NURS 6051 Week 1 Discussion: The Role of Data in Problem-Solving

NURS 6051 Week 1 Discussion: The Role of Data in Problem-Solving

Imagine a situation in the fall of 2020 when the coronavirus spreamd worldwide, affecting people’s lives. Many individuals were hospitalized, and a significant number of them had pre-existing health conditions that needed special attention during their COVID-19 treatment.

In response to this scenario, data played a crucial role in managing this large population of patients and tailoring their care based on their medical history. Data was collected from the electronic health records (EHR) of in-house patients in hospitals. For outpatients admitted to the hospital, their medical insurance and social security numbers were used to gather detailed information about their medical history, guiding the approach to treating their COVID-19 infections.

NURS 6050 Week 2 Assignment Assignment: Agenda Comparison Grid and Fact Sheet or Talking Points Brief

This information allowed nursing staff to understand each patient’s medical history and helped doctors decide on the most suitable treatment. The access to this data simplified the treatment process by providing valuable insights into patient history.

References

McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2017). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (4th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Response

It’s true that individuals with pre-existing health conditions were more vulnerable to COVID-19. Conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and weakened immune systems put people at greater risk (ADPH, 2021). Using electronic health records (EHRs) to track these populations, their treatment, and long-term outcomes is essential for understanding and helping future patients (Eddy, 2020). Additionally, healthcare facilities focusing on these populations can track infection rates, mortality, and long-term complications. In a hospital setting, EHRs can monitor lab results, daily trends, and the success or failure of treatments, all while maintaining patient privacy (HIPAA compliant).

ADPH. (2021). Frequently Asked Questions | Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH). Alabamapublichealth.gov. Retrieved on June 2, 2021, from https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/covid19/faq.html.

Eddy, N. (2020). Using EHRs to track patients in real time. Healthcare IT News. Retrieved on June 2, 2021, from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/using-ehrs-track-patients-real-time.

Discussion: The Role of Data in Problem-Solving

In today’s world, data plays a crucial role in various professions. Stockbrokers use market data to advise clients on finances, meteorologists rely on weather data for forecasting, and real estate agents use data for property transactions. Similarly, the nursing profession heavily relies on data, especially through nursing informatics.

Nursing informatics ensures that nurses have access to the right data to solve healthcare problems, make decisions for the benefit of patients, and contribute to the body of knowledge. In this discussion, we’ll explore scenarios where data access can aid problem-solving and knowledge formation.

To Prepare:

Think about your healthcare practice or organization and consider a hypothetical scenario that would require data access and application. This scenario might involve a patient, staff, or management issue.

By Day 3 of Week 1

Post a description of the scenario’s focus. Explain the kind of data that would be useful, how it would be collected and accessed, and what knowledge could be derived from this data. Consider how nursing leadership can use clinical reasoning and judgment to build knowledge from this experience.

By Day 6 of Week 1

Respond to at least two of your colleagues on different days, offering questions or alternative ideas related to data application and nursing informatics principles.

Nursing informatics combines nursing science and technology to collect, analyze, and interpret data. This information is crucial for prompt and efficient patient diagnosis and treatment (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2017). The data collected must be accurate and accessible for it to be reliable. Nursing informatics is used for patient monitoring, alerting to changes outside normal ranges, and improving the treatment process.

One significant application is patient monitoring through electronic health records (EHRs). Continuous monitoring of vital signs, lab values, and medications in real-time can trigger alerts for specific conditions like sepsis. This allows nurses to respond promptly and initiate the appropriate care measures (Westphal et al., 2018).

However, it’s essential to ensure data accuracy and relevance. For example, nurses should verify the size of blood pressure cuffs and prevent lab specimen contamination to maintain data integrity (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2017).

References

McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2017). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (4th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Westphal, G. A., Pereira, A. B., Fachin, S. M., Sperotto, G., Gonçalves, M., Albino, L., Bittencourt, R., Franzini, V. R., & Koenig, Á. (2018). An electronic warning system helps reduce the time to diagnose sepsis. Revista Brasileira de terapia intensiva, 30(4), 414–422.

Quinn, J. (2017). Five Ways Healthcare Informatics Help Nurses. Retrieved on May 31, 2021, from https://www.ebsco.com/blogs/health-notes/five-ways-healthcare-informatics.