Modern Nursing Practice Objectives, Coursework Example

Introduction

Modern nursing practice objectives require a significant emphasis on information systems and records management in order to improve patient care quality and decision-making processes. Nurses must be effectively trained in a variety of tasks that are directly related to maintain current records regarding patient needs, in addition to improved record keeping at the staffing level. This process is instrumental in enabling nurses to perform their duties as successfully as possible and with the intent to optimize quality of care under a variety of conditions. Therefore, nurses must focus on critical areas of need, which includes the proper and responsible administration of care and the organization, including its employees. These factors are essential to a successful nursing practice environment and in supporting the greater health and wellbeing of all patients. Therefore, data management techniques and strategies must encompass these objectives and support training and education for nurses at all levels. The following discussion will address these areas in greater detail and will consider methods that are available to accomplish effective data management for the organization as a whole.

Analysis

Nurses are responsible for ensuring that all patient data and information is accurate and up to date on a continuous basis. Therefore, communication must be frequent and timely so that all nurses working with patients possess the same knowledge to provide direct care and treatment. Furthermore, nurses must be able to utilize their skills effectively to maintain current documentation regarding all patients (Kelley, Brandon, & Docherty, 2011). Under these conditions, nurses are responsible for utilizing information technology and electronic documentation properly and with the best interests of patients in mind to prevent any unnecessary risk or harm to patients (Kelley et.al, 2011). Furthermore, verbal communication between nurses is also essential to this process because it supports nurse-based consistency in the practice environment (Kelley et.al, 2011).

Nurses must optimize their work in using information technologies, and this is best accomplished when they are able to recognize their benefits in addressing gaps in quality of care for patients (Ward et.al, 2011). They must be able to utilize these systems efficiently, but also recognize that the information generated is useful in treating patients and their specific needs (Ward et.al, 2011). Therefore, these systems must be able to generate much-needed data and information that supports the ability to provide high quality patient care on a consistent basis (Ward et.al, 2011). Nurses recognize that their workflow must be efficient so that they are able to complete all of the required tasks; therefore, information systems must promote workflow that is more effective and appropriate to meet the needs of the patient population (Ward et.al, 2011).

It is important for nurses to be proactive in the time that they spend with electronic documentation so that this process is not only efficient, but also comprehensive in providing the required information for patients to promote effective team-based care and treatment across all shifts (Hripcsak et.al, 2011). Nurses must be able to balance their routine duties with other issues that may arise in a given shift or with special projects that are assigned, and this requires an effective use of electronic systems to track information effectively and without delays (Hripcsak et.al, 2011). Nurses must establish a successful strategy that supports the growth and development of the practice setting so that there is a strong consistency in workflow and in supporting the needs of patients through these endeavors (Hripczak et.al, 2011). Team-based communication must also be efficient because this reflects the importance of achieving a greater level of cohesion among nurses, which will impact their direct care and treatment of patients in different ways (Hripczak et.al, 2011).

There are significant advantages to using electronic patient records and other related systems in the healthcare setting, as these tools provide patients with optimal conditions in which to improve their health and wellbeing. In general, electronic health records and other related tools provide a greater recognition of patient safety and the effective utilization of resources in an effort to accommodate emerging trends in patient care (Black et.al, 2011). These factors require nurses to be active participants in the process and to be proactive in taking the steps required to maintain comprehensive patient records to promote a safer and friendlier healthcare environment (Black et.al, 2011). It is important for nurses to embrace the technologies that are available to them, as they aim to improve patient care quality and to be effective in treating the needs of a diverse patient population through adequate record keeping with the intent to minimize errors (Black et.al, 2011). This process is important because it reflects a means of treating patients with the most current and efficient tools that are available (Black et.al, 2011).

Conclusion

The utilization of electronic patient records and other information technologies in the nursing work environment is essential to the discovery of new strategies to improve patient care quality on a continuous basis. This process requires nurses to be proactive in their efforts to adapt to these tools and to recognize their value as part of the daily routine. Nurses must openly communicate regarding issues of importance and obtain the most up-to-date training and education regarding information systems as appropriate. This process is essential to the discovery of new information technologies that are designed to improve the patient care experience and the collection of data and patient information that supports the work of nurses as they strive to promote patient care excellence at all times throughout their careers through the use of these tools.

References

Black, A. D., Car, J., Pagliari, C., Anandan, C., Cresswell, K., Bokun, T., … & Sheikh, A. (2011). The impact of eHealth on the quality and safety of health care: a systematic overview. PLoS medicine, 8(1), e1000387.

Hripcsak, G., Vawdrey, D. K., Fred, M. R., & Bostwick, S. B. (2011). Use of electronic clinical documentation: time spent and team interactions. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 18(2), 112-117.

Kelley, T. F., Brandon, D. H., & Docherty, S. L. (2011). Electronic nursing documentation as a strategy to improve quality of patient care. Journal of nursing scholarship, 43(2), 154-162.

Ward, M. M., Vartak, S., Schwichtenberg, T., & Wakefield, D. S. (2011). Nurses’ perceptions of how clinical information system implementation affects workflow and patient care. Computers Informatics Nursing, 29(9), 502-511.