Medicine Has Changed Quickly With The Advent Of Digital Tech

medicine Has Changed Quickly With The Advent Of Digital Technologies

Medicine has changed quickly with the advent of digital technologies that seek to increase healthcare effectiveness and safety. Consequently, the field of nursing informatics has grown, fusing professional knowledge, ICT, and nursing to improve patient outcomes (Reid et al., 2021). A description of nursing informatics helps nurses who are interested in the field clarify their duties and provides guidelines for practice, instruction, training, and research. Furthermore, a definition is an essential part of national scope documents for the nursing informatics specialty. The use of information technology for tasks performed by nurses as part of their duties and being under the purview of nursing.

In other words, nursing informatics is the application of information technology by nurses in patient care, healthcare facility administration, or career education (Staggers, 2002). The field of nursing informatics blends nursing science with several information and analytical sciences to find, define, manage, and transfer data, information, knowledge, and wisdom in nursing practice. For many people, the main focus of healthcare informatics in general and nursing informatics specifically is technology. One example is the need that all healthcare facilities to have electronic health records (Association, 2014). As nurse innovators, practicing nurses, nursing administrators, nurse researchers, and nurse educators are needed to design, plan, and coordinate the application of technology and informatics theory in nursing.

Nursing Informatics Innovators and Their Contributions

Patricia Abbott, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI

Dr. Abbott is an associate professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing. With a background including a NIH-funded post-doctoral fellowship at the Human-Computer Interaction Laboratory, her research focuses on data analytics and knowledge discovery in healthcare data (Wieck, 2019). Her innovations contributed to establishing the Nursing Informatics Specialty, impacting practice through her involvement in defining standards and certification for the field. Her work on low-resource settings aims to improve healthcare access globally by developing error-reducing health information technology (Abbott, 2002).

Patricia Flatley Brennan, PhD, RN

Dr. Brennan serves as the director of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) at NIH, the world's largest biomedical library, and has pioneered integrating machine learning, AI, and health data science into healthcare advancements (NIH, 2022). She led projects like Project Health Design to foster patient-centered health record innovations and developed Virtual Reality experiences to enhance disease management and health literacy. Her leadership in creating digital health tools such as ComputerLink aims to support patients at home, improving recovery outcomes (National Institute of Nursing Research, 2022).

The Impact of Nursing Informatics on Healthcare and Nursing Practice

The integration of information technology into healthcare has revolutionized patient safety and care quality. Electronic health records (EHRs) have bridged the gap between nursing as a care provider and a scientific discipline, enhancing documentation, coordination, and clinical decision-making (Garcia-Dia, 2021). Technologies like electronic medication administration records (eMAR) and barcode medication administration (BCMA) have notably reduced medication errors, leading to better patient safety outcomes (Barakat & Franklin, 2020). These systems facilitate timely diagnosis, efficient communication, and comprehensive record-keeping, which are critical in modern nursing.

Furthermore, nursing informatics empowers nurses to analyze patient data effectively, enabling evidence-based practice and continuous quality improvement (Al Najjar & Shafie, 2022). It also fosters leadership and innovation, with roles for nurses to guide technology implementation, develop new tools, and influence healthcare policy. As informatics tools become more sophisticated—incorporating artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and telehealth—nurses' technological competencies are increasingly vital (Booth et al., 2021). In this way, nursing informatics is transforming nursing from purely caregiver roles into data-driven, strategic partners in healthcare management.

Personal Experience and Future Aspirations in Nursing Informatics

From my initial role utilizing handheld devices for vital signs documentation to adopting electronic charting and medication safety systems, I have observed firsthand how informatics enhances nursing workflows and patient safety. The implementation of BCMA, for example, significantly minimized medication errors, showcasing the importance of barcode technology in promoting safety and accuracy (Barakat & Franklin, 2020). Such experiences underpin my appreciation for informatics as a critical component of nursing practice.

I aspire to deepen my understanding of healthcare informatics by engaging in coursework, discussions, and practical applications such as data analysis and system evaluation. Developing competencies in informatics supports my goal of leading quality improvement projects, integrating new technologies into practice, and advocating for evidence-based digital solutions. According to the American Nurses Association (2015) and AACN (2006), nurse leaders with strong informatics skills can foster a culture of inquiry, facilitate collaboration, and advance innovation—strategies essential to modern nursing.

Ultimately, embracing informatics will enable me to contribute to safer, more efficient, and patient-centered care—aligning with the evolving landscape of healthcare technology and improving health outcomes on a broad scale.

References

• Abbott, P. (2002). Advances in nursing informatics. Nursing Outlook, 50(2), 90-94.
• American Nurses Association. (2015). Nursing Informatics: Scope and Standards of Practice. ANA Publications.
• Al Najjar, M., & Shafie, S. (2022). Benefits of healthcare information systems: A systematic review. Journal of Medical Systems, 46(3), 112.
• Association, A. H. C. (2014). The importance of electronic health records in modern healthcare. Healthcare Technology Today.
• Barakat, A. F., & Franklin, B. D. (2020). Impact of barcode medication administration on medication errors: A systematic review. Journal of Patient Safety & Medication Management, 13(2), 55-62.
• Garcia-Dia, E. (2021). EHR implementation and nursing practice transformation. Journal of Nursing Administration, 51(7-8), 385-391.
• National Institute of Nursing Research. (2022). Leveraging virtual reality for patient education and self-management. NINR Reports.
• Reid, R., et al. (2021). Advancing healthcare through nursing informatics: Current trends and future directions. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 53(4), 402-410.
• Staggers, N. (2002). A framework for understanding nursing informatics. Nursing Outlook, 50(4), 170-176.
• Wieck, K. (2019). Contributions of nursing informatics pioneers to healthcare innovation. Journal of Medical Informatics, 72, 49-55.