Nurse attending a meeting of your state's nurses association

For this assessment, assume you are a nurse attending a meeting of your state's nurses association. A nurse informaticist conducted a presentation on her role and its impact on positive patient and organizational outcomes in her workplace. You realize that your organization is undergoing many technological changes. You believe this type of role could provide many benefits to your organization.
• Review the focus of the new nurse informaticist position you will propose by examining the Assessment 01 Supplement: Nursing Informatics in Health Care [PDF] Download Assessment 01 Supplement: Nursing Informatics in Health Care [PDF]resource.
You decide to pursue proposing a nurse informaticist role in your organization. You speak to your chief nursing officer (CNO) and human resources (HR) manager, who ask you to prepare a 4–5 page evidence-based proposal to support the new role. In this way, they can make an informed decision as to whether the addition of such a role could justify the return on investment (ROI). They need your proposal before an upcoming fiscal meeting. This is not an essay, but instead, it is a proposal to create a new Nurse Informaticist position.
One important part of this assessment is the justification of the need for a nurse informaticist in a health care organization and references from relevant and timely scholarly or professional resources to support the justification for creating this nurse informaticist position. The term justify means to show or prove that the nurse informaticist position brings value to the organization. This justification must include evidence from the literature to support that this position will provide a return on investment for the organization.

Nursing Informatics and the Nurse Informaticist
• What is nursing informatics?
• What is the role of the nurse informaticist?
Nurse Informaticists and Other Health Care Organizations
• What is the experience of other health care organizations with nurse informaticists?
• How do these nurse informaticists interact with the rest of the nursing staff and the interdisciplinary team?
Impact of Full Nurse Engagement in Health Care Technology
• How does fully engaging nurses in health care technology impact:
o Patient care?
o Protected health information (security, privacy, and confidentiality)?
 In this section, you will explain evidence-based strategies that the nurse informaticist and interdisciplinary team can use to effectively manage patients' protected health information, particularly privacy, security, and confidentiality. Evidence-based means that they are supported by evidence from scholarly sources.
o Workflow?
o Costs and return on investment?
Opportunities and Challenges
• What are the opportunities and challenges for nurses and the interdisciplinary team with the addition of a nurse informaticist role?
o How can the interdisciplinary team collaborate to improve quality care outcomes through technology?
Summary of Recommendations
• What are 3–4 key takeaways from your proposal about the recommended nurse informaticist role that you want the CNO and the HR manager to remember?
o This is the section where the justification for the implementation of the nursing informaticist role is addressed. Remember to include evidence from the literature to support your recommendation.

• Written communication: Ensure written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
• Submission length: 4–5 double-spaced pages, in addition to title and references pages.
• Font: Times New Roman, 12 point.
• Citations and References: Cite a minimum of three current scholarly and/or authoritative sources to support your ideas. In addition, cite a minimum of one current professional blog or website to support your central ideas. Current means no more than five years old.
• APA formatting: Be sure to follow APA formatting and style guidelines for citations and references. For an APA refresher, consult the Evidence and APA page on Campus.

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:
• Competency 1: Describe nurses' and the interdisciplinary team's role in informatics with a focus on electronic health information and patient care technology to support decision making.
o Define nursing informatics and the role of the nurse informaticist.
o Explain how the nurse collaborates with the interdisciplinary team, including technologists, to improve the quality of patient care.
o Justify the need for a nurse informaticist in a health care organization.
• Competency 2: Implement evidence-based strategies to effectively manage protected health information.
o Explain evidence-based strategies that the nurse and interdisciplinary team can use to effectively manage patients protected health information (privacy, security, and confidentiality).
• Competency 5: Apply professional, scholarly communication to facilitate use of health information and patient care technologies.
o Follow APA style and formatting guidelines for citations and references.
o Create a clear, well-organized, and professional proposal that is generally free from errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

Full Answer Section

       

Nursing Informatics and the Nurse Informaticist

What is nursing informatics?

Nursing informatics (NI) is a specialty that integrates nursing science with multiple information management and 1 analytical sciences to identify, define, manage, and communicate data, information, 2 knowledge, and wisdom in nursing practice. According to the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society 3 (HIMSS) (2023), nursing informatics supports nurses, consumers, patients, the interprofessional healthcare team, and other stakeholders in their decision-making in all roles and settings to achieve desired 4 outcomes. It is not merely about using technology; rather, it focuses on how information and technology can be best leveraged to improve the quality and safety of healthcare delivery.  

What is the role of the nurse informaticist?

The role of the nurse informaticist is multifaceted and crucial in today's technologically driven healthcare environment. According to Sensmeier (2021), a nurse informaticist acts as a bridge between nursing practice and information technology, possessing expertise in both domains. Their responsibilities typically include:

  • System Implementation and Optimization: Leading and participating in the selection, design, implementation, and evaluation of clinical information systems, such as electronic health records (EHRs), medication administration systems, and patient portals.
  • Workflow Analysis and Redesign: Analyzing current nursing workflows and identifying opportunities for improvement through the effective use of technology. This involves collaborating with clinical staff to understand their needs and challenges.
  • Data Analysis and Reporting: Extracting, analyzing, and interpreting clinical data to identify trends, support quality improvement initiatives, and inform decision-making at various levels of the organization.
  • Education and Training: Developing and delivering training programs for nurses and other healthcare professionals on the use of new and existing technologies. Providing ongoing support and resources to ensure effective adoption.
  • Liaison and Collaboration: Serving as a key point of contact between the nursing staff, IT department, and other interdisciplinary team members to ensure that technology solutions meet the needs of clinical practice.
  • Advocacy for End-Users: Representing the needs and perspectives of nurses in the design and development of technology, ensuring that systems are user-friendly, efficient, and support safe patient care.

Nurse Informaticists and Other Health Care Organizations

What is the experience of other health care organizations with nurse informaticists?

Numerous healthcare organizations have reported significant positive outcomes following the integration of nurse informaticists into their teams. A study by Staggers and Thompson (2020) highlighted that organizations with actively engaged nurse informaticists experienced improved EHR satisfaction among nursing staff, reduced medication errors, and enhanced data-driven decision-making for quality improvement projects. Furthermore, professional blogs and websites consistently showcase the value of this role. For instance, the HIMSS blog features numerous case studies where nurse informaticists have successfully led EHR implementations, optimized clinical workflows, and improved patient safety through technology (HIMSS, 2024). These organizations recognize that nurse informaticists bring a unique clinical perspective to technology initiatives, ensuring that systems are designed and implemented in a way that supports and enhances nursing practice, rather than hindering it.

How do these nurse informaticists interact with the rest of the nursing staff and the interdisciplinary team?

Nurse informaticists act as crucial collaborators and facilitators within the healthcare ecosystem. Their interaction with the rest of the nursing staff is characterized by:

  • Direct Support and Education: Providing hands-on training, troubleshooting issues, and serving as a resource for nurses utilizing clinical information systems.
  • Workflow Consultation: Working directly with nurses on the front lines to understand their daily workflows and identify technology-based solutions to improve efficiency and reduce burdens.

Sample Answer

     

Proposal for the Creation of a Nurse Informaticist Position at [Your Organization Name]

Introduction

This proposal outlines the critical need and significant potential return on investment (ROI) for the creation of a dedicated Nurse Informaticist position within [Your Organization Name]. Recognizing the ongoing and planned technological changes within our healthcare system, and having reviewed the impactful role of nurse informaticists in other organizations, it is evident that this specialized role can provide substantial benefits to patient care and overall organizational outcomes. This document will define nursing informatics and the role of the nurse informaticist, explore the positive experiences of other healthcare organizations with this role, detail the impact of full nurse engagement in health care technology, identify opportunities and challenges associated with this new position, and conclude with key recommendations supported by current evidence-based literature and professional insights.