Educational Applications of Nursing Informatics

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Table of Contents

Introduction
YouTube and Health 2.0 application
YouTube and its implications
Pros and Cons of Using Web 2.0
Conclusion
References

Introduction

The current situation within the medical field experiences high expectations from the health practitioners on the use and utilization of information systems and technology within healthcare delivery. The field of nursing is experiencing demand on the use and application of informatics competencies which could enable nurses to perform their responsibilities and standards for their work. The application of informatics implies the incorporation of information technology in the process of direct healthcare provision, establishment of efficient administrative systems, management and education delivery as well as supporting nursing research (Murray & Maag, 2007).

Informatics competencies within nursing vary depending on the level of practitioners. Beginning stage comprises of information management and computer literacy skills which includes the use of basic computer packages. Advanced nursing informatics on the other hand comprises of proficiency in information management and communication focusing on an individual’s area of specialization, this relates well to professional performance. There are several strategies which could be applied for on-line nursing education enabling network capability for nursing research and modern internet applications enabling rapid communication and transfer of services to broader internet community. The introduction of new technology has enabled healthcare students to think innovatively and creatively in the process of undertaking their duties on preparation of clinical records and assignments. Nursing informatics has also played important role in arming healthcare educators with a lot of information, since they learn from sophisticated millennial generation concerning social networking tools which holds lots of potential on learning (Sarassohn-Kahn, 2007).

YouTube and Health 2.0 application

The application of the device within nursing has brought a new way of handling health related issues. It has been proved to be less expensive, easily applicable and very reliable means for preparing educational materials for healthcare educators, nurses and physicians. The use of this device provides evidences on utilization of advanced technology amongst nurses for the purposes of effective communication, management of vital information as well as collaboration internationally. The use of health 2.0 also known as Web 2.0 provides educational and research tools potentially required for health and biomedical informatics (Sarassohn-Kahn, 2007).

Web 2.0 applications comprise the use of blogs, podcasts, wikis, social networks as well as overall search engines. Implementation of these tools within nursing profession has enhanced medical proficiency on the use of basics within information technology (Murray & Maag, 2007). Health 2.0 has assisted nurses in creating communities in support of health amongst health care consumers. This also assists in offering of personal health services to those in need internationally. In addition to this, patients have embarked in the use of Face book for the purposes of evaluating health practitioners’ behaviours regarding decision making.

Web 2.0 enables adequate interaction and provision of problem solving skills for nursing students, an example, being the use of Visual Medical Dictionary which provides ontology context free and a means of communicative network graph providing related drugs, diseases and prescribed therapies (Visual Medical Dictionary, 2008). The tools provide potential field of reviving nursing practices since many individuals could be attended to, irrespective of the distance. Web 2.0 has enabled creation of educational content via Really Simple Syndication (RSS) to mobile devices such as phones. This simplifies review processes of educational materials hence avoiding some limiting factors such as higher education (Erdley et al, 2007).

Web 2.0 is essential in stimulating visual active learning, the use of YouTube online videos have since replaced outdated audiovisual material practices within laboratories in nursing. The short and accurate YouTube videos have been of great help concerning nursing skills during lecture periods, since they provide instant visual skills. In addition to these, there are some evolving platforms known as “Second Health” which provides nurses with role-playing practices before they encounter real patient situations, the overall program is referred to as web3-D (Linden, 2008).

YouTube and its implications

YouTube act as a primer within the nursing field since it offers informative help through its site (Cashmore, 2007). The site reveals glossary of nursing terms which proves to be of great help to nursing students. Help section on the YouTube gives direction on how to upload video and then view the clip presenting topics ranging from small to advanced topics in nursing care. Nurses under Ottawa principles could utilize the use of educational tools through YouTube and waiting room videos as some of the tools applicable in reinforcing the concept of patient’s rights in receiving information and participating in decisions concerning their healthy lifestyles, and also conveying specific health information. Other tool which could be utilized is the use of podcasts containing clinical records given to patients; this could act as source of encouraging patients to undertake frequent medications for their own good. These records assist the patients in reminding their medical doctors concerning certain preventive actions indicated whenever necessary (Berkeley, 2007).

The simple way of adjusting the kind of health services provided to non-compliant patients is to develop new communication styles through web-based services focusing on physicians and patients, rather than those dwelling only on medical providers. However, nurses should have that ability to listen and give audience to patients as a means of promoting openness. Besides providing information to patients they need to listen, understand patient’s point of view in-order to encourage them on the importance of making independent decisions concerning their health (Chinombo, 1997, pp. 10-40).

Dual cognitive coding through YouTube provides an effective learning field for nurses and medical practitioners. Research shows that video productions help in connecting learner’s auditory and visual channels within the brain and ultimately enhances learning effectiveness. Within the visual system there is realisation that images and text are identified and encoded within the brain (Prion, 2008). The dual coding process ultimately enables the learner to effectively recall information and work appropriately with it. Decreased learning is always experienced whenever learners experience what is referred to as cognitive overload, therefore nurse educators should understand the fact that visuals and texts are both processed through the visual system, hence avoiding overload during lectures. YouTube provides several health-related clips including those used in Paediatric understanding and learning simulation. The program has been adopted by Arkansas Children Hospital which helps in providing and improving safety on children related health programs around the world.

YouTube provides the nursing field with appropriate means of reaching experienced as well as nursing students. The web channel addresses expansive topics with videos comprising of Fluid science and the process of administering injection in various body parts. The technology is very much beneficial within nursing since it could be used to offer advice to patients discharged from the hospital but who still require some follow up, for example those discharged with a Jackson-Pratt surgical drain. The patients having access to internet may as well just watch the YouTube video on the procedures on using the equipment. This also provides great benefit to nursing staff and other health practitioners around the world. “YouSee” Nursing site could be created and made available to students for viewing at their own leisure times, at the same time nursing educators could utilize online sites for the purpose of providing audiovisual explanation of any published articles. It grants students courage of continuing publication after viewing video clips of various texts (Prion, 2008).

The technology makes it easier for nurses when it comes to the application of occupational therapy, which is concerned with enabling a person to participate in his/her occupation and at the same time live in a manner that promotes health and well-being. This could be easily applied to those patients who happen to be family and community minded person and at the same time committed to their businesses. This is since all information and instructions could easily be downloaded into podcasts hence saving on time the patient could take in seeking medical service from some distance Hospital. Individual’s health is considered dynamic since it encompasses three areas of physical, spiritual and social lifestyles and do not only present an absence of disease. Occupational therapy applied by nurses through Web 2.0 considers occupation as a natural state which is linked to health and wellbeing, this presents a situation where people are treated as individuals and that occupation could be used as a therapeutic agent. It places much emphasis on the fact that balancing daily activities is necessary for personal health maintenance. One of the major objectives that could be achieved through occupational therapy is the restoration and balancing of individual abilities with the occupation and environmental demands, which increases the chances of an individual to improve functional status (Prion, 2008).

The results of occupational therapy are always open since it has great impacts on physical and psychological well being. It would help them in building competence and hope and also help the individual adjust self identity challenges and also enhance management of impairment. Occupation has the ability of restoring full self-knowledge which grants some degree of confidence and sense of wellbeing. Thus occupational therapy interventions administered through Web 2.0 could assist patients in the process of restoring individual’s former state of health. It further assists patients in adapting to different level of functioning besides discovering satisfying healthy lifestyles (Wikimedia, 2007).

In order to assist patients, nurses are made aware of the need of informing patients through podcasts concerning recovery from sickness and how to manage symptoms which may be as aresult of too much committment to work. Through this the nurses could also educate the patient on the kind of lifestyle which affects health and benefits of adhering to medical prescriptions. The nurses could utilize Web 2.0 to exercise their role as educators on non-compliance patients so as to make them undestand health related issues. Health information obtained from patients should be individualized as per the agreement between the patient and the practitioner and the readiness of the indivdual to learn. Education programs should be negotiated between care givers and the patient and focused specifically to individual needs (Taco, 2007).

Creation of video based reports instead of word processed reports could be beneficial in reducing the rate of plagiarism within nursing field of study. Besides, web-based videos help in alleviating the distance between students and educators within e-learning environments. Online instructional environments applied in nursing assist in the creation of social environment necessary for professionalism. There is what is known as constructive pedagogy which is used online to enable nursing students to develop personalities based on observations and socializing.

Pros and Cons of Using Web 2.0

Advantages of using online education in Nursing

The education offers increased accessibility to those in remote areas as well as those occupied with other commitments such as family issues. The new technology has enabled the introduction of online degree courses in nursing within various Institutions of learning such as the College of Nursing at East Carolina University. This has since offered nursing students the opportunity of collaborating with colleagues within other social set-ups around the world, enhancing what is known as social professionalism (Achwebman, 2007). Opportunities of participating in online conferences, courses and discussions grants nursing students the necessary experiences of working within interdisciplinary teams. The use of online database helps nursing students through easy searching and understanding value of research based on real nursing practice. At the same time the database enables nurses to improve on their healthcare services through up-to-date data provided via internet.

Health promotion through Web 2.0 helps in increasing people’s awareness and control over their general health. It makes it possible for nurses to reach a number of patients at the same time giving them advices concerning good health maintenance. An individual’s health concerning physical, mental and social aspects, should have the ability of conforming and coping with change in environmental set-up. This therefore qualifies health promotion through Web 2.0 not only as a responsibility of care givers, but also individual’s who really care about their well-being (Skiba, 2007).

Various communication tools could be utilized through Web 2.0 to facilitate health care provision. Through these tools the necessary guidance and support are provided which helps in enhancing the patients’ confidence in managing their condition and understanding further, their own medical status. Self-management support plans are easily provided through informatics patients hence facilitating the processes of helping them manage their conditions in an appropriate and consistent way based on their own personal plans (Skype, 2007).

Disadvantages of on-line education in Nursing

The on-line nursing programs have features not accessible by the physically disabled. At the same time, there is no possibility of educators offering caring atmosphere to nursing students through online services. This results into ineffective domain within nursing education since there is loss of physical expressions and contact hence low self esteem on the side of nurses. There is need to consider psychological and social context of the patient’s lifestyle and the impacts these have on self-management support which could affect the nature of the healthcare delivery system administered by nurses.

Conclusion

The kind of health prevention and promotion activities outside the health services have an impact on patient behavior so long as there is some contact with the medical practitioners. The use of Web 2.0 could provide solution to patient care such as non-compliant patients who are at times forced to make crucial decisions concerning their health behavior depending on the kind of emotional and social set-up that they are subjected to. In such cases nurses are called upon to help patients make informed decisions which could benefit them health-wise.

References

Achwebman, (2007). The PULSE Center at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Web.

Berkeley, U.C. (2007). YouTube. Integrative Biology 131-Lecture 30: Eye.

Cashmore, P. (2007). YouTube Hits 100 Million Videos Per Day. Web.

Chinombo, A.M., (1997). Community empowerment: A strategy for healthy communities. International Nursing Review. Geneva: ICN.

Chiou, I.L. & Burnett, C.N., (1985). Values of activities of daily living: A survey of stroke Patients and their home therapists. Physical Therapy, 65(6), 901-906.

Erdley, W. S., Murray, P.J., Ward, R., Perry, W.F., Hansen, M., & Oyri, K. (2007). Connections, collaboration and creativity: Exploring web 2.0 applications in health informatics and professional development. In medinfo 2007 panel. Brisbane, Australia.

Linden, L. (2008). Second Health. NMC Virtual Worlds. Web.

Murray, P., & Maag, M. (2006). Towards Health Informatics Web 2.0: Blogs, Podcasts and Web 2.0 Applications in Nursing and Health Informatics Education and Professional Collaboration. NY: McGraw Hill.

Prison, S. (2008). Instructional multimedia opportunities in pre-licensure nursing education.

Sarassohn-Kahn, J. (2007). Health 2.0: It’s not a noun, it’s a verb, a Movement. iHealth Beat. Web.

Skype (2007). Skype from Wikipedia. Web.

Skiba, D.J. (2007). Nursing Education 2.0:YouTube. Nursing Education Perspectives, 28(2), 100-102.

Taco, C. (2007). YouTube for science? Slashdot. Web.

Visual Medical Dictionary, (2008). YouTube. Web.

Wikimedia, (2007). Web 2.0. Map.

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