports

– Patient identification

– Documentation supports EVP

– Monitor trends by units and specific clinicians

• Return on Investment (ROI)

– Decreased infections, Length of stay (LOS), manual chart reviews (time), Increased patient satisfaction

Reduce CLABSI Initiative Nursing Informatics Approach

Healthcare Changes

• Focus on Population Health

• Patient Centric

• Comprehensive Care-Medical Home

• Healthcare Delivery System

• Value Based Purchasing

• Predictive Analytics

• Global Healthcare

• Patient Engagement

• Continuing Education

– Current trends, regulatory changes, internal and external barriers

• Managing

– Clarify business problem to be solved

• Researching

– Population served, global healthcare issues

• Reviewing

– Listening and confirmation the goals are unchanged

• Support

– Being helpful

Nurse Informaticst Basic Principles

• “Humble Inquiry is the skill and the art of drawing

someone out, of asking questions to which you do not

already know the answer, of building a relationship

based on curiosity and interest in the other person.”

― Edgar H. Schein, Humble Inquiry: The Gentle Art of

Asking Instead of Telling

Nursing Informaticist Being Helpful

• Audience

• Venue

• Content

• Frequency

Marketing Nursing Informatics Value

• Acute Care

– Workflow Optimization

– Predictive Analytics, Decision Support

• Ambulatory

– Preventive Care, Decision Support

• One Patient Record

– Comprehensive, Integrated: Right Information, Right Time, Right Audience, Right Presentation

• Continuum of Care Setting

– Community, Patient Population (Portals, Mobile devices, Telehealth)

Future of Nursing Informatics?