Free Essay - Nursing Informatics Technology

Nursing informatics technology is inarguably one of the recent innovations in the health sector. The advancement allows for the incorporation of nursing activities with computer and information-related sciences. Its primary aim was to enhance the development of the medical data systems which are used to manage the day-to-day practices in health institutions ordinarily to improve the overall patient outcome by offering quality care or treatment (Graves & Corcoran, 1989). Because the aspect of nursing informatics is a new introduction, most research and studies have been done to evaluate its effectiveness, in regards to whether its influence in the health sector on patients is advantageous or disadvantageous. The main aim of this study is to discuss the efficiency of this new technology, based on the available information from online research and research findings.

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The Value, Purpose, and Cost of Nursing Informatics

To many scholars, the technology of nursing informatics seems constrictive and destructive simultaneously, regarding its effects on the patient outcome. Well, when none may look disputer over the importance of having an advanced communication network in an organization, it is equally essential to recognize if the practice is associated with any other side effects. To begin with, the importance that NI has brought, patient safety would be given the first consideration. Communication is one of the most effective ways of enhancing patient safety in a healthcare organization. Ideally, it is under the courtesy of nursing informaticists, that new models, ideas and concepts of communication such as; Electronic Health Records (EHR), and the computerization of provider providers have evolved (Ball et al., 1995). These components play a significant role in promoting patient safety in different ways.

One, using electronic health records reduces the occurrences of medical errors while offering treatment and care to a patient. For instance, a nurse of any health professional currently has the opportunity to review the previous past health information of the patient. These stored records are usually used to suggest for diagnosis and therapeutic plans, and also to predict the possible cause of the current problem. Analysis of the patient's records is therefore useful in offering quality care since proper treatment and diagnostic strategies or plans can be suggested accordingly.

Moreover, computerized provider ordering and EHR technologies of nursing informatics can be used in reducing patient care delays. Since the steps and activities are programmed, there will be no delays which could otherwise result due to fatigue, sickness and ignorance, suppose humans were performing the same roles. Also, nursing informatics technology involves the use of machines that are capable of operating for longer hours, without interfering with the quality of care (Ball et al., 1995). Previously, most doctors have depicted fatigue at work, as one of the major causes of patient insecurity. When the nurse is tired, the time limit for offering care could automatically get adjusted necessarily, and this affects the tendency to address all the patients equally (McCormick & Saba, 2015).

Nevertheless, as stated before, despite the arguments on the benefits of an improved communication network that increased patient safety, there are specific arguments against this innovation, that makes all theme questionable, on whether it is beneficial or not. First, nursing informatics increases the risk of patient privacy. Since the communication systems, generally involve online transactions, communications and storage of patient data, the information becomes quite susceptible to network hackers (Samuel, 1984). Therefore, when the health care system networks have control of the patient's medical personal health information, hackers find it possible to breach the information and use them for particular illegal purposes. It is important to note that, as patient safety is given more concern, privacy should be prioritized, because, it prevents economic harm, embarrassment and possible discriminative cases in society.

Secondly, technology is also expensive to install. For any healthcare system to use this innovation, much must be spent on buying pieces of equipment and all necessary resources. As a result, several healthcare organizations are usually obligated to send some of their working staff homes, to create space for the technological healthcare system. However, Search Results by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that one of the modern greatest challenges faced by the national healthcare system is the aging population (Samuel, 1984). This means that people are leaving longer, beyond the estimated life span. Since the aged are unemployed, healthcare organizations need more working population to manage them. Nursing informatics is creating unemployment, thus posing the aged category to preventable deaths and contraction of illnesses, as a result of a weak immune system (Samuel, 1984). Although this con may be pros to the organization, because it is making up more profit, its high costs pose a great because aging is a current problem that may not be undermined.

In conclusion, it is outstandingly visible that the disadvantages of nursing informatics still overweigh its advantages. It is risky to opt-in for the technology, because patient privacy is put at risk, and the aging population could also be eliminated in unethical means, that do not comply with nursing principles. The benevolence and non-maleficence principles in nursing both suggest that patients should be given quality care that makes them happy and seems generally good. Letting the aged suffer dues to the high costs of installing it will be against this; hence the technology has more to rectify before it is justified as an entirely effective and efficient innovation.

References

Ball, M. J., Hannah, K. J., & Douglas, J. V. (1995). Nursing informatics. Where caring and technology meet. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/bfm%253A978-1-84996-278-0%252F1.pdf

Graves, J. R., & Corcoran, S. (1989). The study of nursing informatics. Image: the journal of nursing scholarship, 21(4), 227-231. https://sigmapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1547-5069.1989.tb00148.

McCormick, K., & Saba, V. (2015). Essentials of nursing informatics. McGraw-Hill Education. https://lib.hpu.edu.vn/handle/123456789/32430

Samuel, P. (1984). Advantages and Disadvantages of Nursing Information Systems in Intensive Care. In Medical Informatics Europe 84 (pp. 742-745). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-93264-9_147