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Nursing informatics is a discipline which integrates computer and information science with nursing profession. Informatics competencies are a must for every professional nurse nowadays. The basis of the nursing informatics competencies are user-level competencies related to working knowledge of basic software programs and processes (Park, Murray & Delaney, 2006).Registered nurses should be able to work with computer software at three levels – user level, modifier level and innovator level (Park, Murray & Delaney, 2006).

The role or nurses and the scope of nursing have been transformed by the use of computerized information management systems. For nursing, the relevant computerized information management systems are also referred to as clinical information systems (Hunt, Sproat & Kitzmiller, 2004). The processes of automating patient care have changed the responsibilities of nurses and requirements towards their skills.

Using clinical information systems, nurses can optimize their administrative responsibilities, reduce the number of errors, reduce costs of these responsibilities and devote more time to direct patient care (Thede & Sewell, 2010). In addition to this, nurses now can effectively use expert knowledge provided by the information systems to improve the quality of care and to integrate evidence-based practices in their workflows (Hunt, Sproat & Kitzmiller, 2004). Therefore, in order to respond to the changing needs of the clinical environment, nurses should have working knowledge of nursing informatics, understand the principles and processes of computerized information management systems and use the technology to improve the quality of patient care.

Nursing Informatics Best Practices Essay
Imagine an organization asks you to contribute to the development of an information system best-practices policy to help maintain patient safety and patient confidentiality in their practice setting. The organization wants you to create a document to help the group better understand why an informatics policy is needed and the practices that should be included in the policy.

A nursing informatics best-practices document can serve multiple purposes, such as a handout for new-hire orientation or as a background report given to a committee tasked with creating or updating a nursing informatics best-practices policy.

Create a description of a nursing informatics best-practices policy document designed to define and encourage effective and safe data use in a practice setting or organization.

Purpose Statement: Statement of why an organization would create the policy. Include any reasons and intent that supports the creation of an informatics best-practices policy.
Best Practices Definitions and Descriptions:
Definitions of secure practices, data security, and patient confidentiality.
Ethical standards.
Regulatory requirements.
Implementation:
Behaviors – describe the behaviors nurse leaders will need to demonstrate that will guide implementation of the policy.
Skills required – describe the skills needed to ensure policy adherence.
Write 3–5 pages in which you describe a nursing informatics best practices policy for effective and safe data use in a nursing practice setting or organization.

1. Describe the best practices needed to promote and support data security

2. Describe the ethical standards needed to promote patient confidentiality

3. Describe regulatory requirements that promote and support positive patient outcomes related to a specific population

4. Describe the types of behaviors and skills nurse leaders need to guide the use of information technology and research for improved patient-care outcomes