The History of Healthcare Informatics
The History Behind Nursing Informatics
Jackie Bailey
Colorado Christian University
Prof. L. Rieg
CIS312A: Final Paper
September 26, 2012
The History Behind Nursing Informatics Nursing informatics (NI) has become a vital part of healthcare delivery and has become a defining factor in the selection, execution, and assessment of technology that supports safe, exceptional quality and patient-centered care. Nursing has become so uniform. The data in patient records has become a valuable resource and has improved assessments and overall patient care. Before the launch of nursing informatics throughout the second half of the 20th century there were not any real standards for language. The use of data restricted the function and effectiveness of any early informatics applications. Nurses began developing standardized language systems during the turn of the century. International collaborations involving different medical disciplines have led to the improvement of standards and have opened the door for strong and reliable information tools. Nurses have the ability to change and improve healthcare. They have the potential to change outcomes with the use of informatics. The use of this technology does require change; a change in the person, the institute, and the systems. Nurses are developing and applying informatics to find new knowledge and are improving the quality of care given on a global level (Edwards, H. 2011). Nurses have identified three important factors in nursing informatics: basic computer skills, informatics knowledge and information literacy (Thede, L. 2012). In the beginning there was Florence Nightingale. Not only did Nurse Nightingale pioneer the nursing profession she also started the first informatics in nursing. She stated ‘In an attempt to arrive at the truth, I have applied everywhere for information, but scarcely an instance have I been able to find hospital records fit for any purpose of comparison. If they could be
Jackie Bailey
Colorado Christian University
Prof. L. Rieg
CIS312A: Final Paper
September 26, 2012
The History Behind Nursing Informatics Nursing informatics (NI) has become a vital part of healthcare delivery and has become a defining factor in the selection, execution, and assessment of technology that supports safe, exceptional quality and patient-centered care. Nursing has become so uniform. The data in patient records has become a valuable resource and has improved assessments and overall patient care. Before the launch of nursing informatics throughout the second half of the 20th century there were not any real standards for language. The use of data restricted the function and effectiveness of any early informatics applications. Nurses began developing standardized language systems during the turn of the century. International collaborations involving different medical disciplines have led to the improvement of standards and have opened the door for strong and reliable information tools. Nurses have the ability to change and improve healthcare. They have the potential to change outcomes with the use of informatics. The use of this technology does require change; a change in the person, the institute, and the systems. Nurses are developing and applying informatics to find new knowledge and are improving the quality of care given on a global level (Edwards, H. 2011). Nurses have identified three important factors in nursing informatics: basic computer skills, informatics knowledge and information literacy (Thede, L. 2012). In the beginning there was Florence Nightingale. Not only did Nurse Nightingale pioneer the nursing profession she also started the first informatics in nursing. She stated ‘In an attempt to arrive at the truth, I have applied everywhere for information, but scarcely an instance have I been able to find hospital records fit for any purpose of comparison. If they could be