MACATANGAY, Gaea Angela F.

05/17/2020
G2B2 Nursing Informatics

REACTION PAPER
Nursing Informatics: Beyond the Electronic Health Record

The video started by the host Caroline Cartledge, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, CNE
introducing the guest who is Dr. Marisa Wilson - DNSc, MHSc, RN-BC, CPHIMS,
FAMIA, FAAN. There are a lot of things I have learned from this video. First is that
Nursing Informatics is a misunderstood specialty. Many people think this is new
because they're seeing a resurgence of implementation of computers into hospitals in
the West in 10 years and they’re finally seeing a nursing informaticist coming forward,
but this specialty dates back to the 60s. Nurses were already using computers during
that era mainly for paying bills. Second is that nursing informatics is a combination of
computer science, information science, nursing science, and cognitive science in the
application to assist better outcomes among patients. Although this idea or definition
was already taught to us in the school before, I am happy to have heard it again on the
video. Third, the scope and standard of nursing informatics were mentioned and how it
is being updated from time to time to meet the current technology needs today and the
needs of patients today. I did not realize how wide the nursing informatics covers the
world we are living in. Like there are a lot of gadgets i.e. Apple Watch and Fitbit to track
the activity of a person and their well-being overall. Even online websites like Facebook
and Google are being used by the people going there to consult or get their health
information. Nursing informatics is trying to use these platforms to possibly cater to the
needs of all people from all over the world. And I did not even know that these are all
part of Nursing Informatics until I watched this video. Also, not all nursing graduates are
considered to be nursing informaticists after because they still need to study their
specialization. A lot of people are not informed about this hence, they should be
knowledgeable and they need to learn how to use these technologies for patient data
collection.

There are also a lot of misconceptions regarding nursing informatics. First is the
one I mentioned earlier; it is not new. Second, people thought that nursing informaticists
are computer repair people but no. Lastly, they are not programmers. The next thing I
learned is about exciting opportunities like revisiting the field of EHR implementation
because of issues with burnout and documentation burden. There is a group of
forward-thinking nursing informatics colleagues who are aiming to reduce the burden of
nurses that eats a lot of their time. Additionally, the field of robotics is involved. Dr.
Wilson had seen the use of robotics in the control of dementia symptoms. These are
robots that look like seals and the patients can hold and pet them and it coos and
vibrates and they seem to relax the patients with dementia. They also have childlike
robots that are being used to train children with birth defects and other handicaps like
cerebral palsy, etc. They are also working on technologies to allow people to age in
their homes using sensors. These monitor activities of people in homes as if they get up
or go from one place to another. Nursing Informatics does not limit computers but other
technologies as well. Dr. Wilson also encouraged all the students to join a professional
organization. Since the field of nursing informatics is not stagnant, it is always changing
and always developing, they have to involve themselves in a professional organization
to thrive within this technology revolution. They can attend meetings, be updated, etc.

Dr. Wilson said that at first, they are just trying to figure out what these
computers can do for nurses, and how to use these new devices to collect nursing data.
Then, it blossomed out to how to use these technologies that collect data to information
to provide better patient outcomes, to create evidence for the nursing practice, to
improve the care of patients, and to improve efficiency and effectiveness. This is the
biggest transition she has seen in this field, according to her. Lastly, there are a couple
of takeaways she left for us. It is that we use technologies to create data, to make
information, to form knowledge, and ultimately wisdom is what the field of nursing
informatics is all about. This is what they are all about.

Before, I have limited knowledge about Nursing Informatics so I am really happy

to have watched this video because I have now learned a lot of things about it.
Somehow, it interests me as I am very fond of using computers and I almost took the
course Information Technology. I was torn before whether I choose nursing or I.T., but
now I am here and I realized that I can take them both by involving myself in this field.
Now, here’s the time for my takeaway. Today, we live in an electronic world. This has
benefited us in many ways. But whatever happens, despite the extent of the
advancement of our technologies, nothing can replace nurses. None of these robots
can equate the quality care the nurses render, the trusting relationship nurses establish,
and how nurses empathize with their patients.