[Shawn M. (he/him/his)]

Q: “Think about how the Future of Nursing report serves as a catalyst for the informatics agenda. What should educators be focusing on in their courses? How do you introduce health IT tools that can transform nursing practice?”

Q: “What advantages do you see with the approach you have taken to address the incorporation of informatics into your curriculum? Do you have any words of wisdom or lessons learned that you would like to share?”

[MaryEllen McMorrow]

The major benefit of informatics is the possibility of preventing errors, but I have also seen where from personal experience how the nurse using a computer can use it as a barrier to patient contact. We need to find ways to humanize IT tools.

[Karen Arca-Contreras]

A major drawback that I have seen in using the EMR is when connectivity is lost. Nurses are lost when they cannot access the medication records. There needs to be a back up system in place. It would be beneficial if nurses would be able to do rounds with the use of an I-pad to review nursing care plans etc… Interdisciplinary rounds could also be facilitated.

[Helen Papas-Kavalis]

The major advantage to the use of EHR is that the information is easily accesable. Nurses can obtain lab results and imaging results quickly without waiting for someone to call you or report it to you. This improves communication for all involved and can help improve patients care.

[mary tesoro]

I agree Helen that easily accessible information is key for all health care workers to deliver informed care. I major draw back that is see with the EHR is the ease with which nurses are able to enter and retrieve the information to inform care. For example, I was on a medical unit last week and emptied a urinal for a patient. I informed the nurse of my “data” and then it took me about 10 minutes to find a computer, log on, active the patient, go to I&O, find urine output, and finally enter 200 ml of dark amber urine. Now this may have been easier for the primary nurse however I see this as a barrier for real time charting of patient data.

I wonder if any others have had experiences like this.

[mary tesoro]

Hello all,
As far as informatics in the curriculum, I see this as preparing nursing students to interpret data and be able to articulate their findings in a written format. Many electronic records consist a “check lists” that can make charting easier however it is the short narrative that provides the unique patient situation. The focus should be on patient centered care and that requires that we do more than check boxes. Most EHR records do have a space for narrative in the body systems.

As far as purchasing EHR software for students to practice on in the lab……I think that this is helpful however every institution has a different system and they must learn those systems to practice in those facilities. This is problem based learning at its best. .

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