CIS450 Assignment Mod 8:

Running head: APPLICATION OF TECHNOLOGY IN NURSING 1

APPLICATION OF TECHNOLOGY IN NURSING 2

Application of technology in nursing

Jadiam Lopez

Aspen University

Dr. Bonny Kehm

CIS450

09/10/2020

Introduction

Data mining in the healthcare sector is essentially the process of analyzing massive information in healthcare to determine trends and patterns, which can be extrapolated into insight. Data analytics has become popular due to advancements in technology and has attained wide adoption in the healthcare system (Dinov, 2018). Insights obtained from analyzed from a healthcare system can be essential in timely disease identification, early diagnosis, and accessible analysis of patients' medical history for better healthcare provision. I will analyze information about sufficient storage and analysis through Electronic Health Records (EHRs) as a big data application in the healthcare system.

Q1. Importance of big data and data mining in a healthcare system.

An electronic health record (EHR) is a digital representation of the patient's health record, including the patient's health history, investigation, physical examination, and treatment. It also facilitates smooth transmission of information in the hospitals among the physicians since it reduces paperwork. (EHR) provide storage for critical administrative data like radiology information, immunization, interpretive signs, demographics, laboratory information, and past medical history. The electronic health record automatically retrieves the facility information and can streamline the health facility workflows. The (EHR) also supports care-related activities, such as outcome reports, health quality management, and evidence-based decision support.

Electronic health records' main goal is to provide and strengthen the relationship between healthcare providers and their clients. Patients are always eager to share their health conditions when the friendship between the healthcare provider and the patient is assured. A healthy relationship created through the use of the electronic health record has made patients reluctant to sue the medical providers if there is a mistake made by a nurse during treatment.

The other primary goal of the (EHR) is information about a particular patient available as soon as it is required. Through the software, the patient's past data is stored and quickly retrieved; it has ensured that the duplication of the patient's test is avoided (Carter, 2008). Easy retracement of the patient's information has reduced the delay within the medical facility, hence the development confidence of patients towards the medical facility.

The other main goal of the healthcare software is to avoid errors which occur in treatments. The software has drastically improved the clarity and accuracy of the data on medical records. Moreover, prescription of medication has been made easier through the software. The healthcare personnel can study the history of the patient and avoid duplicates in laboratory testing. However, if data is not well recorded when stored, it might not reflect the patient's actual health conditions. Therefore, it is essential for the person registering the data in the (EHR) to be keen since the record could be used if the client was to go back to the health organization seeking medication.

With the current advancement in technology in the health facility, training students on the software's use and application remain critical to their career success. Students in the clinical field will, for sure, encounter healthcare software after entering their profession, where they will be required to use the software to facilitate quality healthcare. Therefore, to impart knowledge to the clinical students on the use of the (EHR), the healthcare fraternity has developed Academic Electronic Health Records.

Q2. Concept of continuity planning.

Health emergencies such as epidemics, a disaster such as a flood and an earthquake, and other catastrophic scenarios continue to post a significant threat in the health care system. Lack of planning to uncertainties in the healthcare system makes a healthcare facility unable to maintain its operational capability, provide care to its community, and maintain quality healthcare provision. It is, therefore, essential for any healthcare organization to maintain continuity in planning to a crisis.

Most healthcare organization embraces planning procedure outline by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The concept of continuity planning involves a collaborative exercise that requires all stakeholders' views in the healthcare organization, including the community. Planning also considers all threats and hazards. Planning ensures an analytical and logical problem-solving process that comprehensively addresses uncertainty and complexity for anticipated risks and dangers. According to FEMA, planning should be flexible enough to cater for both catastrophic and traditional incidences. Effective planning should clearly outline supportive goals and mission.

The concept of continuity planning involves three main planning steps: strategic, operational, and tactical. Strategic planning requires the management of emergencies with a long term view. Strategic planning is monitored by senior management in a healthcare system. Operational planning needs healthcare management to set responsibilities, roles, integration, and personnel in case of an emergency. Tactical planning is essentially incorporated to ensure effectiveness in managing resources, equipment, and personnel since they play the primary role in emergency occurrence.

Moreover, continuity planning requires healthcare organizations to provide pre-incident tactical planning through continuous training of the emergency team before a disaster, providing the organization a chance to pre-identify training equipment, exercises, and personnel. Healthcare organization needs to continue updating planning strategies sets for effective crisis management.

Due to the emergency of airborne diseases like in the Spanish flu and the current COVID 19, which have been affecting the human race for many years, I would recommend for preparedness program to manage epidemics associated with the airborne disease. I would come with strategies to create sufficient bed space and buying of more face mask. I would also ensure healthcare personnel gets continuous training on how to hand epidemics associated with airborne diseases. From the pandemic we are facing today, many healthcare personnel has lost their lives due to inadequate training on how to handle the condition.

As a manager, I would also make sure there is a fund set aside for emergency response. For instance, some of the funds contributed to the healthcare facility by philanthropists, private, state, and federal should be saved to cater for emergence if they are to occur. I would also strengthen communication strategies to ensure accurate information is conveyed to the intended people. During a crisis, many people share inaccurate information, which ended up harming the public and healthcare providers.

As a manager, I would also try to increase patient care capacity where the organization will be able to cater to incoming patients who are victims of an emergency, treatment, triage, and registration. When there is a crisis, patients suffering from usual diseases are left without a healthcare provider to cater to them. The preparedness program will ensure that every patient from which they are suffering from is getting medication as required.

Q3. Use of informatics in healthcare education.

Informatics is the study structure and behavior of any computer-related system that stores, generates process, and presents data in a more straightforward way. Informatics is essentially the science of information. Informatics considers the interaction between the user and the information system (IS) and the creation of an interface between the users and IS, for instance, the user interface.

Informatics allows nurses to collect, store, convey, manage, and transform data into information used in the decision making process. Due to advancements in technology, healthcare organizations are using informatics to make work easier during healthcare provision. Informatics has enabled an organization to manage the history of health condition data to allow the healthcare provider to provide care based on the evidence-based data. On the other hand, nursing schools are currently also using informatics in nursing students' education.

For nursing students to use informatics effectively during learning, there are introduced to basic computer knowledge (Gilliland, Mcneill, Goei & Jones, 2010). They are taught how to use the spreadsheet program, database, and word processors. Nursing informatics in learning aims at proficiency in data management and communication concerning one practice.

The main advantage of using informatics in educating nursing students is that students can learn through the internet event when there is a pandemic like the current one. The other significant advantage of using informatics in delivering education to nursing students is that students from remote areas taking online classes can still gain nursing knowledge. Online education also enables students to interact with other students from other nursing universities and colleges from different geographical regions through online discussion, hence enhancing social professionalism.

A nurse student can gain skills to work in interdisciplinary teams by interacting with other students through group chats, group discussion threads, and videoconferencing. Using online research from case studies and literature provide a student nurse with the knowledge to value and embrace research to evidence-based nursing practice in the actual care provision in a healthcare organization. Additionally, student nurses' online study gives them the ability to differentiate between verified and fake information sources through peer reinforcement. Incorporating informatics in educating student nurses, for instance, when instructors involve cutting-edge technology enables students to become technological experts.

The main drawback of using informatics to educate student nurses is that the instructor may not know and handle the students' needs. Using technology that a student was not taught how to use can be stressful and compromise education quality. Notably, online education may prevent an instructor from promoting a caring atmosphere for a nurse student and hence fail to impact students with the affective domain of nursing education.

In my opinion, the use of informatics to provide education in nursing students is a viable technique. Students from very remote areas can still acquire knowledge and hence leading to equality. Suppose nurse students fail to incorporate and embrace emerging technologies. In that case, they may end up facing challenges during the actual care provision in a healthcare organization since organizations across the globe are embracing the new technologies.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the healthcare system needs to take advantage of the growing technology and apply it to the healthcare system. Nursing schools should develop programs to teach students how to use emerging technologies in the healthcare organization. Students' technological knowledge will gain from their nursing school will help them to hander crisis associated with technology application during actual care provision in a healthcare organization.

References

Carter, J. H. (2008). Electronic health records: A guide for clinicians and administrators. ACP Press.

Dinov, I. D. (2018). Data science and predictive analytics: Biomedical and health applications using R. Springer.

Gilliland, I., Mcneill, J., Goei, K., & Jones, M. E. (2010). Educating clinical nurse specialist students at a distance. Clinical Nurse Specialist, 24(2), 94. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.nur.0000348928.43177.b8