Concept Definition
Health informatics is the science of evaluating, implementing, and utilizing technology to manage all information related to the patient care delivery process at all levels: clinical, financial, technological, and enterprise. It is a multidisciplinary field, drawing from health information and computer science, psychology, sociology, and engineering (Valenta & Deiter, 2009).
Nursing informatics (NI) is the specialty that integrates nursing science with multiple information management and analytical sciences to identify, define, manage, and communicate data, information, knowledge, and wisdom in nursing practice. NI supports nurses, consumers, patients, the interprofessional healthcare team, and other stakeholders in their decision-making in all roles and settings to achieve desired outcomes. This support is accomplished through the use of information structures, information processes, and information technology (ANA, 2015).
Concept Reference and eBooks
The Nerdy Nurse's Guide to Using Technology by Available online at R2 Library and ProQuest eBook Central.
Nursing Informatics: Scope and Standards of Practice, 2nd ed. by Available online at EBSCO eBooks
Application of Nursing Informatics: Competencies, Skills, Decision-making by Call Number: R858 .A52 2019
Mastering informatics: a healthcare handbook for success by Available online at ProQuest eBook Central
Concept Media
- HIPAA Access VideosA series of short educational videos to help individuals better understand their right to see and get their health information and to have that information sent to others of their choosing (including family members, caregivers, or a mobile device application).
Concept Resources
Government and Professional Resources
- HealthIT.govDeveloped by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), HealthIT.gov is the leading national resource on health information technology (health IT) for healthcare professional and healthcare consumers.
- Health Services Research Information Central (NIH)The National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology (NICHSR) was created to improve "..the collection, storage, analysis, retrieval, and dissemination of information on health services research, clinical practice guidelines, and on health care technology, including the assessment of such technology."
- American Nursing Informatics AssociationANIA Mission: To advance nursing informatics through education, research, and practice in all roles and settings.
Journal Articles
- Why Nurses Need to Understand Nursing InformaticsNursing informatics is important to all nursing specialty areas. It is important for nurses to understand the relevance of nursing informatics to their practice.
- Healthcare InformaticsThis paper explores the implications that are most notable in today’s healthcare world within healthcare and nursing informatics field.
- The Evolution of the Electronic Health RecordMedical records have changed dramatically because of the development of the electronic health record. The federal government has promoted the electronic health record through incentives programs. However, obstacles remain with regard to standardization, interoperability, time-consuming data entry, and security issues.
Tutorials and Activities
- Evaluating Health InformationSeveral tools to evaluate health information are available to help you. Gathered by the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM)
- MLA Top Health WebsitesThe Consumer and Patient Health Information Section (CAPHIS) of MLA evaluates websites based on the following criteria: credibility, sponsorship/authorship, content, audience, currency, disclosure, purpose, links, design, interactivity, and disclaimers.
- Health Literacy/Consumer Health InformaticsNurses will need to use their informatics skills to promote patient understanding of their relevant health information. This site explains Health Literacy and links to tools to help you improve your patient's health literacy.
References
Nursing Informatics: Scope and Standards of Practice (2nd ed.). (2015). American Nurses Association.
Valenta, A. L., & Dieter, M. (2009). Health Informatics. In R. M. Mullner (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Health Services Research (Vol. 1, pp. 499-502). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Retrieved from http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3208000187/GVRL?u=viva2_nvcc&sid=GVRL&xid=920297c9