1. How is informatics used?
Nursing informatics is such a multifaceted specialty. One of the responsibilities of the informatics nurse-specialist is to
... [Show More] interpret or decode clinical and technical languages into standardized terminology. The main focus is to “promote meaningful, user-friendly, and patient-centered innovation while driving improved outcomes for the patients and enhance- clinical workflows for healthcare staff” (HIMSS, 2020, p.1). The informatics nurse specialist also ensures patient safety. Nursing informatics is also used as a support system for the nurse, patient, and other member’s within the interdisciplinary team.
2. Regarding the pre-TANIC self-assessment for this week, how did your perceived competency prior to the self-assessment compared to after the self-assessment? Explain in detail.
Prior to the pre-TANIC self-assessment, I felt that my computer competency skills were pretty low. Just the word informatics overwhelmed me, thinking of grids, graphs, and tables. I have taken informatics in the past, so I know that informatics has nothing to do with those components, but for some reason I allow myself to put making a table or graph and nursing informatics into the same category. I am capable of answering emails and searching the internet for quality information. The company I work for recently changed computer documentation systems and I had the opportunity in assisting rolling out this new system. Many of my peers come to with questions when it comes to documentation within the new system.
After taking the pre-TANIC self-assessment, I realized that I am more competent than I had allowed myself to believe. I selected proficient and competent more than I
expected. The questions on the survey asked about skills that I unknowingly use every day without second-guessing myself. Maneuvering through the EHR is a task that I can easily complete. There were some questions on this survey that answered novice to.
However, those questions will not impact the care and resources I provide my patients.
3. What TWO competencies do you use in your current clinical role? Provide examples.
In my current clinical role, one of the competencies that I use is computer literacy. Computer literacy is important to the role of nursing due to computerized documentation of patient assessments, vital signs, care plan, and patient education within the electronic health record. Improper charting may lead to inappropriate treatments to the patient. We also use secure chat to keep in touch with the provider and we can secure chat with the patient’s family, keeping them update to date on the patient status. Per our company policy we are to only give positive updates through this system. Chatting with families over secure chat is new for our hospital and has been implanted due to our no visitor policy during the pandemic.
Another competency that I use in my current clinical role is information literacy. Education is one of the most important actions of a nurse. Having the ability to provide the patient with up to date and accurate information is essential. Most hospitals have a place within their intranet that allows the nurse to retrieve educational material.
Unfortunately, not all the needed education material can be found within the system. Information literacy allows me to accurately pull information off the internet.
4. Identify TWO resources to develop a strategic plan to enhance your competency skills.
One of the resources I use to develop a strategic plan enhancing my competency skills is my peers. I believe this is important because each of us on my unit has a “skill” we are better at. Learning from each other not only enhances my competency skills but improves patient outcomes. Together we are able to assist new nurses with charting properly.
In our breakroom, we have textbooks, I utilize these textbooks especially when I am orienting a new graduate nurse, or I am training a nurse intern. The textbook and the clinical experience allow for a better understanding of the how’s and why’s our patient has experienced with their chief complaint, and ensuring that our documentation is accurate. Since we recently have switched over to the EPIC electronic health record, we have a tip sheet that has helped to enhance our competency skills within this new documentation system.
5. Which resources are suited to your needs and why?
Personally, the resource that is suited to my needs is talking it over with my peers.
Hearing other's perspectives and rationale for a situation gives that ah-ha moment and gives me a clearer understanding of what is going on with my patient while enhancing my overall competency skills.
6. How do you intend to enact this improvement plan?
To enact my plan, I believe it is important to evaluate my informatics competencies such as my computer skills and information literacy. From there I can see what programs my place of employment has to offer for training tools and resources. I [Show Less]