Standardized Coding Systems As a result of the fragmented nature of the health care system, professionals in various specialty areas of medicine have developed their own unique sets of terminology to communicate within that specialty. In the past, limited attention has been given to codifying practices in order for them to be understood and utilized across disciplines or through different information technology systems. The implementation of a federally mandated electronic medical records system, therefore, poses a challenge to nursing professionals and others who must be prepared to utilize standardized codes for the new system. Why are coding standards important for promoting consistent, high-quality care? According to Rutherford (2008, para. 15), “Improved communication with other nurses, health care professionals, and administrators of the institution in which nurses work is a key benefit of using a standardized nursing language.” In this Discussion you consider the reasoning behind and the value of standardized codification. To prepare: Review the information in Nursing Informatics: Scope and Standards of Practice. Determine which set of terminologies are appropriate for your specialty or area of expertise. Reflect on the importance of continuity in terminology and coding systems. In the article, “Standardized Nursing Language: What Does It Mean for Nursing Practice?” the author recounts a visit to a local hospital to view its implementation of a new coding system. One of the nurses commented to her, “We document our care using standardized nursing languages but we don't fully understand why we do” (Rutherford, 2008, para. 1). Consider how you would inform this nurse (and others like her) of the importance of standardized nursing terminologies. Reflect on the value of using a standard language in nursing practice. Consider if standardization can be limited to a specialty area or if one standard language is needed across all nursing practice. Then, identify examples of standardization in your own specialty or area of expertise. Conduct additional research using the Walden Library that supports your thoughts on standardization of nursing terminology. Post on or before Day 3 an explanation of why nurses need to document care using standardized nursing languages and whether this standardization can be limited to specialty areas or if it should be across all nursing practice. Support your response using specific examples from your own specialty or area of expertise and using at least one additional resource from the Walden Library Readings American Nurses Association. (2015). Nursing informatics: Scope & standards of practice (2nd ed.) . Silver Springs, MD: Author. "Metastructures, Concepts, and Tools of Nursing Informatics” This chpater explores the connections between data, information, knowledge, and wisdom and how they work together in nursing informatics. It also covers the influence that concepts and tools have on the field of nur.

1. Standardized Coding Systems
As a result of the fragmented nature of the health care system,
professionals in various specialty areas of medicine have
developed their own unique sets of terminology to communicate
within that specialty. In the past, limited attention has been
given to codifying practices in order for them to be understood
and utilized across disciplines or through different information
technology systems. The implementation of a federally
mandated electronic medical records system, therefore, poses a
challenge to nursing professionals and others who must be
prepared to utilize standardized codes for the new system. Why
are coding standards important for promoting consistent, high-
quality care?
According to Rutherford (2008, para. 15), “Improved
communication with other nurses, health care professionals, and
administrators of the institution in which nurses work is a key
benefit of using a standardized nursing language.” In this
Discussion you consider the reasoning behind and the value of
standardized codification.
To prepare:
Review the information in
Nursing Informatics: Scope and Standards of Practice.
Determine which set of terminologies are appropriate for your
specialty or area of expertise.
Reflect on the importance of continuity in terminology and
coding systems.
In the article, “Standardized Nursing Language: What Does It
Mean for Nursing Practice?” the author recounts a visit to a
local hospital to view its implementation of a new coding
system. One of the nurses commented to her, “We document our
care using standardized nursing languages but we don't fully
understand why we do” (Rutherford, 2008, para. 1). Consider
how you would inform this nurse (and others like her) of the
importance of standardized nursing terminologies.
Reflect on the value of using a standard language in nursing

2. practice. Consider if standardization can be limited to a
specialty area or if one standard language is needed across all
nursing practice. Then, identify examples of standardization in
your own specialty or area of expertise. Conduct additional
research using the Walden Library that supports your thoughts
on standardization of nursing terminology.
Post on or before Day 3
an explanation of why nurses need to document care using
standardized nursing languages and whether this standardization
can be limited to specialty areas or if it should be across all
nursing practice. Support your response using specific examples
from your own specialty or area of expertise and using at least
one additional resource from the Walden Library
Readings
American Nurses Association. (2015).
Nursing informatics: Scope & standards of practice
(2nd ed.)
.
Silver Springs, MD: Author.
"Metastructures, Concepts, and Tools of Nursing Informatics”
This chpater explores the connections between data,
information, knowledge, and wisdom and how they work
together in nursing informatics. It also covers the influence that
concepts and tools have on the field of nursing.
McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2012).
Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge
(2nd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Chapter 6, “Overview of Nursing Informatics”
This chapter defines the foundations of nursing informatics
(NI). The authors specify the disciplines that are integrated to
form nursing informatics, along with major NI concepts.
Chapter 7, “Developing Standardized Terminologies to Support
Nursing Practice”
This chapter explores the need for consistent nursing
terminology. The authors also detail the different approaches to
developing terminology.

3. Brokel, J. (2010). Moving forward with NANDA-I nursing
diagnoses with Health Information Technology for Economic
and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act Legislation: News updates.
International Journal of Nursing Terminologies &
Classifications
,
21
(4), 182–185.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
In this news brief, the author describes the initiatives that
NANDA-I will implement to remain abreast of the HITECH
legislation of 2009. The author explains two recommendations
for the federal government’s role in managing vocabularies,
value sets, and code sets throughout the health care system.
Matney, S., Brewster, P. J., Sward, K. A., Cloyes, K. G., &
Staggers, N. (2011). Philosophical approaches to the nursing
informatics data-information-knowledge-wisdom framework.
Advances in Nursing Science
,
34
(1), 6–18.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article proposes a philosophical foundation for nursing
informatics in which data, information, and knowledge can be
synthesized by computer systems to support wisdom
development. The authors describe how wisdom can add value
to nursing informatics and to the nursing profession as a whole.
Rutherford, M. A. (2008). Standardized nursing language: What
does it mean for nursing practice?
OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing
,
13
(1). Retrieved from
http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarket
place/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/TableofContents/vol132008/No1Ja
n08/ArticlePreviousTopic/StandardizedNursingLanguage.html

4. The author of this article provides justification for the use of a
standardized nursing language, which will be necessary for
incorporating electronic documentation into the health care
field. The author defines standardized language in nursing,
describes how such a language can be applied in a practice
setting, and discusses the benefits of using a standardized
language.
Westra, B. L., Subramanian, A., Hart, C. M., Matney, S. A.,
Wilson, P. S., Huff, S. M., … Delaney, C. W. (2010). Achieving
"meaningful use" of electronic health records through the
integration of the Nursing Management Minimum Data Set.
The Journal of Nursing Administration
,
40
(7–8), 336–343.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article explains the nursing management minimum data set
(NMMDS), which is a research-based minimum set of standard
data for nursing management and administration. The article
describes how the NMMDS can be used to minimize the burden
on health care administrators and increase the value of
electronic health records within the health care system.
Media
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012a).
Data, information, knowledge, and wisdom continuum
. Baltimore, MD: Author.
McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2012).
Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge
(2nd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. (p. 98,
Chapter 6, Figure 6)
The continuum of data, information, knowledge, and wisdom is
used in the health care field to describe discrete levels of
understanding related to patient care and decision making. This
video provides an overview of the continuum from data to
wisdom.

5. Optional Resources
Truran, D., Saad, P., Zhang, M., & Innes, K. (2010). SNOMED
CT and its place in health information management practice.
Health Information Management Journal
,
39
(2), 37–39.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
Brown, B. (2011). ICD-10-CM: What is it, and why are we
switching?
Journal of Health Care Compliance
,
13
(3), 51–79.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.