INFORMATICS AND EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE: THE NEXT CHAPTER

Course overview

Audience: It is now expected that every nurse have computer-based documentation and informatics competencies as well as knowledge of how to use recorded and reported data to improve patient care. This course is for all nurses in all practice locations. Course overview: Technologies used in health care delivery environments can create a better work environment for patients and nurses. Technology can improve efficiency, safety, and quality. In today’s world, information technology is foundational for the future of health care. The driving force behind the use of technology in health care was often the need for improvements in different aspects of patient care. Many of the first technological developments and computers in health care were used for administrative purposes. However, most recently we have seen advancements in clinical systems. Using technology to improve patient care has become a chief focal point for many who develop new technologies to be used in health care settings (Cassano, 2014). This course describes and broadly explains the use of technology in health care as well as the history of nursing informatics, common nursing informatics technologies, and the connections between nursing informatics and evidence-based practice. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this module, the learner should be able to: • Define basic informatics terminology. • Describe hardware and software commonly used in health care. • Compare and contrast electronic health records, electronic medical records, and personal health records. • Explain the purpose of the HIPAA and HITECH acts. • Describe the process for implementing an electronic health record system. • Explore social media platforms for communicating and sharing information with others. • Explain functions of several common electronic health record applications. • Describe ways to evaluate information from electronic resources. • Describe the information literacy process. • Explain strategies for seeking evidence-based information. • Identify appropriate evidence-based nursing practice topics through the development of a PICO question. • Discuss the use of telehealth to promote patient engagement.