IMPORTANCE OF NURSING INFORMATICS IN PHILIPPINE

HEALTHCARE DELIVERY SYSTEMPRESENTED BY: JIHAN J. FONTANILLA

OBJECTIVE• To utilize information technology to help in improving their

nursing care. • To know the importance of nursing informatics in Philippine

healthcare delivery system• To build health care informatics competencies among nursing

leaders in the country to support their need to integrate computer science, information science and nursing science in their respective fields of expertise.• To widen the community of practice by which nursing

informatics may be applicable.

WHAT IS NURSING INFORMATICS?

• is a specialty in nursing that combines nursing science, information science and computer science to distribute and manage data, knowledge and information regarding nursing practice. This is to provide information and knowledge to patients, nurses and other health care providers to be of help in the development of health. • Informatics came from the french word informatique

which means computing and was first used as medical informatics during the late 1970s, followed by nursing informatics during the 1980s. 

(Anne Moen RN PhD &  Lina Merete Mæland Knudsen, RN, MNSc 2013)

HISTORY OF NURSING INFORMATICS IN THE PHILIPPINES

• The words "nursing informatics" were unfamiliar among the nursing community until the year 2008. There were only a handful of people with knowledge and experience in nursing informatics but the discipline have not yet found its recognition as a sub-specialty of nursing arts and science in the country. The origin of this budding discipline indirectly came from the pioneers of health informatics in the Philippines.

(Kristian R. Sumabat RN, 2009)

HISTORY OF NURSING INFORMATICS IN THE PHILIPPINES

• The nursing community was still yet to follow its international counterparts in the adoption of information, communication and technology in nursing practice in the Philippines. Despite the inclusion of Informatics course in the undergraduate curriculum which focused on basic desktop applications, the need for genuine nursing informatics course had not yet been realized. In 2008, Nursing Informatics course in the undergraduate curriculum was defined by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Memorandum Order 5 Series of 2008.

(Kristian R. Sumabat RN, 2009)

HISTORY OF NURSING INFORMATICS IN THE PHILIPPINES

• A community-centered approach to the use of information, communication and technology in nursing practice must be adapted to ensure the impact of the program in the local healthcare system. Lack of certification and credentialing programs in post-graduate levels are also absent with the scarcity of local nursing informatics experts. This new field has yet to gain acceptance and recognition in the nursing community as a sub-specialty.

(Kristian R. Sumabat RN, 2009)

IMPORTANCE• By using software for cost and budgeting, nursing administrators can effectively evaluate and work on the department’s finances. Nursing administrators can use computer applications to manage resource, scheduling and staffing. Nursing informatics can also make the work easier for nurse administrators with the use of different applications like electronic mail, word processing, spreadsheets, presentation graphics and databases.

(Matt Vera RN, 2012)

IMPORTANCE•Decision support systems like knowledge about cancer care or maintaining information and different research tools can be accessed by database management tools with the help of nusing informatics. Quality monitoring can be improved through documentation of risks and incidents. A good example of this is the use of today’s technology in order to prevent or reduce medication errors by entering an order using devices like a computer or a tablet.

(Matt Vera RN, 2012)

IMPORTANCE• Technology inspired modes of instructions can also be used by

Nursing Educators for both the clients and also the nurses. Online classes are getting more frequently conducted through the internet. Aspiring nurses can also get their bachelor’s degree, and even a master’s and doctoral degrees with the use of technology. Personal computers can aid in the management like registration, recording student grades and maintenance of course certificates. (Matt Vera RN, 2012)  Information and communication technology progress provided the possibility of improving health through e-education irrespective of time and place.  

(Kardan & Darvish, 2007)

IMPORTANCE• Technology plays an important role in education and nursing work.

So it seems necessary to study the role of nurses and highlight the need for appropriate information technology educational programs to integrate with the ever-increasing pace of technology. A review accompanied by an extensive literature search in databases and a library search focused on the keywords were used. The criteria used for selecting studies primarily focused on nursing informatics and the importance of expertise in the effective use of information technology in all aspects of the nursing profession. In a critical assessment of emerging technologies, the key elements of nursing informatics implementation were considered as healthcare promotion, advanced systems, internet and network. (Glob J Health Sci. 2014)

IMPORTANCE• Applying technology to knowledge may help identify potential problems earlier. For example, with the use of electronic documentation, identifying changes in patient status can occur quickly because the information is readily available. Trending of patient vital signs is always accessible and the data are interpreted, systematized, and arranged. The nurse is able to use this knowledge to formalize an appropriate plan of action. (Wolters Kluwer Health, 2014)

IMPORTANCE• Standardizing nursing language will facilitate acceptance of new methods of documentation in the electronic health record. A template for nursing notes is one method of assisting with our daily workload. The use of a template can remind you of important information required in the documentation of patient care.

(Wolters Kluwer Health, 2014)

IMPORTANCE•Due to the fast development of technology, in order to effectively take advantage of information technology in nursing outcome and quality of health care and to empower nurses; educational arrangement is recommended to set short-term and long-term specialized courses focusing on four target groups: studying, working, graduate, senior undergraduate, and graduate doctoral. The result of this study is expected to assist educational providers with program development. (Glob J Health Sci. 2014)

APPLICATION• Process, store and integrate physiologic and diagnostic information from

various sources• Present deviation from present ranges by an alarm or an alert• Accepts and store patients care documentation in a lifetime clinical repository• Trend data in graphical presentation• Provide access to vital patient information form any location, both inside and

outside the critical care setting• Comparatively evaluate patients for outcome analysis• Present clinical data based on concept oriented views(Pharmacell, Critical Care Application, 2012)

APPLICATIONBASIC COMPONENTS• Sensors (e.g. pressure transducer, ECG electrode)• Signal conditioners to amplify or filter the display device (e.g.

amplifier, oscilloscope, paper recorder)• File to rank and order information (e.g. storage file, alarm signal)• Computer processor to analyze data and direct reports (e.g. paper

reports, storage for graphic file, summary reports)• Evaluation or controlling component to alert the nurse or regulate the

equipment (e.g. notice on the display screen, alarm signal)(Pharmacell, Critical Care Application, 2012)

A CAREER PATH ON NURSING INFORMATICS CAN LEAD TO:

• The nurse can be hired to assist in implementing a nurse documentation system in a specific organization• The nurse can also be hired by the owner of the product to install

the application to other organizations or health care centers in the region, or even in the country.• With enough experience at multiple sites, the specialist in

installation of a specific application may then be able to work for a consulting firm that advises clients on how to implement the application or the system that was installed to different organizations.

(Matt Vera, RN 2012)

Nursing informatics can be a great career choice for nurses with a great clinical

background and a great familiarity and love of utilizing technology to improve

the current state of health. (Matt Vera, RN 2012)

THANKYOU