Research Study Report:
Technology is rapidly changing the lives of many people. Its use has a major impact on the healthcare system as well. Nursing informatics is a field that was recently initiated in the nursing profession. There are several different forms of nursing informatics. Examples include Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Telehealth, and Electronic Medication Administration Records (EMARs). As the use of nursing informatics is growing in the workplace, nurses must obtain the required knowledge to be able to utilize such technology.
The NLN conducted a study to find out how well nursing schools educated their students in the use of technology and informatics. They sent out invitations for participation in the study to all accredited nursing schools across the nation. “Respondents included 1,557 faculty and 540 administrators” (NLN, 2008). The NLN administered a survey to each of the participating schools. The surveys inquired about how informatics was incorporated into their nursing curriculum.
The results showed that BSN and Master’s degree programs had the highest rates of informatics integration. The survey revealed several different ways of integration. Some include web assignments, online discussions, decision support tools, and handheld computers. In conclusion, the study revealed that nursing informatics is not fully integrated into the nursing curriculum. Many nurses graduate nursing school without receiving adequate training in technology and informatics. In summary, nursing informatics is a growing field in the nursing profession and we as nurses should recognize its importance and gain the necessary knowledge to implement it in our practice.
References:
Informatics in the Nursing Curriculum: A National Survey of Nursing Informatics Requirements in Nursing Curricula. (2008). Nursing Education Perspectives, 29(5), 312-317.
