Week 6A: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Healthcare

Define Information and communication technologies (ICT)

A diverse set of technological tools and resources used to transmit, store, create, share or exchange information

What does WHO use the term 'e-health to refer to in healthcare?

The use of ICT in support of health and health-related fields

Canada is one of the global leaders in ________

Internet usage

True or False: Healthcare organizations in Canada rely heavily on technology to deliver care in clinical settings?

True

1 multiple choice option

In what ways do nurses use technology in the Canadian clinical setting?

Use the following to provide care:

-Digital thermometers

-Electronic health records (Connect care)

-Electronic vital devices

-Smart IV pumps

-Computers on wheels (COWS)

-Glucometers

What are electronic systems in healthcare?

Technology driven tools designed to enhance the delivery of healthcare, streamline workflows, and improve patient outcomes

How do electronic systems support healthcare workers?

Support in:

-Clinical decision-making

-Documentation

-Communication

-Patient management

Examples of electronic systems in healthcare

-Electronic health records

-Point-of-Care systems, e.g electronic medical records (EMR)

-Consumer Health Solutions, e.g Patient health records

Define digital health

The use of information technology/electronic communication tools, services and processes to deliver health care services or to facilitate better health

Digital health is the field of knowledge and practice associated with what areas?

The development and use of digital technologies to improve health

Digital health comprises ______ and ________

eHealth, mHealth

Define eHealth

The use of electronic health records, telemedicine, and health information systems

Define mHealth

The use of mobile technologies (smartphones and wearable devices) to support health monitoring, disease management, and health education

List the types of digital technologies used in nursing practice

1. Wearable devices

2. Mobile apps

3. Telenursing

4. Assistive living technology

5. Point of care documentation

6. Patient portals

7. Social media and online information

8. Robotics

What are the uses of wearable devices

-Continuous remote patient monitoring

-Fall detection and prevention

-Stress management

-Clinical research data collection

Define standardized nursing languages (SNLs)

The structured and consistent vocabularies that describe nursing phenomena, interventions, and outcomes in a universal and uniform format

What is the aim of standardized nursing languages (SNLs)?

Standardize the documentation and communication of nursing practices across different healthcare settings and among healthcare providers

List the components of SNLs

-Standardized Terminologies: NANDA-I, NIC, NOC

-Frameworks for clinical practice

How does SNLs provide a framework for clinical practice?

Provides a foundation for developing care plans, documenting clinical observations, and ensuring that nursing contributions are clearly identifiable within multidisciplinary teams

List the benefits of SNL's

-Improved communication across providers

-Support for evidence-based practice

-Enhanced patient safety and quality of care

-Global application and comparability

-Highlighting unique contribution of nursing

-Patient Empowerment

-Foundation for policy and decision making

-Facilitated use of EHR

-Improved evaluation of patient outcomes

-Facilitating nursing education

What are electronic health record systems (EHR)?

Secure computerized patient record systems where nurses and other health professionals can obtain and document clinical information for their patients

List the core features of EHR systems

-Comprehensive patient record management

-Clinical documentation

-Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE)

-Clinical decision support (CDS) tools

-Interoperability and data exchange

-Electronic prescribing

-Population health management

-Billing and coding integration

-Data security and privacy

List the functions of EHR systems

-Facilitate care coordination

-Improve workflow efficiency

-Support quality improvement

-Enhance patient safety

-Enable research and analytics

-Promote patient engagement

-Adapt to regulatory compliance

Why are EHR systems important?

Centralize all patient information, including medical history, allergies, diagnostic results, and treatment plans

They also enhance continuity of care, reduces errors, and improves outcomes by ensuring every provider has access to the same, up-to-date information

What environments are EHR systems utilized in?

High-pressure healthcare environments

Having access to accurate and timely patient data can mean the difference between life and death

What is the purpose of computerized charting?

Offers a structured, easily navigable interface that organizes patient data in real-time

This saves time, improves communication among care teams, and ensures critical information is never overlooked

What is the purpose of clinical decision support systems (CDSS)?

Integrates with EHRs to provide healthcare professionals with evidence based recommendationsn specific to the patient

They also support clinical judgment, enhance patient safety, and ensure adherence to best practices by reducing reliance on memory and manual checks

What do CDSS tools help accomplish?

-Analyze patient specific data to identify potential risks

-Suggest interventions

-Guide decision making

What is the purpose of electronic medication administration records (eMAR)?

Use barcoding technology to verify the "five rights" of medication

Helping reduce medication errors, enhance compliance with protocols and boost patient confidence with care

List the five rights of medication administration the MAR systems verifies

Right:

-Patient

-Drug

-Dose

-Route

-Time

What are nursing sensitive outcomes (NSOs)?

Specific patient outcomes that are directly influenced by nursing interventions and care quality

What are nursing sensitive outcomes (NSOs) directly linked to?

-Nursing care

-Measurable and patient centered

-Influenced by nurse staffing and practice

Why are nursing sensitive outcomes (NSOs) critical?

Critical in demonstrating the impact of nursing within the healthcare system and fostering evidence-based practices

Why are nursing sensitive outcomes (NSOs) important?

-Evaluate the quality of nursing care

-Enhance patient safety

-Demonstrate nursing value in healthcare

-Improve patient centered care

-Drive evidence-based practice

-Support policy development and advocacy

-Benchmark and performance improvement

-Facilitate research and professional development

Outline this type of nursing sensitive outcome (NSOs): Clinical Outcomes

Examples include:

-Pressure ulcers

-Falls with or without injury

-Healthcare associated infections

-Pain management effectiveness

-Medication errors

Patient health states or changes directly influenced by nursing care, reflecting how well nursing interventions improve or maintain a patient’s physical condition.

Outline this type of nursing sensitive outcome (NSOs): Functional Outcomes

Examples include:

-Recovery of mobility after surgery

-Improved self-care abilities in chronic disease management

A patient’s ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) and maintain or improve their physical and cognitive functioning, influenced by nursing care

Outline this type of nursing sensitive outcome (NSOs): Satisfaction Outcomes

Examples include:

-Patient satisfaction with care

-Family satisfaction with communication

-Support

The level of satisfaction expressed by patients, families, and even the healthcare organization regarding the nursing care and interventions provided, as well as the results of that care.

What are Canadian Health Outcomes for Better Information (C-HOBIC)?

Documenting standardized clinical outcomes reflective of nursing practice in Canada

How does C-HOBIC supports the nursing profession?

1. Systematically articulate outcomes reflective of nursing interventions

2. Support the aggregation of nursing data across practice settings to enable comparative analysis

3. Position the collection and reporting of nursing data in a systematic format that supports the inclusion of nursing data in health information databases and discharge abstracts

The C-HOBIC is comprised of ___________ (#) data elements classified in ___________ (#) categories

34, 4

What are the 4 categories of the C-HOBIC?

-Functional health status for home care (Activities of daily living)

-Therapeutic self-care (readiness for discharge)

-Symptom management (pain, dyspnea, fatigue, nausea)

-Safety (pressure ulcers, falls)

Other terminologies used in electronic records (none-nursing)

What are clinical data standards in nursing?

A set of agreed-upon guidelines, formats, and terminologies used to collect, exchange, and interpret clinical data consistently across healthcare settings

Why are clinical data standards important?

Critical for ensuring nursing data is structured, interoperable, and actionable.

Enabling seamless communication among healthcare providers

List the key aspects of clinical data standards in nursing

-Uniform and consistency

-Interoperability

-Data structure

Outline this key aspect of clinical data standards in nursing: Uniform and consistency

Uniform methods for recording and interpreting patient information, ensuring that all stakeholders consistently understand data

Outline this key aspect of clinical data standards in nursing: Interoperability

Standards enable different healthcare systems, electronic health records (EHRs), and digital tools to share and exchange information efficiently, regardless of the platform or organization

Outline this key aspect of clinical data standards in nursing: Data Structure

Standards define how nursing data should be structured, whether as discrete data elements (e.g., vitals, medications) Or in complex datasets like care plans or patient histories

List examples of clinical data standards in nursing

-SNOMED CT (Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine—Clinical Terms)

-LOINC (Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes)

-HL7 (Health Level 7)

-ICNP (International Classification for Nursing Practice)

MOA of SNOMED CT (Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine—Clinical Terms)

Provides a comprehensive terminology for documenting clinical findings, procedures, and outcomes

MOA of LOINC (Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes)

The standardization of laboratory and clinical observations

MOA of HL7 (Health Level 7)

Facilitates the exchange and integration of clinical data across systems

MOA of ICNP (International Classification for Nursing Practice)

Provides standardized terms for nursing diagnoses, outcomes, and interventions

List the challenges associated with the implementation of clinical data standards

-Complexity

-Training needs

-Integration with existing systems

-Cost of implementation

List the types of digital technologies used in nursing education and research

-Simulation and skills training

-Virtual reality

-Augmented reality

-e-learning platforms

-Digital tools for writing and research

-Big data analytics and machine learning

How is big data analytics and machine learning integrated into nursing practice?

Nurse researchers use advanced techniques like machine learning and predictive modeling to analyze large-scale mHealth data, uncovering patterns in disease risk, treatment responses, and healthcare utilization.

Providing insights that inform evidence-based practices and healthcare policy development.

The evolving digital health landscape requires nurses to embrace both ________ and ________

Opportunities, Challenges

What does the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) and Canadian Nursing Informatics Association (CNIA) call for?

Strategic action to ensure that nursing remains at the forefront of healthcare innovation

What efforts must nurses lead?

Efforts to educate patients on accessing and using digital health technologies

Nurses should increase their presence in __________, __________, and __________ digital health transformations.

Designing, Leading, Evaluating

What should nurses help shape?

The quality, type, and flow of information used by AI technologies.

Enhancing their critical thinking and decision-making capabilities

Nurses must lead efforts to ensure that technological advancements are __________, __________, and __________ with planetary health principles

Responsible, Equitable, Aligned

Note: Read the CNA and CINA position statement found within the slides

Note: Read the nursing infoprmatics entry-to-practice competencies for RN's found within the slides

List the key areas for digital health leadership in nursing

-Informatics education

-Patient education

-Leadership and policy

-Ethics and AI engagement

Outline this key area of digital health leadership in nursing: Informatics Education

Empower nurses through continuous education for seamless integration of digital health solutions

Outline this key area of digital health leadership in nursing: Patient Education

Lead efforts to address the digital divide, ensuring equitable access and patient understanding of technology

Outline this key area of digital health leadership in nursing: Leadership and Policy

Nurse leaders must design, lead, and advocate for quality-driven, technology-enabled care

Outline this key area of digital health leadership in nursing: Ethics and AI Engagement

Align technologies with ethical, compassionate care; shape AI to enhance decision-making

In what ways can you promote digital health equity?

-Address technology access disparities, especially in rural and underserved communities

-Advocate for digital health policies and infrastructure that promote equity and inclusivity

-Focus on responsible technology use to support planetary health and sustainability

How can the integration of AI and robotics enhance nursing practice?

Will personalize care, streamline workflows, and improve decision-making

What does the future of nursing depend on?

-Evolving education

-Leadership

-Practice within the digital landscape