THEORIES, MODELS & FRAMEWORKS OF NURSING INFORMATICS (PART 2)

  -           Nursing informatics involves identification of information needs, resolution of the needs, and attainment of nursing goal/ objectives. -           Patricia Schwirian proposed a model intended to stimulate and guide systematic research in nursing informatics, model/framework that enables identification of significant information needs, that can foster research that is somewhat similar to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.       Patricia Schwirian, describes another model that is intended to guide systematic research for information and information needs.  This includes what information is lacking? what can be done to improve or correct the lack? to enhance informatics. The diagram is like a pyramid and even if it has progressive layers to the goal, it has arrows showing that not one element is more important or precedes the other, rather each one affects another. The description of the goal is not clear though but I guess it must be towards the progress of nursing informatics.

  -           Nursing Informatics is the intersection between the discipline-specific science (nursing) and the area of informatics -           In this model, there are 3 core components of informatics, namely Cognitive science, Information Science, and Computer Science.       Turley, presents another model adding “cognitive science”, without which, decision-making, information processing, construction of tools and computer interfaces would be difficult. This aspect includes memory, problem -solving, mental models, skill acquisition, language and visual attention. Seemingly in this context, cognitive science dominates the other two- computer and information science. Thus, I think nursing informatics competencies can be seen increasingly in practicing nurses with more experience and higher level of expertise.

                      This model focuses on how skills advanced based on experience, education, clinical knowledge development, and career progression through five unique phases: This model focuses on how skills advanced based on experience, education, clinical knowledge development, and career progression through five unique phases:              Being a Novice that is individuals with no experience of situations and related content in those situations where they are expected to perform tasks.              Advanced Beginners, marginally demonstrate acceptable performance having built on lessons learned in their expanding experience base, needs supervision.              Competent that enhanced mastery and the ability to cope with and manage many contingencies.              Proficient wherein evolution through continuous practice of skills, combined with professional experience and knowledge, individual who appreciated standards of practice as they apply in nursing informatics.         .

           Nursing students and practicing nurses should be educated on core of Nursing Informatics Competencies. (Beginning Nurses (LEVEL 1), (Experience Nurses (LEVEL 2), (Informatics Specialist (LEVEL 3), (Informatics Innovators (LEVEL 4).             This model is the integration of knowledge, skills, and attitudes in performance of various nursing informatics activities within the prescribed levels of nursing practice.