Evidence-Based Practice and Healthcare Informatics

Catalog description

This course introduces the student to the concepts of informatics, evidence-based practice and research. The course combines the concepts by researching a current health informatics topic and provides a writing intensive learning experience. This course introduces the student to the principles, methods and process of nursing research for evidence-based practice, including ethics and the moral responsibilities involved in research using human subjects. Students are introduced to all steps of the research process and gain an understanding of how research contributes to the development of nursing knowledge, improves nursing practice and patient outcomes, supports design of innovative nursing systems, and enhances education and professional accountability. This course also introduces the student to nursing informatics and research with a focus on the application of information science and scholarly work to nursing practice. Ethical and legal issues, including privacy and security, related to electronic systems in healthcare are emphasized. Students are introduced to information from a variety of sources and examine the function of information systems and technologies as the foundation for evidence-based practice. Clinical-decision support tools, the electronic health record (EHR) and quality improvement systems are explored. This introductory course prepares graduating and practicing nurses with foundational informatics competencies to meet nursing standards for providing safe, high-quality, evidence-based nursing care.