Informactics Nurse Specialists - Essay Example

Their scope of practice spreads from operational to strategic planning. They are the link between the nursing and information system departments (ANA, 2011). INSs collect data for patient care, access information needed for providing nursing services and implement policies to ensure confidentiality, privacy and security of data. An INS combines clinical expertise and informatics expertise for the efficient and successful interpretation and use of health information technologies (ANA, 2011). An INS is responsible for designing, implementing and training with regard to information systems within the nursing department.

He is also responsible for the department’s informational needs and conducts orientation programs for new nurses, physicians and ancillary staff (ANA, 2011). He maintains policies and procedures about the hospital’s medical information system and updates the staff on design and use of the order entry, results reporting and new program functions (Saba & McCormick, 1996). The most significant benefit of hiring an INS in a health institution is the improved quality of patient care offered (Hannah, Ball & Edwards, 2006).

In their duty, nurses’ decisions are founded on information available. INSs play a key role in organizing the information available to nurses for them to carry out their duties and monitor patients accurately (Hannah et al, 2006). Also, most hospitals do regular medical research. Hiring an INS improves research in health care institution’s. By the use of computer software, nurse researchers can manipulate data making it easy for nurses to diagnose problems and come up with the right decisions.

This in turns helps to improve the quality of care given (Hannah et al, 2006). There is a considerable reduction in medical and diagnostic errors. Apart from better provision of care, having an INS helps health institutions manage departmental data, after which they are able to get and integrate information from different departments and use it to make the working environment more ethical (Hannah et al, 2006). As much as it is beneficial to have an INS among the staff member, it also has financial implications on the health institution.

The salary budget of the hospital will go up significantly as an INS earns a salary ranging from USD 69,000 to USD 98,000 (Hannah et al, 2006). There is also a high initial cost of implementing the system, then maintaining and upgrading it. Training the nursing team will also have a cost. However, even with increased expenditure on salaries, there is a long term reduction in operation costs for the institution (Hannah et al, 2006). There will be a reduced cost of managing information systems and the institutions information.

Since the INS manages the information, there are enhanced work ethics that contribute to reduced costs related to diagnostic and medical errors. These errors often lead to costly legal actions against the hospital (Hannah et al, 2006). The role of the INS impacts positively on the relationship between nursing and other information system departments (ANA, 2001). Armed with both technical and clinical expertise, they are a vital link between the departments and assist in fostering alliances between them (Hein, 1998). They