Nursing informatics is a specialty that aims at integrating nursing science with a range of information management and analysis aspects with the objective of defining, identifying, managing, and communicating information, knowledge, and data in the nursing practice (American Nurses Association, 2020).

Among the ways that nursing informatics could be applied in the clinical practice is through documentation. Currently, there is no need to update paper charts with hand written notes. The notes are now inputted through electronic health records coupled with other technological systems. This ensures that the information is easily available and the patient’s medical records are accurate and up to date.

When it comes to administration, health informatics ensures that there is access to accurate data and in a timely manner. This ensures that healthcare facilities are operating in a cost-effective and safe manner (McGonigle  & Mastrian, 2017). This is achieved through the management of human and financial resources through the use of technology coupled with the supervision of nurses and other relevant team members.

On matters to do with education, individuals are able to attain the desired literacy levels by staying up to date with the prevailing trends in health care, procedures, and new laws. Using nursing informatics methods in nursing education helps in the establishment of alignments as there are numerous tools that can be used.

In research, on the other hand, nursing informatics involves the unearthing and management of new knowledge that relates to disease and health. There is the management of information pertaining to clinical trials and there is also the involvement of secondary research using the clinical data.

The aspect that I see as the biggest significance of nursing informatics is communication. This is because it is one of the most vital aspects in ensuring the safety of patients (Houston et al., 2018). The presence of computerized provider ordering and electronic medical records makes it feasible to reduce patient care delays, medical errors, and general health care costs.

References

American Nurses Association. (2020). Nursing Informatics: Scope and Standards of Practice (2nd ed.). American Nurses Association.

Houston, S. M., Dieckhaus, T., Kircher, B., & Lardner, M. (2018). An Introduction to Nursing Informatics, Evolution, and Innovation, 2nd Edition. Taylor & Francis.

McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. (2017). Nursing Informatics and the Foundation of Knowledge (4th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.