Innovation in Patient Care Technology and Information Management

Course Description

Students in this course will explore the recent changes in health care technology including electronic medical records, patient care, decision support, radio-frequency identification (RFID) systems, and workflow. Students will evaluate these technologies in terms of nursing practice and their impact on patient outcomes. Barriers and incentives to implementation will be examined. Emphasis will be placed on learning how to stay current in the area and use of information management and patient care technology and related health care technologies to improve the design, delivery, and evaluation of evidence-based, quality health care.

Course Learning Outcomes

1. Identify current evidence describing information management and patient care technology in the current healthcare environment. (PLO 1, 7)
2. Give examples of clinical information systems and explain how these systems contribute to the delivery of quality patient care. (PLO 1, 9)
3. Give examples of consumer health informatics and explain how these examples contribute to the delivery of quality patient care. (PLO 4)
4. Illustrate the linkage between current healthcare informatics and patient outcomes. (PLO 1, 8, 9)
5. Demonstrate synthesis of existing knowledge identifying the linkages between skills in information management, patient care technology, and the delivery of quality patient care.

Welcome to Week 6.

The focus for week six will be on the use of informatics for educational purposes as well as legislation related to HIPAA and privacy and security issues related to healthcare data.

ASSIGNMENT

Select one type of eLearning and discuss the pros and cons of eLearning for the continuing education of professional nurses and its potential impact on patient outcomes.