The need for nursing informatics specialists will increase as we integrate clinical knowledge with information technology and information management in the health care arena. The relatively young age of this area combined with the speed at which technology moves, serves as a challenge to nursing informatics specialist promotion. There is a substantial gap between nursing informatics specialists needed and those available. While there are many barriers identified, at the forefront is the lack of both formal and informal education. In the future, it will be necessary for a change in nursing education culture to over come these barriers. With the recent endorsement of the nursing informatics entry-to-practice competencies (Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing, 2012) and the increasing number of educational institutions embracing nursing informatics in their curriculum, nurses will have a stronger foundation for nursing informatics practice. It is hopeful that the additional education and training will bridge all disciplines in the healthcare arena together in efforts to streamline client information and improve health outcomes. It is important that these gaps be addressed so that the potential of the nursing informatics specialist and their impact on the healthcare system can be realized.
For more information, please see the links below:
Health informatics at Work:
(Compugen Inc., 2010)
Health Informatics Resources:
InSpireNet
A networking opportunity to connect people, share ideas, be creative and share solutions to improve nursing health services in British Columbia and Canada.
International Medical Informatics Association
Focusing on world health and biomedical informatics, the IMIA is a bridging organization, bringing organizations and their members together, providing leadership, expertise and sharing information for the purpose to improve world health.
Canada Health Infoway
An independent non-profit corporation investing resources into Canadian electronic health information systems.
Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI)
Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI)-improving the quality, comprehensiveness, accuracy of and secured access to health data and information.
COACH
Canada’s Health Informatics Association has a membership of over 1500 informatics professionals
A main driver for advancing the practice and use of health informatics in Canada.
Participant in the development and implementation of international standards for health information as fundamental component of the electronic health record initiatives in Canada and worldwide.
Dedicated to promoting safe health software.
(Canadian’s Health Informatics Association, 2011)