Introduction
Since its early years, nursing has continuously been at the forefront of healthcare, with technologies heavily impacting it. Nurses are directly involved in practically adopting cutting-edge technologies and novel techniques. In the last few decades, healthcare informatics has become one of the leading development directions, relying on modern digital solutions and integrated approaches to maximize care quality. Breakthroughs in information technologies have significantly changed how nursing care is administered, necessitating updates in academic curricula and training for nurses.
One of the most impactful achievements of nursing informatics is the broad implementation of connected health, combining different technological solutions to ease access to medical information for medical workers. Improving data collection, analysis, and patient observation capabilities have also significantly impacted public health, leading to better patient outcomes globally. Overall, the current trend of medical informatics development has the potential to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare through the use of modern technologies and novel approaches.
Informatics Nurses Today and in the Future
Today, nurses are directly involved with the adoption and implementation of modern digital solutions through nursing informatics. The role of an informatics nurse in a modern healthcare setting revolves around the practical application of relevant information technology and electronic data management to enhance the quality of care, optimize medical and administrative procedures, and improve patient outcomes (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2021). Informatics nurses connect healthcare providers with digital information systems, ensuring that electronic health records (EHRs), clinical decision support tools, and other technological solutions are effectively implemented and utilized in healthcare settings. They are also involved in designing, adopting, and maintaining these systems and technologies and training healthcare professionals on their use to facilitate their effective and smooth integration into clinical practice.
Nursing informatics in practice involves combining and synthesizing nursing science, computer science, and information science to develop and implement various approaches and technologies in the healthcare setting. In these conditions, informatics nurses play a vital role in establishing a proper training and practice framework involving healthcare professionals, including doctors and other nurses, technologies, organizations, and patients, for effective use of modern digital solutions. The responsibilities of informatics nurses in today’s clinical setting primarily include the adoption and integration of technology in nursing practice and providing necessary support and education to their subordinates and peers (Hislop et al., 2018). Moreover, they are involved in collaborative processes with other healthcare professionals and organizations, researching the impact of technology on professional nursing and patient outcomes to improve the current techniques and develop new solutions.
Considering the current rate of technological development, including the broad introduction of artificial intelligence systems for data analytics and patient outcome predictions, the future role of the informatics nurse is expected to expand and evolve. Primarily, they are likely to continue playing a crucial part in adopting and practically implementing emergent digital solutions, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, telehealth, and genomics, to further improve patients’ experience and outcomes (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2021). Furthermore, considering the challenges and opportunities of the previous decade, informatics nurses can potentially take on responsibilities related to data science, precision medicine, and population health management. However, such drastic expansion of duties and responsibilities will inevitably require additional training and updates in the academic curriculum, further increasing the value of professional informatics nurses.
Connected Health
Connected health refers to utilizing digital and automation technologies in clinical settings to enable the exchange of healthcare information and facilitate communication between patients, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders. Combining various connected devices, such as computers and smartphones, telemedicine platforms, mobile applications, special software, and other technologies and tools provides a broad range of possibilities and healthcare benefits (Hebda et al., 2019). Those include better coordination between medical personnel and facilities, improved patients’ access to healthcare, and encouraging their active participation in the process, allowing for further optimization through feedback and relevant updates.
In the post-pandemic world, healthcare practices are shifting toward safe and efficiency-enhancing approaches, mainly relying on remote communication and care. One of the classical technological solutions in this regard is telemedicine, allowing for real-time communication and consulting when in-person visits are not advisable or feasible (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2021). Telemedicine platforms significantly improve access to quality healthcare for patients from underserved and remote places, including rural areas, helping to bridge the healthcare access gap, which is especially prominent in gerontology (Lum et al., 2020). Reducing travel time and cost also leads to higher convenience and better patient healthcare engagement. However, the need for reliable internet connectivity and potential challenges for physical examination undermine some of the technology’s benefits.
With the falling prices and increasing efficiency of microelectronics, remote patient monitoring technologies have also been introduced into the telehealth framework, combining various connected devices to collect and transmit patient health data to healthcare providers. Wearable sensors, home monitoring systems, and medical implants are becoming increasingly popular, enabling continuous monitoring of vital signs, medication adherence, and other health metrics outside traditional healthcare settings (Koutoukidis & Stainton, 2020). This approach is especially beneficial in cases involving chronic diseases, such as diabetes, to ensure constant monitoring of relevant health data, helping to detect early warning signs, facilitating timely interventions, and improving disease management. However, this technology has some challenges, including data privacy concerns, potential discomfort for patients, and the need for proper data analysis capabilities.
Another example of modern nursing informatics achievements in terms of connected health is the broad use of electronic health records (EHRs). They have become an integral part of the healthcare industry, greatly enhancing the effectiveness of collecting, analyzing, managing, and sharing medical data within institutions and beyond. EHRs allow medical professionals to document patient information, track healing progress, and communicate with other healthcare providers, greatly optimizing the information exchange (Koutoukidis & Stainton, 2020).
Florence Nightingale’s practical experience and theoretical insights during and after her involvement as a nurse in army hospitals during the Crimean War has greatly shaped modern medical record keeping and influenced the field’s development direction in the information age (Spiegelhalter, 2019). Nowadays, EHRs allow for clear and concise collection, analysis, and representation of medical data with trained and knowledgeable professionals directly involved in the process. The main drawback of this technology is that it often has to be catered to specific institutions, requiring additional development and testing for each individual case.
Informatics in Public Health
Informatics has significantly impacted public health by improving data collection, analysis, and surveillance, as well as patient management and health behavior tracking. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the global public health system and challenged the established procedures and policies, requiring quick and efficient solutions. Informatics has played a critical role in providing frameworks for effectively managing and monitoring immunization programs involving large populations and limited material and human resources. Electronic immunization registries and vaccination information systems incorporated into existing EHRs allowed healthcare providers and public health agencies to track and manage immunization progress and evaluate vaccine efficacy. Combining these systems with mobile health applications allowed for real-time monitoring of the spread of disease, supporting targeted interventions to improve immunization rates.
Another aspect of informatics’ influence on public health lies in its role in providing healthcare providers with access to medical information on a large scale. Collecting and analyzing medical data through the internet, mobile applications and wearable technologies has allowed medical facilities and organizations to monitor populations’ health behavior globally. Data on physical activity, nutrition, daily habits, sleep patterns, and other relevant variables can be used to understand broad health trends, identify risk factors, and develop targeted health interventions. Additionally, health tracking can help predict and prevent disease outbreaks and greatly enhance the efficiency of public health in general. Moreover, broad access to computers and the internet allows healthcare facilities and organizations to carry out information campaigns, educating the population on health-related matters and promoting healthy lifestyles.
Finally, informatics is essential in developing scientific research in public health, facilitating easy access to a broad range of medical data and promoting collaboration between professionals, institutions, and organizations. Using data-driven approaches to analyze and understand global and local disease patterns, public health risk factors, and the effectiveness of interventions helps inform evidence-based public health. Moreover, combining scientific evidence and practical experience allows for continuous improvement and implementation of cutting-edge medical technologies, further enhancing public health. The results include improved patient outcomes, reduced public health costs, and eliminating the quality healthcare access gap worldwide.
Conclusion
Today, informatics nurses rely on a wide assortment of informatics tools and technologies to improve the quality of care and facilitate better patient outcomes, impacting public health globally. For example, the recent pandemic has encouraged many healthcare professionals, including nurses, to adopt remote healthcare solutions, such as mobile health apps and telehealth, to communicate with their patients safely. The use of such technologies helps properly trained nurses to reduce the need for in-person visits and, greatly improve access to quality care. Efficient and easy data management has the potential to greatly improve the performance inside various healthcare facilities worldwide, positively impacting public health and allowing for greater optimization and better health outcomes in different medical areas.
References
Hebda, T., Hunter, K., & Czar, P. (2019). Handbook of informatics for nurses and healthcare professionals (6th ed.). Pearson.
Hislop, D., Bosua, R., & Helms, R. (2018). Knowledge management in organizations: A critical introduction. Oxford university press.
Koutoukidis, G., & Stainton, K. (Eds.). (2020). Tabbner’s nursing care: Theory and practice. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Lum, H. D., Nearing, K., Pimentel, C. B., Levy, C. R., & Hung, W. W. (2020). Anywhere to anywhere: Use of telehealth to increase health care access for older, rural veterans. Public Policy & Aging Report, 30(1), 12-18. Web.
McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. (2021). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Spiegelhalter, D. (2019). What would Florence Nightingale make of big data? [Video]. BBC. Web.