The science and practice of integrating nursing knowledge and information with technology to integrate and manage health information is referred to as informatics in the nursing practice. The ultimate goal of informatics in the field of nursing is to enhance the health of communities and people while minimizing costs. In order to communicate, manage, define, and identify wisdom, knowledge, information, and data in nursing, Georgsson (2020) states that nursing informatics is a specialty that integrates nursing science with various analytical sciences and information management.
It supports healthcare stakeholders, nurses, the interprofessional healthcare team, patients, and consumers in making decisions in every setting and role to attain desired results through information structures, information processes, and information technology. My vision for the future of informatics in nursing practice includes the use of telenursing, telemedicine, and the exchange of information between different hospitals without restrictions from unavailability of power and poor infrastructure.
The medical field has an insatiable demand for computerization and knowledge in the nursing sector. It is, therefore, imperative for future fundamental training and recruitment programs for nurses to be inclusive of concepts that elaborate the significant role played by computer technology in the practice of clinical medicine. As stated by Vernic (2019), information technology, information processes, and information structures, for instance, the use of electronic patient records (EPRs), will provide nurses with access to patient information. Moreover, it will provide patients with healthcare educational materials and information.
Telenursing, also called telehealth nursing is the utilization of technology to deliver nursing services through mobile devices and computers. The accessibility and availability of mobile devices will make telenursing more prevalent. Currently, telenursing is being used in developed countries but not extensively. As a result, I foresee a future whereby remote monitoring using devices such as Bluetooth-connected blood pressure monitors, wireless ultrasound, phone calls, and video conferencing will predominantly be adopted worldwide. As a result, the mortality rate of patients will be reduced, efficiency, and reliability in healthcare will be enhanced.
Telemedicine refers to the adoption of technology like messaging, computers, phones, and video by medical professionals for the diagnosis and treatment of patients. The concept allows doctors to evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients remotely through secure audio and video connections. Most rich people are practicing telemedicine throughout the world but many people still lag. Ailments like cancer, tumors, and diabetes can be effectively managed and monitored through telemedicine. Therefore, governments have to allocate more resources to research and development to ensure that every part of the continent has a secure internet connection.
Moreover, more finances should be allocated for the development of infrastructure to ensure other amenities like hospitals, clean water, roads, and power are available to the people. Telemedicine helps patients and healthcare professionals to save time that would have been consumed during physical visits, cost reduction (travel expenses), improved patient care, and improved efficiency.
At the heart of nursing informatics is information technology that facilitates efficient and reliable flow and dissemination of information between doctors and patients and between healthcare professionals. It involves the use of computers to store the healthcare records of every patient as well as print out authorized medical documents. Despite the use of computers, the future will be void of papers and thus, there will be no printing of medical documents. Therefore, patient information will be shared between healthcare professionals using tablets, iPods, and iPads installed with user-friendly software. Conclusively, sustainable healthcare practices will be enhanced thereby mitigating deforestation and global warming.
References
Georgsson, M. (2020). Rethinking the provision of education during the COVID-19 pandemic–online learning and nursing informatics. On-Line Journal of Nursing Informatics, 24(3). Web.
Vernic, C. (2019). Informatics in nursing. Current and future trends. Applied Medical Informatics, 41, 35-35. Web.