TN003 Data to Information to Knowledge to Wisdom

Student Name

Western Governors University

D029 Informatics for Transforming Nursing Care

Prof. Name:

Date

Practice Statement

As an aspiring Informatics Nurse Specialist (INS), I recognize the profound influence that technological advancements, especially the transition from traditional paper records to Electronic Health Records (EHRs), have had on nursing. Alongside this transition, the introduction of Standardized Nursing Terminologies (SNTs) has significantly advanced the nursing profession. This paper explores the critical role of data and information in the development of nursing knowledge, the variability of knowledge across different healthcare systems, and how such differences impact nursing standards. Additionally, it examines the importance of SNTs, highlighting both their advantages and challenges in clinical application.

How Do Data and Information Contribute to Knowledge in Nursing Practice?

Data and information collected through nursing documentation—whether in paper format or electronically stored in EHRs—are foundational elements in building nursing knowledge. These records provide insights into how nurses approach problem-solving and measure the effectiveness of nursing interventions. Collecting relevant data, synthesizing it with existing knowledge, analyzing patient scenarios, and sharing this information with healthcare teams form the core of nursing practice. This ongoing cycle, reflected in nursing documentation, serves as a measurable indicator of care quality.

Both researchers and Informatics Nurse Specialists utilize data from various documentation formats to assess and standardize nursing care quality. This practice helps expand the overall knowledge base within nursing, improving clinical decisions and patient outcomes (Glassman, 2017; McGonigle & Mastrian, 2017).

What Standards Exist for Nursing Documentation?

The variety in health record systems across institutions, including the adoption of EHRs, has driven the need for standardized nursing documentation. Before 1973 and the establishment of the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA), there was no universal nursing language to describe care (Rutherford, 2008). Since then, several sets of Standardized Nursing Terminologies have been approved by the American Nurses Association to fill this void.

The inconsistent understanding of nursing concepts underscored the necessity for a standardized language, which also facilitates nursing research. Healthcare organizations have since adopted SNTs to support evidence-based practice and improve care quality (Macieira et al., 2017).

What Are Standardized Nursing Terminologies (SNTs), and Why Are They Important?

SNTs are standardized data elements integrated into EHRs, representing a “common language” that supports the nursing profession and advances big data science (The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, 2017; Macieira et al., 2017). Using SNTs in documentation ensures consistent language across healthcare systems, making data sharing and comparison more efficient.

This standardized terminology helps demonstrate the impact of nursing interventions on patient outcomes and promotes nursing research (Lundberg et al., 2008; Rutherford, 2008). By transforming patient care documentation into structured, retrievable data, SNTs encapsulate nursing practice and clinical judgment, which is vital for ongoing research and improving care standards.

What Are the Benefits and Challenges of Implementing SNTs?

The implementation of SNTs brings several advantages as well as challenges. Below is a table summarizing these aspects:

Benefits of SNT Implementation	Challenges of SNT Implementation
Facilitates nursing-specific research, advancing practice knowledge (Macieira et al., 2017)	Requires initial training and adaptation by nursing staff
Standardizes nursing language for clear communication and data sharing	Possible resistance to change from nurses accustomed to traditional documentation
Enables faster data retrieval and processing, saving time and reducing workload	Technical difficulties with EHR integration and interoperability
Enhances evidence-based practice and quality improvement efforts	Ongoing need for updates and maintenance of terminologies

The use of SNTs accelerates knowledge development in nursing and simplifies data management compared to unstructured documentation formats. Despite initial challenges such as training and system integration, the long-term benefits include time savings and improved quality of care.

Conclusion

For an aspiring Informatics Nurse Specialist, understanding the benefits and potential obstacles related to SNTs is crucial. Developing expertise in nursing informatics and gaining familiarity with current SNT frameworks will be invaluable in both academic and professional contexts. Equipped with this knowledge, future INSs are well-positioned to drive meaningful improvements in EHR systems and ultimately enhance patient outcomes.

References

Abdelhak, M., Grostick, S., & Hanken, M. A. (2014). Health information management of a strategic resource. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Glassman, K. S. (2017). Using data in nursing practice. American Nurse Today, 12(11).

Lundberg, C., Warren, J., Brokel, J., Bulechek, G., Butcher, H., McCloskey Dochterman, J., … & Spisla, C. (2008). Selecting a standardized terminology for the electronic health record that reveals the impact of nursing on patient care. Online Journal of Nursing Informatics, 12(2).

Macieira, T. G. R., Smith, M. B., Davis, N., Yao, Y., Wilkie, D., Lopez, K. D., & Keenan, G. (2017). Evidence of progress in making nursing practice visible using standardized nursing data: A systematic review. AMIA Annual Symposium Proceedings, 1205–1214.