Importance of Informatics
Importance of Informatics
Erica Sears
Walden University NURS 6015, Section 3, Information and Healthcare Technologies Applied in Nursing
January 29, 2012
Introduction
Informatics is useful throughout everyday life. When someone is doing research on the internet, checking their personal email, or using a car’s navigation system they are using informatics. Informatics has become possible through the advancement of computer technology. The American Nurses Association (ANA) describes nursing informatics as the combination of nursing and computer science to help manage data and information within the nursing field (Newbold, n.d.). The purpose of this paper is to explore the benefits of informatics in the nursing field.
Paperwork vs. Informatics
Informatics has led to the decrease for paperwork that is necessary in the nursing world. There are several benefits to using computers instead of paper. For instance, from the eco-friendly perspective, computers lead to less paper thus saving trees. Using fewer trees benefits everything on Earth.
Another important way that computers have benefited society is the improvement of organization. The use of computers helps obtain organization with ease. Most states enforce a law stating to keep medical records for seven years after the patient’s last services at the facility or the patient’s death (Kasprak, n.d.). Prior to the use of electronic medical records, these records could be often located in large storage rooms that could possibly lead to the difficulty in locating the file. Locating files electronically is more efficient and easier.
Past Medical History Hospitals are using informatics to switch over to electronic records. This provides quick access to the patients past medical history. For example, if a patient comes in through the emergency room with nothing but their driver’s licenses, doctors and nurses would be able quickly access the medical records. This swiftness can potentially save lives. Most
Erica Sears
Walden University NURS 6015, Section 3, Information and Healthcare Technologies Applied in Nursing
January 29, 2012
Introduction
Informatics is useful throughout everyday life. When someone is doing research on the internet, checking their personal email, or using a car’s navigation system they are using informatics. Informatics has become possible through the advancement of computer technology. The American Nurses Association (ANA) describes nursing informatics as the combination of nursing and computer science to help manage data and information within the nursing field (Newbold, n.d.). The purpose of this paper is to explore the benefits of informatics in the nursing field.
Paperwork vs. Informatics
Informatics has led to the decrease for paperwork that is necessary in the nursing world. There are several benefits to using computers instead of paper. For instance, from the eco-friendly perspective, computers lead to less paper thus saving trees. Using fewer trees benefits everything on Earth.
Another important way that computers have benefited society is the improvement of organization. The use of computers helps obtain organization with ease. Most states enforce a law stating to keep medical records for seven years after the patient’s last services at the facility or the patient’s death (Kasprak, n.d.). Prior to the use of electronic medical records, these records could be often located in large storage rooms that could possibly lead to the difficulty in locating the file. Locating files electronically is more efficient and easier.
Past Medical History Hospitals are using informatics to switch over to electronic records. This provides quick access to the patients past medical history. For example, if a patient comes in through the emergency room with nothing but their driver’s licenses, doctors and nurses would be able quickly access the medical records. This swiftness can potentially save lives. Most