The Application of Data to Problem-Solving
In the modern era, there are few professions that do not to some extent rely on data. Stockbrokers rely on market data to advise clients on financial matters. Meteorologists rely on weather data to forecast weather conditions, while realtors rely on data to advise on the purchase and sale of property. In these and other cases, data not only helps solve problems, but adds to the practitioner’s and the discipline’s body of knowledge.
Of course, the nursing profession also relies heavily on data. The field of nursing informatics aims to make sure nurses have access to the appropriate date to solve healthcare problems, make decisions in the interest of patients, and add to knowledge.
In this Discussion, you will consider a scenario that would benefit from access to data and how such access could facilitate both problem-solving and knowledge formation.
Resources
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
WEEKLY RESOURCES
To Prepare:
- Reflect on the concepts of informatics and knowledge work as presented in the Resources.
- Consider a hypothetical scenario based on your own healthcare practice or organization that would require or benefit from the access/collection and application of data. Your scenario may involve a patient, staff, or management problem or gap.
By Day 3 of Week 1
Post a description of the focus of your scenario. Describe the data that could be used and how the data might be collected and accessed. What knowledge might be derived from that data? How would a nurse leader use clinical reasoning and judgment in the formation of knowledge from this experience?
By Day 6 of Week 1
Respond to at least two of your colleagues* on two different days, asking questions to help clarify the scenario and application of data, or offering additional/alternative ideas for the application of nursing informatics principles.
*Note: Throughout this program, your fellow students are referred to as colleagues.
Solution
Imagine a scenario where a hospital is dealing with a sudden increase in hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). Access to data, such as electronic health records (EHRs), hand hygiene compliance metrics, and visitor monitoring could significantly aid in addressing this issue. In this post, I will expand on this scenario, exploring how hospital staff might collect and use this data, what knowledge can be gained from its analysis, and how a nurse leader uses their clinical reasoning and judgment to solve the HAI crisis.
Data Collection and Usage
Patient history and risk assessment can be assessed using EHRs by readily displaying a patient’s medical history, including past infections, current medications, and immunocompromised status, allowing healthcare providers to identify patients at high risk of acquiring infections and take appropriate precautions (CDC, 2024). Depending on the location of the HAI, data can be analyzed to see whether the infection is isolated to a certain floor within the hospital or a patient population group, such as transplant recipients or oncology patients. Hand hygiene is often used as a performance metric in many hospitals, keeping track of hand sanitizer use before and after patient care (leapfrog, 2024). This is done using data pulled from badge trackers and sanitizer sensors and then collects a percentage for compliance. I’ve personally worked at 2 hospitals that have had this measure in place, and I feel like this holds all staff accountable to hand hygiene to prevent infection spreading. Data can also be used for the prevention of HAIs, such as monitoring of antimicrobial resistance patterns to guide treatment decisions, as well as reminders through EMR to perform certain hygiene practices throughout the shift (Lin & Trick, 2016). For example, on EPIC, the charting system used by my facility has daily reminders in certain bundles, such as Foley or cental lines, to complete daily chlorohexidine treatments for these patients to prevent infection.
Knowledge to be Gained to Solve Current HAI Spread
Identifying patterns can be done by accessing and analyzing data on infection rates. Nurse managers can identify patterns related to time, location within the hospital, and patient demographics. This can help with pinpointing infections and guide them to ways to improve and combat HAIs. Access to data not only facilitates immediate problem-solving, but contributes to the ongoing formation of knowledge, leading to improved patient outcomes.
References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, June 10). About hais. https://www.cdc.gov/healthcare-associated-infections/about/index.html#:~:text=Healthcare%20procedures%20can%20expose%20you,use%20or%20reuse%20of%20equipment.Links to an external site.
Leapfrog-hh-report-2024_final [PDF]. (2024). https://www.leapfroggroup.org/sites/default/files/Files/leapfrog-HH-report-2024_FINAL.pdfLinks to an external site.
Lin, M. Y., & Trick, W. E. (2016). Informatics in infection control. Infectious Disease Clinics of North America, 30(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idc.2016.04.011Links to an external site.
