Working at the medical-surgical floor is daunting. The foremost problem I experienced in this unit was double charting and medication errors. Additionally, I noticed residents documenting wrong orders at the post-partum mother-baby unit. It did not take long for it to be apparent that basic computer competencies and information management competencies were lacking from a number of personnel. These were the areas where competence needed to be boosted to improve operations. Nursing informatics can play a huge role in ensuring that data and information gets to the right people in the right format, thereby, improving their productivity and accuracy at work.
From the list of competencies recommended by TIGER initiative, a number of skills are pertinent to my functional area and in which there is a need to strengthen abilities as a nurse are discussed below:
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For basic computer competencies, the recommendation form TIGER team was adoption of the European Computer Driver’s License (ECDL). This is the training model that is pertinent to my functional area and an area I need to improve in. This is important because it has been used since it had a well-developed training program which is quite mature with a work book together with testing model. The modules offered are in areas:
• Information Technology basic concepts
• Use of computers in managing files
• Processing using Word
• Databases
• Spreadsheets
• Information communication
• Presentation of information
The area I need to major most is in databases, presentation and use of computers to manage files to solve the problem at my functional areas.
On the main area of information literacy competencies, I identify with the one recommended by TIGER initiative, An Electronic Health Record System (EHR). This system shall provide me with the much needed platform for collection of health information electronically about and for a person and information about the care delivered to a person. It shall only allow access to authorized users only and is maintained by the management. The most important components for my functional area provided by EHR are:
• Profile management
• Infrastructural information
• Supportive information
• Direct care.
Using this platform, I’ll be able to do a couple of things better, including identifying and maintaining the records of the patient, managing patients demographics, capturing information from external sources that are clinical thus avoiding double entries among other benefits pertaining to my area of functionality.
The key functional area that is relevant to my current area is EHR. I identify this as of both benefit for effective practice and a little bit frustrating due to lack of enough competencies. The problems currently prevailing at my field are due to little competencies in EHR, resulting to double charting and medical errors. This is the area I need improvement the most. This will assist a great deal in managing health records from the patients form different hospitals thus with such medical data, correct medication can be administered.
These competencies are necessary since they have informatics skills required to safely practice in the current environment of health care. There is regular requirement to use computers in processing and managing patients’ health information data thus competencies are needed by nurse to comply with this requirement. The resources available to enhance these competencies in the hospital where I work are security information, internet policy, computer services, a guide for nursing technology development, and appropriate use policy for web. I have a plan of setting some time during the rest period to access these resources to advance my competencies in these areas. Enrolling for a course in the identified areas that require improvement in my competencies will serve better as I plan later in this program.
Developing nursing informatics will increase my effectiveness as a nurse as there are emerging technologies that are changing the normal practice of nurses. These changes are already occurring thus to cope up with these emerging technologies, it is important that I train in a set of skills in acquiring, using and integrating these technologies alongside the prevailing work conditions to improve the performance of the health sector. The use of HER will enhance be important in enhancing how patient’s safety is done, quality care evaluation, efficiency maximization, and how to measure the staffing need (Mary et al., 2015).
- HealthyPeople.gov. (2012). Health communication and health information technology. Retrieved from www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/…
- Huston, C. (2013). The Impact of Emerging Technology on Nursing Care: Warp speed Ahead. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. Retrieved from American Nurses Association website nursingworld.org
- Kathleen R., (May, 2013). The Impact of Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing and the Next Big Ideas. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing.
- Lavin M.A., Harper E., Barr N., (May, 2015). Health Information Technology, Patients Safety and Professional Nursing Care Documentation in Acute Setting. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. Retrieved from American Nurses Association website nursingworld.org
