NURS 6051 Nursing Informatics.
NURS 6051 Nursing Informatics.
The first experience that comes to mind for me with regard to interactions as a nurse informaticist within my organization would be collaborating and communicating with the regional immunization consultant for the primary practice in which I currently work. It is my responsibility to communicate with the regional immunization consultant for all three of our locations. We discuss benchmarks for reaching the recommended ACIP guidelines for children vaccinations from birth to 4 years of age and then from 10 to 13 years of age. I revisit these benchmarks every six months and I am able to pull aggregated data showing children who attend our practice who meet benchmark requirements and those who don’t.
This past year has been different, however, due to COVID; therefore, I had to perform this meeting via zoom meeting on my cellphone. The desktop I utilize does not include a camera, so it was more efficient for me to conduct the meeting via my cellphone. I utilize the state public health website to pull these benchmark reports. Because these consultations are carried out to improve immunization metrics for the state, I would like to think of myself as a knowledge worker, as a consumer, broker, and generator. Knowledge consumers are mainly users of knowledge who do not have the expertise to provide the knowledge they need for themselves (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2018, p. 544). Before my first meeting with the regional immunization consultant, three years ago, I had no idea what a benchmark report was or even how to access it. With the knowledge gained from the regional immunization consultant I became a knowledge consumer.
At the same time, I became a knowledge broker because I was shown how to access the data and information during my first session. I also became a knowledge generator because after our session, I took it upon myself and not under the direction of the regional consultant, to implement using the data to reach out to parents whose children didn’t meet the metrics. I either called them in for a needed physical, immunization visit if they have already had their yearly physical or make the child inactive in our EHR and our state immunization registry if they no longer attended the practice. I have been implementing this project since and have brought other coworkers on board for carrying out this project. Knowledge brokers know where to find information and knowledge; they generate some knowledge but are mainly known for their ability to find what is needed (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2018, p. 544). Knowledge generators are the primary sources of knowledge (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2018, p. 544).
As the regional consultant was the reason for my idea to implement utilizing the benchmark reports to reach out to those who were in need of a practice visit or to make them inactive in our organization, I am not sure other primary pediatric practices are doing the same after their consultation with the regional immunization consultant. The regional consultant is not a nurse but possess a degree in health administration. The consultant’s knowledge with respect to his or her position is far greater than mine but as a nurse informaticist and knowledge worker, one could further provide insight on what to do with the information after it is obtained.
Instead of focusing on numbers and metrics, a nurse can see how it is important to the public health that children are properly vaccinated for health reasons and not just to improve numbers. Our meetings are usually me, the regional immunization consultant, and the practice manager. One strategy that might improve communication and knowledge with respect to meeting vaccination requirements, maybe to include the physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners that practice in the office in the meetings since they are usually the ones who recommend vaccinations during their patient encounters. I act as a knowledge disseminator to them at this point, since they are not included in the meetings. NURS 6051 Nursing Informatics.
While project management as nursing informatic skills are more the expectations of healthcare providers and nursing leadership, there remains a lack of understanding of what these are and how they are an essential competency of nursing informatics (Sipes, 2016, p. 253). Portraying how nursing informatics and its continuance to evolve help gather information with regard to ensuring public health in just a matter of minutes and the need for an increase of collaboration amongst the professionals in my current workplace will allow more for insight of how nursing informatics contribute to new knowledge that will assist in expanding their own practice. Use and adaptation of strategies may offer a way for nursing leadership to guide and influence future solutions (Mosier, Dan Roberts, & Englebright, 2019, p. 547).
References
Learning Resources
Required Readings
McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2017). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (4th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
- Chapter 1, “Nursing Science and the Foundation of Knowledge” (pp. 7–19)
- Chapter 2, “Introduction to Information, Information Science, and Information Systems” (pp. 21–33)
- Chapter 3, “Computer Science and the Foundation of Knowledge Model” (pp. 35–62)
Sweeney, J. (2017). Healthcare informatics. Online Journal of Nursing Informatics, 21(1).
Required Media
Laureate Education (Producer). (2018). Health Informatics and Population Health: Trends in Population Health [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Accessible player –Downloads– Download Video w/CC Download Audio Download Transcript
Credit: Provided courtesy of the Laureate International Network of Universities.
Discussion: The Application of Data to Problem-Solving
In the modern era, there are few professions that do not to some extent rely on data. Stockbrokers rely on market data to advise clients on financial matters. Meteorologists rely on weather data to forecast weather conditions, while realtors rely on data to advise on the purchase and sale of property. In these and other cases, data not only helps solve problems, but adds to the practitioner’s and the discipline’s body of knowledge. NURS 6051 Nursing Informatics.
Of course, the nursing profession also relies heavily on data. The field of nursing informatics aims to make sure nurses have access to the appropriate date to solve healthcare problems, make decisions in the interest of patients, and add to knowledge. NURS 6051 Nursing Informatics.
In this Discussion, you will consider a scenario that would benefit from access to data and how such access could facilitate both problem-solving and knowledge formation. NURS 6051 Nursing Informatics.
To Prepare: NURS 6051 Nursing Informatics.
- Reflect on the concepts of informatics and knowledge work as presented in the Resources.
- Consider a hypothetical scenario based on your own healthcare practice or organization that would require or benefit from the access/collection and application of data. Your scenario may involve a patient, staff, or management problem or gap.
By Day 3 of Week 1
Post a description of the focus of your scenario. Describe the data that could be used and how the data might be collected and accessed. What knowledge might be derived from that data? How would a nurse leader use clinical reasoning and judgment in the formation of knowledge from this experience? NURS 6051 Nursing Informatics.
By Day 6 of Week 1
Respond to at least two of your colleagues* on two different days, asking questions to help clarify the scenario and application of data, or offering additional/alternative ideas for the application of nursing informatics principles.
*Note: Throughout this program, your fellow students are referred to as colleagues.
Submission and Grading Information
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 1 Discussion Rubric
Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 6 of Week 1
To participate in this Discussion:
Week 1 Discussion
Assignment: The Nurse Leader as Knowledge Worker
The term “knowledge worker” was first coined by management consultant and author Peter Drucker in his book, The Landmarks of Tomorrow (1959). Drucker defined knowledge workers as high-level workers who apply theoretical and analytical knowledge, acquired through formal training, to develop products and services. Does this sound familiar? NURS 6051 Nursing Informatics.
Nurses are very much knowledge workers. What has changed since Drucker’s time are the ways that knowledge can be acquired. The volume of data that can now be generated and the tools used to access this data have evolved significantly in recent years and helped healthcare professionals (among many others) to assume the role of knowledge worker in new and powerful ways. NURS 6051 Nursing Informatics.
In this Assignment, you will consider the evolving role of the nurse leader and how this evolution has led nurse leaders to assume the role of knowledge worker. You will prepare a PowerPoint presentation with an infographic (graphic that visually represents information, data, or knowledge. Infographics are intended to present information quickly and clearly.) to educate others on the role of nurse as knowledge worker. NURS 6051 Nursing Informatics.
Reference: Drucker, P. (1959). The landmarks of tomorrow. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.
To Prepare: NURS 6051 Nursing Informatics.
- Review the concepts of informatics as presented in the Resources.
- Reflect on the role of a nurse leader as a knowledge worker.
- Consider how knowledge may be informed by data that is collected/accessed.
The Assignment: NURS 6051 Nursing Informatics.
- Explain the concept of a knowledge worker.
- Define and explain nursing informatics and highlight the role of a nurse leader as a knowledge worker.
- Include one slide that visually represents the role of a nurse leader as knowledge worker.
- Your PowerPoint should Include the hypothetical scenario you originally shared in the Discussion Forum. Include your examination of the data that you could use, how the data might be accessed/collected, and what knowledge might be derived from that data. Be sure to incorporate feedback received from your colleagues’ responses. NURS 6051 Nursing Informatics.
By Day 7 of Week 2
Submit your completed Presentation.
Submission and Grading Information
To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:
- Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK2Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
- Click the Week 2 Assignment Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
- Click the Week 2 Assignment link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
- Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK2Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
- If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
- Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.
Grading Criteria- NURS 6051 Nursing Informatics.
To access your rubric:
Week 2 Assignment Rubric
Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity
To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:
Submit your Week 2 Assignment draft and review the originality report.
Submit Your Assignment by Day 7 of Week 2
To participate in this Assignment:
Week 2 Assignment