We utilize informatic skills every day in nursing. The skills that we are developing/expanding upon not only validate ourselves to be current in informatic skills, but also validate our decision-making skills. As a nurse, we communicate with our patients and utilize technology to communicate patient care with one another.

Before I was enrolled in this course, I did not even know what “nursing informatics” was. I remember a friend of mine was talking about it and I had absolutely no idea what they were talking about. However, in the four weeks I have been in this class, I have realized how significant informatics is to our profession. Upon being enrolled in this course, I am learning things throughout my work shifts that involve informatics. I feel that being enrolled in this course I am able to care for my patients in a more safe, diligent way than I was before. With technology and informatics constantly improving, we are provided opportunities that can allow us to reform our current practice to better future practice.  Informatics and technology allow us to experience an endless amount of education, resources, and connect us to a world within reach (Moen & Knudsen, 2013).

Until I attended this course, I would have said that nursing informatics is understudied and underestimated and that most people would not understand it’s importance (including myself). But, daily, I see how important informatics truly is! Nursing informatics has proven to improve quality of care through effective communication, information sharing, and even through access of evidenced-based practices. Changes and innovations in our nursing profession contribute to health care, patient care, and even their treatments. Nursing informatics stimulates ways to improve outcomes, handle dilemmas, and prevent harm during transitional periods (Moen & Knudsen, 2013).

When I filled out the TANIC self-assessment, my impression was absolutely changed. I always believed I was pretty “tech-savvy.” I believed I could figure most things out on a computer. After completing the self-assessment, I realized there was a lot I had no idea what it meant. I began to underestimate my own abilities and my own informatic skills. I am looking forward to seeing the change in my pre TANIC self-assessment and my post TANIC self-assessment.

NR 512 Week 4: Informatics Skills Discussion Reference:

Moen, A., & Knudsen, L. M. (2013). Nursing Informatics: Decades of Contribution to Health Informatics. Healthcare Informatics Research, 19(2), 86. doi:10.4258/hir.2013.19.2.86