Information systems can contribute to the improvement of care delivery by increasing the speed of care, its quality, and patient safety (Westra et al., 2015). The material resources that are connected to information systems (especially the equipment) are expected to contribute to the quality of healthcare and patient outcomes when managed appropriately because the operation of the systems depends on them (Rouleau et al., 2017). For example, when a piece of equipment is routinely checked and repaired as necessary, it typically operates faster and with fewer adverse events (for example, breaking down). Consequently, it is easier for nurses to employ the equipment to the benefit of patients.
Given the fact that material resources need to be managed, the key resource that can ensure the improvement of the quality of care is the human resource, including DNP-prepared nurses and nurse leaders. Indeed, leadership is crucial in the process of information system establishment and management.
For example, when adopting an electronic health record system, a DNP-prepared nurse is well-equipped to lead the change. DNP-prepared nurses have sufficient expertise (both in practice and scholarship) to become change agents, and their leadership skills are similarly developed to ensure smooth transitions (Hammatt & Nies, 2015). Examples of specific leadership activities that are required for the task can include the advocacy for change, the establishment, and maintenance of feedback from the adopters, the management of their concerns, and so on (Hanrahan et al., 2015). Thus, DNP-prepared nurses should take up leadership in change because they are equipped to perform it.
When using information systems to access protected health information, a nurse also needs to consider certain legal and ethical principles, which can differ depending on their state and affiliation. However, the key rules are generally concerned with the principles of privacy, confidentiality, and integrity (Ben-Assuli, 2015). All these principles exist to protect patients, which is why nurses must respect related laws and codes of ethics.
References
Ben-Assuli, O. (2015). Electronic health records, adoption, quality of care, legal and privacy issues and their implementation in emergency departments. Health Policy, 119(3), 287-297. Web.
Hammatt, J., & Nies, M. (2015). DNP’s: What can we expect? Nurse Leader, 13(6), 64-67. Web.
Hanrahan, K., Wagner, M., Matthews, G., Stewart, S., Dawson, C., Greiner, J.,… Williamson, A. (2015). Sacred cow gone to pasture: A systematic evaluation and integration of evidence-based practice. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 12(1), 3-11. Web.
Rouleau, G., Gagnon, M., Côté, J., Payne-Gagnon, J., Hudson, E., & Dubois, C. (2017). Impact of information and communication technologies on nursing care: Results of an overview of systematic reviews. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 19(4), e122. Web.
Westra, B., Clancy, T., Sensmeier, J., Warren, J., Weaver, C., & Delaney, C. (2015). Nursing knowledge. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 39(4), 304-310. Web.