Nursing Informatics

Collaboration, Computing, and Health Informatics

Collaboration is important among various players in the healthcare sector and disciplines because it plays a significant role in improving successful results.  The relationship between the doctor and the nurse dictate the quality of healthcare offered in a healthcare facility. Collaboration enhances satisfaction rate among patients as well as ensuring that patients receive the best care. Proper collaboration leads to better communication among the doctor, nurse, and the patient. Moreover, the involvement of the patient’s family may assist the nurse in coming up with an excellent caring plan for the patient. In other words, patients’ families may generate practical ideas on the best way to care for the patients. Nonetheless, the best care plan is only possible if the best technology is utilized. Efficient communication and collaboration among the doctor, the patient, nurse, and the patient’s family is only possible through computing and informatics. A nurse will use informatics to electronically store a patient’s record, making it easy to retrieve the records and share them with the doctor. The health information system in the hospital should be highly efficient such that various hospital departments involved in the patient care can communicate smoothly. The patient or the family should have access to modern means of communication such as emails and teleconferencing for ease of communication with the health personnel (Hannah, Hussey, Kennedy, & Ball, 2015).

Training and Alternative Solution to Costs

Training is very crucial in every sector when introducing new technologies. Unfortunately, many organizations and senior management concentrate on the cost of acquiring the new technologies and fail to consider the extra cost incurred to train the workforce to a level they can embrace/own the technologies. It is through training that the employees gain invaluable experience about using the new technologies and optimize their productivity. Introducing new technologies without properly orientating the human resource on the best use would amount to wastage of the organization’s resources. A department may have a state of art machinery but the operators may be clueless about how to use them. The overall effect would be low productivity and even costly mistakes as the employees try to use the machinery. Training of the human resource serves to lower such errors occurring and as a result improve the quality of production. Moreover, proper training prepares workers to efficiently operate new technologies even when there is overload or when they are stressed (American Nurses Association, 2008).

To have a suitable alternative resolution in healthcare to enhance quality, the first step is to explain the healthcare goals that could lead to effective performance. For instance, it is important to consider what needs to be accomplished after acquiring a new system (goal), the appropriate system, the personnel to be involved with the systems and make sure that the system leads to desired results. Then, offer the appropriate training to the relevant healthcare personnel. Afterward, once the system is purchased and installed, it is important to put in place processes to measure the effectiveness of the new system in delivering health care. After some period of time, the new system should be compared with the previous systems to identify how it has enhanced service delivery to patients (American Nurses Association, 2008).    

Change in Profession Life and Project Aspects

A friend switched careers from being a teacher to nursing. Teaching and nursing share a number of similarities and principles but she found it a daunting task to fully adapt to the new career. Consequently, I concur with the arguments raised in chapter four about enhancing efficiency through management, analytical and technology. My friend almost gave up on the nursing career when she found it hard to familiarize with nursing technologies. Indeed, she had frowned upon the idea of switching careers due to the high cost involved. Nonetheless, she overcame the challenges and joined the nursing career. Nursing presented her with immense benefits including higher prospects of career and personal growth. The issue raised in chapter four would have assisted her to effortlessly changer her career. Project management entails four major processes: project initiation; project planning; project execution; and lastly project closure. Project initiation involves the conception of the project idea and the objective to be achieved, such as the idea of changing career from the teaching career to nursing. At the project closure stage, it involves realizing the objectives set at the project initiation process. To ensure delivery of health care is successful and efficient especially when introducing new technologies, there is need to put into practice the process of project management to reduce resistance among health personnel and errors arising from incompetence in use of new technology (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2018).             

Training New Employees

An organization’s human resource is the most crucial factor that determines its success. Therefore, an organization should invest in training their employees to ensure they gain the skills they need to execute their duties. For example, when a hospital installs an electronic health record system, relevant personnel need to be trained on effective use. Focus on training of new employees is more important so that they get accustomed to the core values, procedures, and organizational culture. New employees come from different work environments and failure to induct them into the new work environment may lead to catastrophic errors. Training reduces the probability of these errors occurring and enhances productivity. In a health facility, training of newly recruited nurses would make them accustomed to the health care system and offer excellent care to patients. A competent nurse creates patient confidence in the health care system aiding in the recovery process (American Nurses Association, 2008).   

References:

American Nurses Association. (2008). Nursing informatics: Scope and standards of practice. Silver Spring, Md: American Nurses Association.

Hannah, K. J., Hussey, P., Kennedy, M. A., & Ball, M. J. (2015). Introduction to nursing informatics. London: Springer.

McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2018). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge. Burlington, MA: Jones & Barlett Learning.