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Leadership Competencies

Leadership competencies are related to the ethical and management issues related to using computers and other technological equipment within nursing practice, education, research and administration. Specific nursing informatics competencies include the process of applying accountability, client privacy and confidentiality and quality assurance in documentation in the use of selected applications in a comfortable and knowledgeable way.

User level leadership competencies include:

1. uses computerized management systems to record administrative data (billing data, quality assurance data, workload data, etc.)
2. uses applications for structured data entry (classification systems, acuity level, etc.)
3. understands client rights related to computerized information
4. recognizes the utility of nurse involvement in the planning, design, choice and implementation of information systems in the practice environment
5. incorporates a Code of Ethics in regards to client privacy and confidentiality

Modifier level leadership competencies include:

1. awareness of role of nursing informatics in the context of health informatics and information systems
2. participates in policy and procedural development related to nursing informatics
3. participates in system change processes and utility analysis
4. participates in evaluation of information systems in practice settings
5. analyzes ergonomic integrity of work station, bed side and portable technology apparatus in practice
6. participates in design of data collection tools for practice decision making and record keeping
7. participates in quality management initiatives related to patient and nursing data in practice
8. awareness of the impact of implementing technology to facilitate nursing practice
9. evaluates security effectiveness and parameters of system for protecting client information and ensuring confidentiality
10. participates in change to improve the use of informatics within nursing practice
11. encourages other nurses to develop comfort and competency in technology use in practice

Innovator level leadership competencies include:

1. develops and participates in quality assurance programs using information systems
2. participates in patient instructional program development
3. participates in ergonomic design of work stations, bed side access stations and portable appartus equipment
4. awareness of societal and technological trends, issues and new developments and applies these to nursing
5. demonstrates proficient awareness of legal and ethical issues related to client data, information, confidentiality
6. design and implement project management initiatives related to information technology for practice

Users Level --->

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REFERENCES

Grobe, S. (1998). Nursing Informatics 1997 post-conference on patient guidelines and clinical practice guidelines: the state of our knowledge and a vision. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 5 (3); 315-316.

Grobe, SJ. (1989). Nursing informatics competencies. Methods of Information in Medicine, 28 (4); 267-9.

Grobe, SJ. (1988). Nursing informatics competencies for nurse educators and researchers. In H. Peterson & U. Gerdin-Jelger (Eds.) Preparing Nurses for Using Information Systems: Recommended Informatics Competencies, New York: National League for Nursing. 25-40; 117-138.

Hebert, M. (1999). National Nursing Informatics Project Discussion Paper. http://www.cna-nurses.ca/pages/resources/nni/nni_discussion_paper.doc