COMPUTERS AND NURSING

COMPUTER - is an all encompassing term referring to information

technology, computer systems; and when they are used in
nursing, referred to as nursing information systems, nursing
applications, and/or nursing informatics

NURSING
INFORMATICS - emerged as a new term encompassing the technologies
enabling nurses to manage health care and patient care
more efficiently and effectively and, at the same time, make
nurses more accountable

 moving to the forefront of the nursing profession and nursing

information technology systems

 nursing profession is implementing standards for its clinical

care and data standards for its nursing information

 represents the transition of data and data information and

knowledge into action

 it is IT in support of nursing in the overall improvement of

client care

NURSING
INFORMATICS
SPECIALISTS - in the past 25 years, NI specialists emerged as a new
specialty by the ANA

 in 1981, there were 15 nurses who identified this new

specialty as their area of interest

 in 1990, this number increased by 500%

 by 2000, it increased approximately by another 500%

 may serve as: administrators

researchers
educators
community health professionals
computer information officers
corporate executives in vendor
companies
implementers of IT
developers of systems and consultants

ANA
DEFINITION
OF NI - A specialty that integrates nursing science, computer
science, and information science to manage and
communicate data, information, and knowledge to support
patients, nurses, and other providers in their decision-
making in all roles and settings. This support is
accomplished through the use of information structures,
information processes, and information technology.
USES OF COMPUTERS IN NURSING:

1. manage information in patient care

2. monitor quality of care
3. evaluates outcomes of care
4. communicating data and messages
5. accessing resources
6. client interaction
7. systems applications for planning, budgeting, policy-making
8. enhancement of nursing education and distance learning with new nursing
modalities
9. support nursing research, test new systems, design new knowledge
databases
10. advances in the role of nursing in the health care industry