Running head: THE IMPACT OF STANDARDIZED NURSING TERMINOLOGY 1

The Impact of Standardized Nursing Terminology

Name

Institute
THE IMPACT OF STANDARDIZED NURSING TERMINOLOGY 2

The Impact of Standardized Nursing Terminology

Explain how you would inform this nurse (and others) of the importance of standardized

nursing terminologies.

Standardized nursing terminologies are the act of having a common language used in

different healthcare settings where nursing services are offered. In this scenario, the nurse on

target a nurse that stated “we document our care using the standardized nursing language but we

do not fully understand why we do (Rutherford, 2008)”. This was a strong statement that proved

a majority of nurses do not understand the importance of standardized nursing terminologies and

the good thing is that standardized nursing terminologies are meant to be understood and applied

by other nurses to promote coordination. Information is said to be power and the manner in

which the nurse who made the statement together with others that they work with would get

informed would go a long way in determining how they will perceive standardized nursing

terminologies and make use of them.

According to Thede, & Schwirian, (2014); there are a number of ways that can be used to

inform the nurse and others. One of these ways is by written and publishing an article that

captures vital information about standardized nursing terminologies and their importance.

Through reading an article, the nurses would get to understand the message. Article for instance

the one written by Rutherford has covered ample information about the issue and hand and can

be made available to all the nurses to bring them to understand why they have to use the

standardized language in their electronic systems.

THE IMPACT OF STANDARDIZED NURSING TERMINOLOGY 3

The second method of informing is through a presentation where a comprehensive

presentation about the issue at hand would be prepared and the nurses invited to attend the

presentation. A presentation would come as an effective method because it is practical and the

nurses would have the chance to ask questions and receive instance responses (Thede, &

Schwirian, 2014). This means that nurses can be able to see the different standardized

terminologies and why they should be used. The more reason is that using a presentation, it is

possible to create a practical and clear image of the situation in the case standardizes language is

not applied so that the nurses can relate with their working situation. According to Ajayi, et al.,

(2015); healthcare facilities that have a standardized nursing terminology presentation do not

even require assembling a meeting. The presentation is made available on facility’s website and

nurses are requested to login and learn hence making the system of informing easy, convenient,

and effective. The more reason is that nurses within a facility have different working schedules

and the strategy allows all of them to get informed and keep on reviewing the presentation at

their convenient time without interfering with work schedule.

According to Ajayi, et al., (2015); training and conferences about standardized nursing

terminologies can also be used as a good way to inform the nurses. A majority of hospitals have

been able to inform their nurses about standardized nursing language that the facility uses

especially during orientation/induction training. The trainer or the conference speaker can focus

on elaborating about standardized nursing terminologies and their importance in manner that all

nurses can understand. This means by the time nurses are being hired, they can be informed and

for those that were already in employment by the time the standardized language was being

implemented to be introduced to the idea and informed about its benefits. Training and

conference are an effective means of informing because they would grant nurses ample time to
THE IMPACT OF STANDARDIZED NURSING TERMINOLOGY 4

be trained and also share among themselves on how they can make use of standardized language

to improve on effectiveness and efficiency levels.

Describe the benefits and challenges of implementing standardized nursing terminologies in

nursing practice.

According to Tastan, et al., (2014); implementing standardized nursing terminologies

comes with its fair share of benefits mixed with challenges. It is a process and project that

benefits the healthcare facility massively and at the same time can bring a lot of chaos. One of

the benefits as stated by Rutherford, (2008); is that standardized language helps in improving

communication among nurses. Improved communication is realized because nurses have a

common language that they use something that makes it easy for them to understand each other

better. For instance, all the nurses using the same electronic system understand what the other

nurse means whenever a common terminology is used. It is important to note that nurses work in

shifts and when common terminologies are used, the other nurse on the next shift would only

require reading through and getting the entire message in an accurate and reliable manner.

The second benefit is that standardized nursing terminologies help in increasing the

visibility of nursing terminologies. In the nursing profession, nurses are required to state exactly

what they do or have done to every patient. Sometimes the services are long, complex, and

demanding to the point that explaining them can lead to confusion. Common terminologies help

in putting a long statement into a few words that explains the entire services that nurse. Hence,

the tasks of a nurse become more visible with limited efforts being put in place. Thirdly, it helps

in improving patient care because of the ease of handing over and common language ensuring

that nurses understand each other. This is important because every nurse that takes over from the
THE IMPACT OF STANDARDIZED NURSING TERMINOLOGY 5

previous nurse does not have to get confused but rather proceed from where the other nurse

stopped. This translates to mean that standardized nursing terminologies helps in reducing

nursing errors hence upgrading patient safety.

According to Conrad, et al., (2012); there are three major barriers that come with

implementation of a standardized nursing terminologies system. These barriers are; system

barriers, NP user barriers, and the EHR operational barriers. On the system barriers, Conrad, et

al., (2012); claims that implementing the system comes with challenges like high implementation

and maintenance cost and also attracts other expenses like training to keep all nurses informed. It

is also demanding in the sense that it requires ample time and skill human resource to document.

Also, in the case of system breakdown, it brings nursing operation to a standstill a situation that

would affect the health of the patients. On the NP user barrier all nurses need to be computer

literate for them to work effectively with the system and also understand the common language.

Failure to have the skills and competence would lead to miscommunication and confusion that

would increase nursing errors instead of reducing them. Lastly, HER operational barriers entail

the complex mapping of terminologies references and the system also must have the reporting

capability to facilitate smooth transactions from taking place.

THE IMPACT OF STANDARDIZED NURSING TERMINOLOGY 6

References

Ajayi, A., Adeola, R., Daniel, O., Stephen, N., Gusen, N., Ajayi, A., ... & Gusen, N. (2015).

Knowledge and utilization of standardized nursing language among nurses in Jos

university teaching hospital plateau state, Nigeria.

Conrad, D., Hanson, P. A., Hasenau, S. M., & Stocker‐Schneider, J. (2012). Identifying the

barriers to use of standardized nursing language in the electronic health record by the

ambulatory care nurse practitioner. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse

Practitioners, 24(7), 443-451.

Tastan, S., Linch, G. C., Keenan, G. M., Stifter, J., McKinney, D., Fahey, L., ... & Wilkie, D. J.

(2014). Evidence for the existing American Nurses Association-recognized standardized

nursing terminologies: A systematic review. International journal of nursing studies,

51(8), 1160-1170.

Thede, L., & Schwirian, P. (2014). Informatics: The Standardized Nursing Terminologies: A

National Survey of Nurses’ Experience and Attitudes—SURVEY II: Participants’

Perception of the Helpfulness of Standardized Nursing Terminologies in Clinical Care.

OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 20(1).

Rutherford, M. (2008) Standardized Nursing Language: What Does It Mean for Nursing

Practice?