Advancing Emergency Nurses’ Leadership and Practice through Informatics

The unharnessed power of nurses’ data

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29173/cjen37

Keywords:

Informatics, datasets, triage, emergency nursing

Abstract

Collection of data in healthcare is vitally important to inform healthcare resource planning and monitor effectiveness of care. The Canadian Emergency Department information System and Canadian Triage Acuity Scale are primary tools for collecting such data. Although emergency nurses use these tools to collect significant patient and healthcare data on daily basis, their understanding of the purposes and implications for collecting these data is sub-optimal. Furthermore, emergency nurses’ awareness about informatics, and the limited representation in information and communication technology strategic initiatives and research within Canadian emergency nursing are some barriers preventing nurses from realizing the full benefits of information and communication technology to improve patient and system outcomes, and nursing knowledge development. The National Emergency Nurses Association is well positioned to provide the leadership required to move nurses from being data collectors, to information users by maximizing their potential to advance Canadian emergency nursing practice through informatics. 

Author Biographies

Christopher Picard, University of Alberta Faculty of Nursing

Christopher Picard has worked in tertiary, rural, and remote areas as an emergency nurse. In his role as a medic with the Canadian Forces he has worked in prehospital, clinical and austere roles both domestically and abroad. Chris currently works as a Clinical Nurse Educator at the Misericordia Hospital in Edmonton Alberta Canada and is a Masters student with the Faculty of Nursing at the Universoty of Alberta. His research interests are resuscitation care, triage, and nursing informatics.

Dr. Manal Kleib, University of Alberta Faculty of Nursing

Dr. Kleib is a highly regarded professional with diverse and advanced nursing skills in local and international healthcare environments. Specialist skills: Healthcare Informatics, E-health, Nursing Informatics, Healthcare Management, Clinical Practice, Change Management, Project Management, Consulting, Research, and Higher Education (Instructional Design, Curriculum Development and Evaluation, e-Learning, Adult Learning). 

 

Published

2020-10-22 — Updated on 2021-02-02

Versions

How to Cite

Picard, C., & Kleib, M. (2021). Advancing Emergency Nurses’ Leadership and Practice through Informatics : The unharnessed power of nurses’ data . Canadian Journal of Emergency Nursing, 43(3), 13–17. https://doi.org/10.29173/cjen37 (Original work published October 22, 2020)