Nursing Informatics is defined as the assimilation of information technology in different areas of nursing including education, administration, research or nursing practice (Darvish, Bahramnezhad, Keyhanian & Navidhamidi, 2014). Nursing informatics is used in nursing research to develop standards of practice such as the standardized nursing lingo developed by North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA). Information Technology software can also be used in research to discover trends from large data collections. In nursing education, nursing informatics can be used to assist learning. For example, a nursing student can access nursing programs resources on the internet such as interactive videos and assisted instructions. They can also use presentation software such as PowerPoint to prepare slides with educational material for easier consumption and comprehension.
Nursing administration is another area that can benefit from nursing informatics. One way this is possible is through automatic staff scheduling. Administrators can identify which departments are understaffed and correct appropriately. They are also able to balance the care teams based on seniority and skills (Robidoux & Donnelly, 2011). Nursing informatics can also be used to improve all aspects of clinical practice by reducing the time it takes to identify potential problems. A nurse can quickly spot any changes to a patient’s status by looking at the electronic medical records from electronic devices monitoring the patient’s vital signs in real time and quickly come up with an intervention plan. Nursing Informatics has also enabled efficient communication. Information Technology has made for easier and efficient communication of patient data from clinician to clinician. This saves time and allows nurses to spend more time with the patient.
The biggest significance of nursing informatics is its ability to save lives. Informatics tools such as automated blood pressure machines to vital signs monitors have enabled healthcare givers save a lot of lives by reducing errors through accurate readings. By embracing nursing informatics, providers can stay ahead of the curve in a healthcare setting.

References

Darvish, A., Bahramnezhad, F., Keyhanian, S., &Navidhamidi, M. (2014). The Role of Nursing Informatics on Promoting Quality of Health Care and the Need for Appropriate Education. Global Journal Of Health Science, 6(6). doi: 10.5539/gjhs.v6n6p11

Robidoux, L., & Donnelly, P. (2011). Automated employee scheduling. Nursing Management, 42(12), 41-43. doi: 10.1097/01.numa.0000407580.30932.ce