Informatics Competencies Assignment Paper

Informatics Competencies Assignment Paper

Informatics Competencies

Nursing informatics is a discipline that is still evolving. Yet, there is a set of core skills and knowledge that applies to all individuals who work as nurse informaticists and many competencies that are specific to informatics roles, positions, tasks, and responsibilities. For example, a nurse informaticist who works as a consultant for a health care technology company and a nurse informaticist who works as a professor at a university will share much of the same expertise and knowledge. However, they will also have distinct competencies specific to their unique roles.

In this Discussion, you explore informatics competencies within the informatics functional area you selected for the Week 1 Assignment.

To prepare:

• Review nursing informatics competencies such as those outlined by the American Nurses Association (ANA), the Technology Informatics Guiding Education Reform (TIGER), and the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN).
• Review this week’s media presentation Competencies for Nurse Informaticists, and reflect on the competencies outlined by the presenters.
• Recall the informatics functional area you identified in the Week 1 Assignment. With this in mind, what competencies would be most important for you to master? How might you go about developing these competencies?
• Create a list of competencies you would like to master.

Post on Tuesday 06/21/16 a minimum of 550 words in APA format with 3 references addressing the level one headings below:

1)  A brief description of the informatics functional area in which you are interested

 2) Then, identify at least four ANA, TIGER and/or QSEN competencies that you believe to be vital for success in this functional area, and justify your choices.

3) Explain how you might successfully develop and master each of these competencies

Informatics Competencies Assignment Paper Required Resources

Readings

• American Nurses Association. (2015). Nursing informatics: Scope and standards of practice (2nd ed.). Silver Spring, MD: Author.

  Read the following chapter:

  • “Informatics Competencies: Spanning Careers and Roles ”

    In this section, the authors explain the competencies necessary for nurse informaticists to be successful. The section also highlights which competencies are applicable for various informatics roles and functional areas.

• Saba, V. K., & McCormick, K. A. (2015). Essentials of nursing informatics (6th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
  • Chapter 2, “Computer Hardware”

    This chapter discusses introduces the basics of computer hardware used for nursing informatics.

  • Chapter 4, “Computer Software”
    This chapter introduces computer software, as well as the programs that are most relevant to nursing informatics.
  • Chapter 11, System Life Cycle: A Framework”

    In this chapter, the authors introduce the systems life cycle (SDLC) and its stages. These stages are often used by organizations for large-scale projects, such as implementing or upgrading health information technology.

  • Chapter 13, “System Life Cycle Tools”

    Chapter 13 focuses on the tools needed to assist with each phase of the System Life Cycle. Successful implementation projects require clinical expertise as well as technical knowledge from nurse informaticists.

  • Chapter 9, “Computer Interaction ”

    This chapter explains the need for nurses to be informed about human-machine interactions to prevent unintended consequences. Increased awareness of these factors can result in improved performance and outcomes in nursing informatics and other technologies.

• Preheim, G. J., Armstrong, G. E., & Barton, A. J. (2009). The new fundamentals in nursing: Introducing beginning quality and safety education for nurses’ competencies. The Journal of Nursing Education, 48(12), 694–697.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

   

  This article discusses the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) initiative and its six competencies, including informatics, that are essential for nursing practice. The authors emphasize that nursing education should shift from task-training and development to more current skills and competencies for informatics and patient-centered care.

• Quality and Safety Education for Nurses. (2012). Informatics. Retrieved from
•  http://qsen.org/competencies/graduate-ksas/#informatics

   

  Access this website to explore the knowledge, skills, and attitudes expected of informatics graduates.

• Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society. (2015). Informatics competencies for every practicing nurse: Recommendations from the TIGER Collaborative. Retrieved from
•  http://www.thetigerinitiative.org/docs/TigerReport_InformaticsCompetencies.pdf

  This comprehensive report provides you with an overview of the TIGER collaborative as well as informatics competencies.

Media

• Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012a). Competencies for nurse informaticists. Baltimore: Author. 

  Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 10 minutes.

  In this week’s media presentation, Gail Latimer, Dr. Patricia Button, and Dr. Roy Simpson overview the progress that the ANA and the TIGER initiative have made in outlining key informatics competencies. In addition, each presenter identifies competencies that he or she believes to be vital to working in the informatics field. Informatics Competencies Assignment Paper.

SAMPLE ANSWER

Informatics Competencies in Healthcare

Introduction

In the world of healthcare, there is a constant need for improvement. Whether it’s developing new treatments for diseases or finding ways to make the delivery of care more efficient, those working in the healthcare field are always looking for ways to do things better. Informatics is one area that has the potential to make a significant impact on the quality of patient care. By definition, informatics is the study of the structure and behavior of complex systems. In healthcare, this means using data and technology to improve patient care. ###

What are Informatics Competencies?

Informatics is a relatively new field that has emerged in response to the ever-increasing role of technology in healthcare. Informatics is concerned with the efficient and effective use of information and technology to support the delivery of healthcare.

There are many different informatics competencies that healthcare professionals can develop, but some of the most important include:

• Health information systems – knowledge of how to design, implement and use health information systems to support the delivery of care.

• Data management – skills in managing and analyzing large data sets, often using sophisticated software tools.

• Decision support – ability to use data and analytics to help clinicians make better decisions about patient care.

• Clinical workflow analysis – understanding of how clinical workflows can be optimized using informatics techniques.

Developing these and other informatics competencies can help healthcare professionals improve the quality and efficiency of care they deliver, as well as the patient experience.

The Importance of Informatics Competencies in Healthcare

Informatics is a relatively new field that is constantly evolving. As such, it is important for healthcare professionals to keep up with the latest changes and developments in informatics in order to ensure they are providing the best possible care for their patients.

There are many different aspects to informatics, and each one is important in its own way. However, there are some core competencies that all healthcare professionals should possess in order to be able to effectively use informatics in their practice.

Some of the most important competencies include:

-An understanding of how electronic health records (EHRs) work and how to use them effectively.
-The ability to find and use online resources, including clinical decision support tools and patient education materials.
-The ability to use data mining and analytics techniques to improve patient care.
-The ability to manage and protect patient data according to HIPAA regulations.

What Informatics Competencies do Healthcare Professionals Need?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the necessary informatics competencies for healthcare professionals will vary depending on their specific roles and responsibilities within the healthcare system. However, there are some general skills and knowledge areas that all healthcare informatics professionals should possess.

Some of the key competencies that healthcare informatics professionals need include:

1. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills: Healthcare informatics professionals need to be able to understand and analyze complex data sets, identify patterns and trends, and use this information to solve problems and improve patient care.

2. Knowledge of healthcare data standards: In order to effectively manage and utilize healthcare data, informatics professionals need to be familiar with various data standards used in the industry, such as HL7 and ICD-10.

3. Familiarity with different types of health information technology (HIT) systems: Healthcare organizations use a variety of different HIT systems, ranging from electronic health records (EHRs) to clinical decision support tools. Informatics professionals need to be familiar with how these different types of systems work in order to optimize their use in the delivery of care.

4. Strong communication and collaboration skills: Given the interdisciplinary nature of informatics, strong communication and collaboration skills are essential in order to effectively work with colleagues from other disciplines.

5. A dedication to lifelong learning: The field of healthcare informatics is constantly evolving, so it

How to Develop Informatics Competencies in Healthcare Professionals

There is a growing need for healthcare professionals to be competent in informatics. Informatics is the study of how people interact with computers and other technology to generate, process, store, and use information. Healthcare professionals use informatics to support patient care, clinical decision making, research, and public health.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has identified five core informatics competencies that all healthcare professionals should possess:

1. Basic concepts of informatics and information systems
2. Use of computers and digital devices
3. Data management and analytics
4. Informatics applications in healthcare
5. Interprofessional collaboration in healthcare

These competencies can be acquired through formal education or on-the-job training. Formal educational programs in informatics are available at the undergraduate and graduate level. On-the-job training can be obtained through internships, residencies, fellowships, or continuing medical education courses.

Healthcare organizations can also promote informatics competence among their employees by offering internal training programs or by providing access to online resources such as e-learning modules, webinars, podcasts, and articles.

Conclusion

Healthcare informatics is a complex and rapidly-growing field, which is why it’s so important for healthcare professionals to have the right skills and knowledge. With the right training, healthcare professionals can be equipped to make a real difference in the quality of patient care. We hope that this article has helped to highlight some of the key competencies that are needed in healthcare informatics, and we encourage you to learn more about this exciting field.