2. What is Nursing Informatics?
Nursing informatics is a combination of computer science,
information science, and nursing science, designed to
assist in the management and processing of nursing data,
information, and knowledge to support nursing practice,
education, research, and administration (Graves &
Corcoran, 1989).
3. The use of information technologies in relation to those functions within the
purview of nursing, and that are carried out by nurses when performing their duties.
Therefore, any use of information technologies by nurses in relation to the care of
their patients, the administration of health care facilities, or the educational
preparation of individuals to practice the discipline is considered nursing
informatics. (Hannah)
4. The use of technology and/or a computer system to collect, store, process, display,
retrieve, and communicate timely data and information in and across health care
facilities that administer nursing services and resources, manage the delivery of
patient and nursing care, link research resources and findings to nursing practice, and
apply educational resources to nursing education. (Saba and McCormick)
5. The American Nurses Association defined nursing informatics as a specialty that
integrates nursing science, computer science and information science to
manage and communicate data, information and knowledge in nursing
practice. We can consider NI or nursing informatics as a multifaceted
interdisciplinary field of nursing science. Information integrity and ensuring the
safety of data transmission is an essential part, not only in nursing, but also, in the
field of information and communications technology (ICT). And with the
progressive integration of ICT concepts and protocols in the practice of nursing,
whether in the clinical, academe or research, nurses should be prepared to
become globally competitive healthcare professionals.
6. NI 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.
The Philippine Medical Informatics Society (PMIS) and its founders had strong
influence in the development of health informatics in the Philippines. The PMIA was
officially registered under the Securities and Exchange Commission in 1996 by its
board composed of eleven physician.
7. By the year 2003, a Master of Science in Health Informatics was
proposed to be offered by UP-Manila College of Medicine (major
in medical informatics) and the College of Arts and Science (major
in bioinformatics) and was later approved to be offered starting
academic year 2005-2006.
8. Current Issues and Problems
- Lack of devices, machines, resources, and methods of utilizing information, computers, and nursing
science in nursing.
- It is be costly to train nurses on the use of the program for electronic documentation.
- Nurse informaticists are also scarce in the Philippines.
- Some nurses in the Philippines are computer illiterate.
- In 2008,Nursing Informatics course in the undergraduate curriculum was defined by the Commission on
Higher Education (CHED) Memorandum Order 5 Series of 2008 but was later revised and included as Health
Informatics course in CHED Memorandum Order 14 Series of 2009.
- The inclusion of informatics as an integral part of the undergraduate curriculum has been one of the most
influential factors for the increased awareness and interest in this field of nursing. However, the contents of
the curriculum was adapted from international materials which does not match the local needs.
9. Goal of Nursing
Informatics
According to ANA:
Improve health of populations,
communities and individuals by optimizing
information management and
communication.
Including using technology in the direct
provision of care; establishing
administrative systems; managing and
delivering educational experiences;
supporting life-long learning, and
supporting nursing research
11. Importance of NI in healthcare delivery
system
• For increasing patient safety and its leading to an evidence-based nursing
• With electronic charting, nurses have the capability of accessing information quickly and
efficiently and are able to use information to improve the quality of nursing workflow
• Informatics nurses motivate and encourage nurses to use innovative problem-solving methods
by providing them with support.
• Provide continuing guidance in the development and implementation of information
technology and digital solutions for nursing practice and patient care
12. References
• The Role of Nursing Informatics on Promoting Quality of Health Care and the Need for
Appropriate Education (Asieh Darvish , Fatemeh Bahramnezhad1 , Sara Keyhanian & Mojdeh
Navidhamidi, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran) Received: May 8, 2014 Accepted:
May 29, 2014 Online Published: June 24, 2014
• What is Nursing Informatics and why is it so important? (Nursing Now Issues and Trends in
Canadian nursing, September 2001)
• History of Nursing Informatics in the Philippines (Kristian R. Sumabat, RN President, Philippine
Nursing Informatics Association, April 2010)
• The Right Balance –Technology and Patient Care (OJNI Volume 18, Number 3) by Cristina Cassano
MSN, RN . October 1, 2014)