NorCal HIMSS Symposium - March 6, 2009 1

BUILDING A NURSING
INFORMATICS TOOLKIT
Rachelle Blake, PA, MHA
NorCal HIMSS Symposium - March 6, 2009 2
Objectives
Identify the components of an informatics toolkit
Clearly define the roles of the nursing informaticist and
incorporate these roles into the toolkit
Tailor the toolkit to include processes, information and
resources specific to your setting
Delineate the scope of nursing informatics within your
organization
Develop a plan to promote and advance informatics
NorCal HIMSS Symposium - March 6, 2009 3
Why an Informatics Toolkit?
Have you ever wished that you had a
compilation of tools that would help
you in your daily informatics work?

NorCal HIMSS Symposium - March 6, 2009 4
Why an Informatics Toolkit?
The toolkit can be used to
simply and quickly:
Define nursing and clinical
informatics and roles of the
nursing informaticistand
state just what it is that they
do (AND DO NOT DO!)
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Why an Informatics Toolkit?
The toolkit will provide
you with:
A compendium of guidelines,
workflow/process and other
templates that will help you
prepare for transforming that
paper flowsheet, note or
chart to an electronic form
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Why an Informatics Toolkit?
With the toolkit you will have:
A handy playbook of:
Risk mitigation and process
improvement measures
Policies and procedures revision tools
Methodologies to aid you in
incorporating best practices into future
implementations and the resultant
transformed hybrid or electronic
patient care settings
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Why an Informatics Toolkit?
To help you:
Be prepared with information, resources and
a support network that can help you advance
and promote the practice of nursing
informatics
Reach the tools you need to stand up and be
heard, not just be that sole voice speaking to
ensure clinicians drive systems technology
and put patient care first at your healthcare
facility

Lets get started!
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Steps to Building Your Toolkit
1. Make a Powerpoint presentation about your
specific department (A Day in the Life of a
Nurse Informaticist at NorCal Medical Center)
Give some background on the history of informatics
Highlight facts and figures about the role of nursing
informatics
Discuss education and career advancement options
Mention professional organizations such as ANIA and
HIMSS
NorCal HIMSS Symposium - March 6, 2009 9
Powerpoint Example
Nursing Informatics at
NorCal Medical Center
Who we are
What we do
How we do it
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Steps to Building Your Toolkit
2. Build a physical binder, virtual folder or website
(e.g., Sharepoint site) that contains your informatics
tools collection:
Organizational charts, job descriptions, scope of
informatics practice, and contact and resource lists
workflow templates (Visios or PDFs)
Implementation, training or other project plans
screen and system designs (screen shots)
system specifications and modifications
ADT and downtime procedures
policy updates and revisions
job aids, fliers, communications and training materials, etc.

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Examples of Informatics Tools
in Your Collection
Job Description Sample
Screen Design Samples
NorCal HIMSS Symposium - March 6, 2009 12
Examples of Informatics Tools
in Your Collection
Job Aid Sample
Communication/Newsletter Sample
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Steps to Building Your Toolkit
3. Create a and roll out a roadshow: a mobile
demonstration highlighting what your
department does:
recent implementation work
system hardware (e.g., COWs or WOWs) and
software (new screen designs, electronic
documentation improvements, etc.)
simulations where nurses and other staff can get
hands-on experience with clinical systems and
informatics tools
Take the roadshow to staff, departmental and
executive level meetings to show off what you
do
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Steps to Building Your Toolkit
4. Create an informatics promotional kit
Showcase your Powerpoint presentation
Give information on how to get training in
nursing informatics
Host a table or booth at the national Nurses
Week celebration at your organization
Provide resources on nursing informatics
associations, organizations and
advancement opportunities
Work on ways to further develop the role of
the nursing informaticist at your organization