Overview

Nursing Informatics is currently a vital topic for nursing, which will gain in importance as the 21st century progresses. Experts predict that it will not only be an important core component of all nursing education and practice, but that it will also become a crucial nursing speciality. A nursing informatics specialty integrates nursing science, computer science, and information science in identifying, collecting, processing, and managing data and information to support nursing practice, administration, education, research, and the expansion of nursing knowledge.

The rapidly changing health care delivery system is creating a pressing need for nurses with advanced knowledge and skills to provide leadership for reshaping nursing and health care in communities and health care organizations. The informatics nurse specialist serves as a translator between nurse clinicians and computer services personnel (program analysts, programmers, data base managers, hardware/software vendor and others).

Graduates of a certificate program in Nursing Informatics have the knowledge and skills to lead informatics projects in a wide range of clinical, educational, and business settings. Graduates of degree specializations in Nursing Informatics will be the leaders of tomorrow in this quickly growing specialty area of Nursing.

The Canadian Nursing Informatics Association, ( www.cnia.ca ) an affiliate group of the Canadian Nurses Association, has been organized to address the educational, research and collaborative needs of Canadian nursing students, faculty, practicing nurses, researchers and administrators. The CNIA conducted a study in 2002 - 2003 on the Informatics Educational Needs of Canadian Nurses, funded by the Office of Health and the Information Highway, Health Canada or OHIH called Educating Tomorrow's Nurses: Where's Nursing Informatics? This study will help to shape the development of more Canadian courses, programs and opportunities in nursing informatics for students, faculty and practicing nurses.

Ends In View

This learning activity is intended to give the learner the opportunity to:

1. Recognize the importance in continued learning in Nursing Informatics.

2. Investigate available programs to help them specialize in Nursing Informatics.

3. Create a personal plan to further their education in Nursing Informatics.

In Preparation

1. Visit Nursing Informatics.com at http://www.nursing-informatics.com for developments in nursing informatics continuing education and specialization.

2. Visit CNIA Educational Resources with links to world wide informatics resources at http://www.cnia.ca/education_links.htm

3. Browse: CNIA (2003). Educating Tomorrow's Nurses: Where's Nursing Informatics? http://www.cnia.ca/OHIHfinaltoc.htm

4. View National Nursing Informatics Project at http://www.cna-nurses.ca/pages/resources/nni/national_nursing_informatics_project.htm

5. Visit: Duke University's graduate program in Nursing Informatics at: http://www.duke.edu/~goodw010/NIcourses.html

In Practice

1. Write a personal plan to help you decide how you prefer to further your education in the growing speciality of Nursing Informatics.

2. Find resources that can help you to keep abreast of this dynamic growing specialty.

In Reflection

Kaminski, J. (2002). Nursing Informatics.com http://www.nursing-informatics.com

University of Maryland Nursing Informatics Graduate Programs. http://parsons.umaryland.edu/dept/eahpi/list.htm

BSN Nursing Program in BC at Kwantlen University College 1999 - 2004 Design & Content by © June Kaminski, RN MSN PhD St Best viewed with 1024 x 768 resolution, IE4.5+ or NS4.5+, 32 bit colour

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