The Timing Of This Assignment Was Great Because I Spent 3 Ho

The Timing Of This Assignment Was Great Because I Spent 3 Hours In Tra

The timing of this assignment was great because I spent 3 hours in training on both Thursday 12/8, and Friday 12/9, with an Informaticist from my new facility. She is not actually a Nurse Informaticist but has a behavioral health background (I believe she was an LCPC) and works in informatics for Maine Behavioral Health (my new employer). She explained that she works as part of a team that includes another Informaticist with a behavioral health background and two Nurse Informaticists (who work for Maine Health, our parent entity). Since our assignment asks us to describe how the Informaticist interacts with others in the facility, and my experience in my new facility is limited to this past week of training, I will focus on what I experienced during my training sessions Thursday and Friday.

The Informaticist was extremely helpful and enthusiastic. She gave an overview of what Informatics was and was happy to hear I was in a class learning about Informatics. She provided very professional training on how to use Epic (our EHR) with an emphasis on treatment planning. Our assignment asks for suggestions for improvement. What I believe could be improved is this: I sat through a total of about 6 hours of training. While it gave me an introduction to the system, it was based on a hypothetical office visit that I will not be engaging in in my role. Although I took notes and retained some of the training, much of it would be difficult to recall and utilize because it was not aligned with my actual responsibilities. My suggestion is that EHR training should be integrated with real clinical workflows. Specifically, new nurses should learn how to use the system to perform tasks directly related to patient care they will provide.

McGonigle and Mastrian (2022) discuss Jean Watson’s caring theory, highlighting how nursing actions aimed at achieving better patient outcomes are part of a deeply person-to-person caring process. They emphasize putting the patient’s needs first and focusing on authentic, compassionate care rather than appearing overly engaged with technology at the expense of patient interaction. I believe that EHR training that prioritizes caring behaviors and emphasizes how technology can support these interactions would be more meaningful than simply demonstrating system features detached from real patient encounters.

Similarly, Mosier et al. (2019) underscore the importance of involving nurses in the development of informatics processes, as nurses have firsthand knowledge of clinical workflows and practical requirements. The training I received was based on a type of office visit unlikely to be encountered in my role, which suggests that involving a superuser or someone familiar with my specific tasks would enhance relevance and effectiveness. Shala et al. (2021) advocate for ongoing training and “at the elbow” support, which can facilitate better learning and confidence in EHR utilization through continuous mentorship and real-time assistance.

In my new role assisting with medical detox in a partial hospitalization program, I anticipate engaging in straightforward tasks such as taking vitals, administering assessments like the CIWA scale, reviewing medications, and pulling prescription reports. Using an EHR efficiently during these tasks is crucial. Having a superuser or mentor guide me through system use during actual patient interactions would greatly improve my competency. Jordan (2008) emphasizes that health information technology is constantly evolving, and as such, nurses must continually adapt and learn new skills to keep pace with technological growth and specialization within informatics.

In my facility, the presence of Nurse Informaticists and Behavioral Health Informaticists signals a shift toward specialized roles within nursing informatics. This trend necessitates that nurses develop competencies in communicating needs and collaborating effectively with informaticists and IT professionals. Sipes (2016) stresses the importance of comprehensive education for nurses in informatics so they can fully leverage technological tools to enhance patient care. Tiase (2022) extends this view by discussing the future role of nursing in promoting health equity and addressing social determinants of health through data analytics. He underscores the importance of nurse competency in informatics as vital to advancing public health goals and ensuring equitable care.

In conclusion, my initial training experience highlights the need for more practical, workflow-aligned, and caring-centered EHR education. Integrating clinical workflows into training, providing ongoing mentorship, and fostering collaboration among nurses and informatics teams will enhance nurses’ ability to utilize health IT effectively. Preparing nurses for the technological evolution and expanding roles within informatics is essential for delivering safe, person-centered, and equitable care in the future healthcare landscape.

References

• Jordan, A. G. (2008). Frontiers of research and future directions in information and communication technology. Technology in Society, 30(3), 388–396.
• McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2022). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (5th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
• Mosier, S., Roberts, W. D., & Englebright, J. (2019). A Systems-Level Method for Developing Nursing Informatics Solutions: The Role of Executive Leadership. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 49(11).
• Shala, D. R., Jones, A., Alexander, N., Young, S., & Fairbrother, G. (2021). Responding to the Challenge of a Pandemic: The Rapid Conversion of Electronic Medical Record Training for Nurses From Classroom-Based Instructional Learning to a Blended Learning Approach in a Large Multisite Organization. Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 39(4), 171–175.
• Sipes, C. (2016). Project management: Essential skill of nurse informaticists. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, 225.
• Tiase, V. L. (2022). The Future of Nursing 2030: Informatics Implications. Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 40(4), 228–229.