Week 6 - Health Informatics Lecture

Learning Outcomes

  • By the end of the lecture and laboratory activities, students will be able to:

    • Ensure a working relationship with individuals and families based on:

    • Trust

    • Respect

    • Shared decision-making using appropriate electronic information systems and technology.

Nursing Information System (NIS)

A. Internet Applications

  • Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) and Wireless Devices

  • Emails, Bookmarks

  • Wireless Phones

  • Two-way Video Teleconferencing

  • Face Time

  • Text Messaging

  • Social Media: Twitter, Google, Internet, Facebook

B. Web 2.0, Blogs, Wikis

  • Web 2.0: Refers to websites that emphasize user-generated content, ease of use, participatory culture, and interoperability for end users.

  • Blogs: Discussion or informational websites published on the World Wide Web (WWW) consisting of discrete, often informal, diary-style text entries.

  • Wikis: Websites that allow collaborative editing of content and structure by users; useful for managing online communities and collaborative documentation.

Definition of Nursing Information System

  • Refers to the application of computer science and information science to manage operations involved in the nursing profession.

  • Studies reveal that:

    • Nurses spend approximately 15% of their time in direct patient care.

    • Over 50% of their time is spent maintaining and managing patient data.

  • Documentation can be made more timely, complete, and accurate when captured at the “point of origin,” usually the client’s bedside in acute care settings.

Advantages of Nursing Information System

1. Improved Nurses’ Documentation

  • Essential for a healthcare system; without NIS, recording necessary data systematically would be challenging.

  • Data includes:

    • Drugs to be administered

    • Dosage and time

    • Schedule and results of medical tests

    • Relevant vital parameters (e.g., daily records of body temperature, blood pressure)

  • Reduces redundant paperwork and enables easier access to patient history.

2. Better Staff Management

  • Enhances handling of administrative activities such as:

    • Workload management

    • Maintaining staff records

    • Scheduling shifts

  • Aids nurse administrators in assessing staffing requirements and financial management through budgeting and monitoring expenses.

3. Efficient Decision-Making

  • Two types of systems:

    • Passive Systems: Organize and format data according to preset parameters; provide parameter-specific information as required.

    • Active Systems: Advance to suggest diagnoses based on predefined criteria applied to patient information.

4. Enhanced Synchronization

  • Patient data from all units is essential for decision-making.

  • Integration of NIS with other clinical systems enables fast and easy data access across medical facilities.

Engaging with a Virtual Client

  • Nurses must strive to:

    • Envision and experience the client's three-dimensional body in a virtual network environment.

    • Successfully combine body-sense and body-awareness with digital information for accurate advising, assessment, diagnosis, and interaction.

Example of Devices and Technology

A. Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)

  • Mobile device functioning as a personal information manager.

    • Current models can connect to the internet, have a visual display, and may include audio capabilities for phone use and media playback.

  • Evolution of PDAs:

    • First PDA: Released in 1986 by Psion, called the Organizer II.

    • 1992: The term PDA popularized by Apple CEO John Sculley at CES, referring to the Apple Newton.

    • 1996: Nokia's 9000 Communicator introduced full PDA functionality in a mobile phone, popularizing the "PDA phone" or nowadays known as "smartphone."

B. Electronic Mail (Email)

  • A method for exchanging messages between users of electronic devices.

  • History:

    • Limited use in the 1960s; communication required both sender and recipient to be online simultaneously.

    • Invented by Ray Tomlinson in 1971, allowing email between different hosts on ARPANET using "@".

  • Modern email operates on a store-and-forward model.: email servers accept, forward, deliver, and store messages without simultaneous user connections needed.

C. Wireless Phones

  • Help nurses work efficiently and respond to patient needs.

  • Integration with nurse call systems promotes quieter hospital environments, enhancing patient satisfaction.

D. Teleconferencing

  • Definition: Meeting through a telecommunication medium, linking people at multiple locations.

  • Types of teleconferencing include audio, video, and others requiring active participation.

E. Face Time

  • Developed by Apple Inc. as a proprietary video-telephony product available on iOS and macOS devices.

  • Supports audio-only versions and is included for free in iOS and macOS.

F. Text Messaging

  • Sending electronic messages (typically alphanumeric) between users of compatible devices.

G. Social Media Platforms

  1. Twitter: Americal microblogging service enabling users to post and interact with short messages.

  2. Google: Specializes in various Internet-related services, including search engines, cloud computing, and more.

  3. Facebook (Meta): A major social media platform founded by Mark Zuckerberg, among others.

    • Announced change to "Meta" to reflect expansion into the metaverse.

  4. Instagram: Photo and video sharing service, owned by Facebook, launched in 2010.

Conclusion

  • The application of technology in nursing through systems like NIS promotes efficiencies, enhanced patient care, and improved documentation practices in healthcare settings.

  • As technology evolves, the integration of these tools becomes increasingly vital for effective nursing practices and efficient healthcare management.