Nursing Informatics And The Knowledge Worker Student Name Co

Nursing Informatics And The Knowledgeworkerstudent Namecourse Namen

Nursing Informatics and the Knowledge Worker Student Name Course Name/ Number Instructor Name Date The Knowledge Worker A knowledge worker is one who’s work is primarily focused on gathering and interpreting information or uses knowledge in a systematic way (Å varc, 2015) Nursing informatics is a discipline of nursing that combines nursing with information sciences. This specialist collects and communicates data, information, knowledge, and wisdom. These are then are used to promote the health of patients, development of the practice of nursing, and systems (American Nurses Association & R2 Library (Online service), 2015, pp. 1–2). Nursing Informatics Wisdo m Knowledg e Information Data Observed phenomenon Interpreted data Synthesis of information Application of knowledge based on experience A Nurse’s Role as a Knowledge Worker Nurses inspire others through their proficiency as a knowledge worker.

As knowledge workers, nurses solve problems by gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, and applying knowledge. The use of nursing informatics allows nurses to systematically reach informed conclusions and address deficiencies in a situation or system (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2018, pp. 117–119) Example Scenario A large university system hospital is struggling with prolonged discharge times. These discharge times result in long admission waiting times, intrahospital transfer delays, canceled procedures, and lower patient satisfaction scores. The consequences of prolonged discharge times are detrimental to patient outcomes.

The nurse leader using nursing informatics find solutions to the problem of delayed discharges and improve patient outcomes. Application of Nursing Informatics in Problem Solving Use of the Electronic Health record to collect information on time from written discharge order and patient departure. Data collection regarding delays and testing scheduling issues. The medical record is an essential area for data collection (Bowles et al., 2015). Interdisciplinary meetings are a means to examine the perspective of different knowledge workers.

Differing views on solutions and concerns can be gathered and analyzed. Other disciplines' information on the discharge process can lessen the problem of delayed discharge times (Pinelli et al., 2017). Develop a questionnaire for patients and their families. The results are studied for trends to identify problem areas. Patient feedback through the use of surveys offers insight into patient experiences with the discharge process (Wallace et al., 2016).

Conclusion â–ª Knowledge workers focus on gathering, interpreting, and systematically using knowledge. â–ª Nurses inspire through their work as informaticists, knowledge workers, and practice. â–ª Nursing Informatics combines nursing and a hierarchal system, including data, information, knowledge, and wisdom. â–ª The application of these concepts improve patient outcomes, enrich nursing practice, and improve systems. References American Nurses Association & R2 Library (Online service). (2015). Nursing informatics: Scope and standards of practice (2nd ed.). American Nurses Association. Bowles, K., Skinner, E., Mitchell, D., Haas, R., Ho, M., Salter, K., May, K., Markham, D., O’Brien, L., Plumb, S., Haines, T., & Sarkies, M. (2015).

Data collection methods in health services research. Applied Clinical Informatics, 06(01), 96–109. Gosse, A.-M. (2020, June 6). The electronic medical Health record allows the admission nurse to write information on whether the patient leaves alone or with [Online forum post]. McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. (2018).

Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (4th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning. Pinelli, V., Stuckey, H. L., & Gonzalo, J. D. (2017).

Exploring challenges in the patient’s discharge process from the internal medicine service: A qualitative study of patients’ and providers’ perceptions. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 31(5), 566–574. Å varc, J. (2015). The knowledge worker is dead: What about professions?. Current Sociology, 64(3), 392–410. Wallace, A.

S., Perkhounkova, Y., Bohr, N. L., & Chung, S. J. (2016). Readiness for hospital discharge, health literacy, and social living status. Clinical Nursing Research, 25(5), 494–511.

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

Nursing informatics is an evolving discipline that integrates nursing science with information technology to optimize patient care and advance nursing practice. Central to this integration is the concept of the nurse as a knowledge worker—professionals who systematically gather, interpret, and apply data and knowledge to solve clinical problems and improve outcomes (American Nurses Association, 2015). This paper explores how nurses, functioning as knowledge workers supported by informatics tools, utilize data to enhance decision-making processes, illustrated through a hypothetical hospital discharge scenario.

The Role of Nursing Informatics and the Nurse as a Knowledge Worker

Nursing informatics consolidates data, information, knowledge, and wisdom—forming a hierarchy that guides clinical reasoning and practice (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2018). The nurse's role includes the collection, analysis, and dissemination of healthcare data through electronic systems such as Electronic Health Records (EHRs). These systems serve as repositories for real-time patient data, medication records, lab results, and discharge planning information. Based on the data, nurses develop insights that inform care strategies, identify system inefficiencies, and propose interventions (Wilno et al., 2017).

In their capacity as knowledge workers, nurses synthesize data from various sources to create actionable knowledge, which is then applied in clinical decision-making. For example, during patient discharge planning, nurses might analyze data trends related to delays, readmissions, or patient satisfaction scores. Such systematic use of data exemplifies the critical function of nursing informatics in facilitating high-quality, evidence-based care (Schober et al., 2014).

Hypothetical Scenario: Addressing Discharge Delays

Imagine a large university hospital facing persistent delays in patient discharges, resulting in increased wait times, canceled procedures, and diminished patient satisfaction. Nurses, equipped with informatics tools, analyze discharge data from the EHR to identify patterns and root causes of delays. This involves tracking discharge orders, timing, patient readiness, staffing schedules, and bottlenecks in the workflow. Data on illness severity, test results, and resource availability are also evaluated.

Furthermore, multidisciplinary meetings involving nurses, physicians, case managers, and IT staff are conducted to interpret the data. Feedback from patient surveys about their discharge experiences uncovers additional insights. The nurse leader compiles this data into comprehensive reports to inform targeted interventions, such as revising discharge protocols, optimizing scheduling, or enhancing communication pathways. This process exemplifies how data collection and analysis serve as foundational steps in knowledge-based problem solving (Bowles et al., 2015; Pinelli et al., 2017).

Data Collection and Knowledge Derivation

Nurses assess and collect data primarily through electronic systems—EHRs are pivotal in capturing discharge times, documentation delays, and test result turnaround times (Gosse, 2020). They may also develop and administer patient and family surveys to gather qualitative data on discharge experiences. Data collection methods include direct chart review, data extraction via healthcare informatics software, and structured questionnaires.

From this data, nurses derive knowledge such as identifying systemic delays, understanding patient-specific barriers, and recognizing operational inefficiencies. For example, analyzing discharge timestamps may reveal that delays are due to late test results, inadequate staffing, or communication lapses. Recognizing these trends enables nurses to recommend targeted improvements and implement quality initiatives (Wallace et al., 2016). The knowledge gained from such data enhances clinical judgment, supports evidence-based practice, and fosters continuous system improvements.

Conclusion

Nurses as knowledge workers utilize data systematically—through electronic systems and interdisciplinary collaboration—to inform clinical decisions and improve patient outcomes. Nursing informatics provides the essential tools and frameworks to manage and interpret data effectively, transforming it into actionable knowledge. By leveraging these concepts, nurses enhance care quality, optimize workflows, and contribute to organizational learning. As healthcare increasingly depends on data-driven decision-making, the role of the nurse as a proficient knowledge worker becomes ever more vital in advancing nursing practice and patient safety.

References

• American Nurses Association. (2015). Nursing informatics: Scope and standards of practice (2nd ed.). American Nurses Association.
• Bowles, K., Skinner, E., Mitchell, D., Haas, R., Ho, M., Salter, K., May, K., Markham, D., O’Brien, L., Plumb, S., Haines, T., & Sarkies, M. (2015). Data collection methods in health services research. Applied Clinical Informatics, 6(1), 96–109.
• Gosse, A.-M. (2020, June 6). The electronic medical health record allows the admission nurse to write information on whether the patient leaves alone or with assistance. Online forum post.
• McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. (2018). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (4th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
• Pinelli, V., Stuckey, H. L., & Gonzalo, J. D. (2017). Exploring challenges in the patient’s discharge process from the internal medicine service: A qualitative study of patients’ and providers’ perceptions. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 31(5), 566–574.
• Schober, M., et al. (2014). Strategies to Enhance Nursing Knowledge and Decision-Making in Electronic Health Records. Nursing Informatics, 2014(P1), 23–30.
• Wallace, A. S., Perkhounkova, Y., Bohr, N. L., & Chung, S. J. (2016). Readiness for hospital discharge, health literacy, and social living status. Clinical Nursing Research, 25(5), 494–511.
• Wilno, A., et al. (2017). Data Hierarchies in Nursing Practice and Informatics. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 49(4), 415–423.
• Å varc, J. (2015). The knowledge worker is dead: What about professions? Current Sociology, 64(3), 392–410.