The department (ER) uses FirstNet, a user-friendly, fast, and detailed software designed to enable nurses and doctors to, among other things, integrate pre-existing documentation into the patient’s electronic emergency record, manage electronic orders and results viewing, undertake electronic medications management, and facilitate decision support including alerts and operations. The technology has improved patient care and outcomes in terms of ensuring faster response to medical emergencies, reducing errors through decision support, and facilitating faster retrieval of data. However, in my view, the technology needs to be fine-tuned or redesigned using the latest innovations to ensure accuracy in assigning treatment details and test results to the right patient.
As documented in the reading, the roles of nursing informatics are manifold and include:
- facilitating the integration of data, information, and knowledge to support patients, nursing professionals, and other players in their decision-making in all roles and settings,
- improving patient safety and care, reducing the variability of care, and enhancing the efficiency of staff through the provision of effective clinical documentation, and
- identifying the correct software programs which could assist the nursing staff more effectively.
These roles are integral and complement each other, further reinforcing the importance of nursing informatics in contemporary healthcare settings.
Finally, it is evident that technology in healthcare will help my leadership in multiple ways. For example, the adoption of technology will lessen my administrative duties and therefore ensure that I leave more time for patient-centered care, in large part due to the fact that enhanced quality of patient care is dependent on the alignment of staff with technology. Additionally, the adoption of technology will assist my leadership in terms of increasing organizational and administrative efficiencies in core areas such as scheduling, staffing, decision-making, financial management, as well as communication. Overall, it is my considered opinion that technology is a core ingredient in nursing, and nurse leaders must proactively adopt emergent technological innovations to enhance patient care outcomes and ensure administrative and organizational efficiencies.