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J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2002 May-Jun; 9(3): 255–261. doi: 10.1197/jamia.M0946

The Evolution of Definitions for Nursing Informatics

A Critical Analysis and Revised Definition

Nancy Staggers, PhD, RN, FAAN and Cheryl Bagley Thompson[], PhD, RN

What is Nursing Informatics?

Technology has evolved over the years and has become an important factor in our lives. The Covid – 19 pandemic has proved how currently without technology we can accomplish very minimal. With the world being put on pause in the height of the pandemic many were forced to turn to means that predominately relied on technology. Students had to continue their education virtually, most shopping for essential items were done online and most importantly, medicine became virtual. Patients especially the elderly and those who have underlying conditions that would possibly lead to death if they contracted the virus had to be extremely cautious which meant their safety net was their home. Medical needs must be met, continuous medications needed to be refilled, urgent medical needs had to be met in a timely manner. To ensure safety and reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus there had to be an alternative for all these needs to be met. This is where nursing informatics played a vital role. It integrated the clinical and technical languages of health and combined them into one. Nursing informatics promotes meaningful, user friendly and patient centric innovations while moving towards proper diagnosis and effective treatment and enhance the workflows of the healthcare staff. By the definition provide by the American Nurses Association (ANA) Nursing Informatics “is the specialty that integrates nursing science with multiple information and analytical sciences to identify, define, manage and communicate data, information, knowledge and wisdom in nursing practice”. . The implementation of telehealth made it possible for patients to communicate their needs and receive basic treatment from a healthcare professional while keeping both parties safe. The rise in technology has been beneficial for all. Stakeholders increased their profits due to the increased demand for technological programs needed for the world to function under the new CDC and government safety shutdown Covid-19 guidelines while at the same time meeting the everyday needs of others. The implementations of humanoids also serve as an essential role in filling the gaps where there is a shortage of nurses, which allows the staff that they do have on hand to first address the more critical patients in a timely manner. Technology in healthcare has also made it easier for patients to have access to there medical information such as lab results, medications, after visit summaries with specific medical instructions given by their healthcare providers. Mobile apps have also made a significant difference in the way we conduct and control aspects of daily living. With mobile health apps, patients can schedule appointments, communicate with their medical providers, request refills and have access to searchable medical databases to further educated themselves about current diagnosis. Mobile apps also allow patients to monitor blood glucose levels without the painful pricking of the finger every few hours. These will also encourage patients to adhere to the monitoring of these levels because not only is in painless, but it also sends reminders via mobile phone and alerts when levels are too high or too low. If levels are high, the alerts signal around the time the specific food trigger causing glucose levels to rise is consumed, that way you know what foods to avoid in order to keep. There is also an abundant amount of easy to navigate work out apps for all ages and fitness levels, nutrition apps, meditation apps and vital sign apps. With the upgrade in technology almost anything can be done in the comfort of your own home and be transferred to medical providers if needed. Patients were able to maintain safety while still receiving the appropriate care that is required to sustain life.