Ethics of nursing informatics

The artricle is about the ethical issues of nursing informations. I was intersted in the ethical issues of the EMR. The EMR is a very useful tool for the medical community. However, there area ethical problems with who can access the patients chart. Anyone with a password can retrieve a particular chart. This means an employee can look up a friends or family members record without their consent. There needs to be safeguards in protecting patient information.
lsm

Information literacy as the foundation for evidence-based practice in graduate nursing education: a curriculum-integrated approach.

Kaplan-Jacobs, S. (2003). Information literacy as the foundation for evidence-based practice in graduate nursing education: a curriculum-integrated approach. Journal of Professional Nursing 19(5)320-328.

This articles discusses some social implications and initiatives for integrating components of informatics into all core courses of a master's program at New York University Division of Nursing. The goal is to prepare the master's students seeking either a clinical, academic, or administrative role, the ability to be competent users of electronic information.

CRD

E-ethics. New dilemmas Emerge alongside New Technologies

Simpson, R. L. (2005). Nursing Administration Quarterly 29(2), 179-182.

This article starts with a nice distinction bvetween ethics and regulations (which is sometimes an issue). It is organized in 3 main sections: 1) use of the internet, 2) privacy and accuracy issues, and 3) ethics and decision support. It is a broad overview of these issues, but provides a good starting point. The issues are put into the context of the ANA code of ethics which gives most nurses a common starting point and shows how IT issues contribute to the healthcare ethical quagmire.

Tina

Privacy Concerns on the Information Highway

Daniel J. Solve wrote Information-Age Privacy Concerns Are More Kafkaesque Than Orwellian. There are many software applications on the internet that "gather information" on the internet, but as many applications gathering the information there is as many or more protecting the information. It is a form of checks and balances. The right to have your information protected is an issue of concern for many, but the right of our indivdual freedoms is also an issue. The government can limit and provide laws to protect our privacy on the internet, but these laws can also restrict our freedoms. This is an issue to consider.
M. H.

Informatics and Ethics Article Summary

The article I selected was e-Ethics by Roy L. Simpson from Nursing Administration Quarterly Apr-Jun 2005 Vol. 29 Issue 2, p. 179-182.

The highlights related to ethic issues include:

Potential risk to consumers being exposed to a huge volume of information some of which will be inaccurate.

One particular example in the article close to my heart was the situation where a potential kidney recipient looking for a donor. This individual went through MatchingDonors.com to find the kidney donor. The hospital involved with this case had several ethical issues to consider. One main issue discussed was whether or not the potential donors were receiving accurate information and adequate and accurate informed counseling about the surgical risks involved.

Cybermedicine and telemedicine could potential deteriorate the clinician-patient relationship and also make it ambigious.

As it relates to computerized charting - who checks the accuracy of the data entry?

Also, when should a nurse rely on computers versus making clinical assessments.

Also, it would be a huge problem to decrease staff because you have enhanced technology - the artcle states software, etc., should supplement versus replace practice.

Very interesting considerations.

TSP

Hard Wired to Heal

This article discusses the social issue of saving patient health information in the wake of a disaster. Two hospitals in New Orleans, during hurricaine Katrina, had patient records distroyed; however, one hospital could retrieve the information from electronical storage. In 2004, President Bush issued an executive order to have most of patients health records coverted to electronic format in 10 years. The nursing school at John Hopkins University has identified the importance of informatics and integrated it into their program.The use of the schools simulation incorporates technology into the nursing practicumm. Patricia Abbott stated “To send a nurse into practice without any information technology skills is a failure to comprehensively educate that nurse.” I agree, as technology advances so should nursing practice.

Ethics of nursing informatics

The artricle is about the ethical issues of nursing informations. I was intersted in the ethical issues of the EMR. The EMR is a very useful tool for the medical community. However, there area ethical problems with who can access the patients chart. Anyone with a password can retrieve a particular chart. This means an employee can look up a friends or family members record without their consent. There needs to be safeguards in protecting patient information.
lsm

Privacy and Security for Electronic Health Records Article

Sharpe, V. A. (2005). Privacy and security for electronic health records. Hastings Center Report, 35 (6), 49.

In 2005, the senate proposed legislation to develop a nation-wide health information technology system. The goal is to share health information across organizational boundaries to more efficiently care for individuals. This will be accomplished with the electronic transfer of health information.

There are many benefits to using this type of system. However, hackers can access unsecured medical records and steal identities. Also, electronic records can be used by third parties to market health products or even screen for employment or insurance risks.

This article was brief, but demonstrated the risks of using electronic health information delivery systems clearly.

G.W.

Ethics in Informatics article by Tara

Curtain, L. (2005). Ethics in Informatics: The intersection of nursing, ethics, and information technology. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 29(4), 349-352.

This article explores how ethics, computers, and healthcare are all separate entities, but have integrated to become medical informatics. According to the Curtain (2005), placing the power of technology in healthcare employees hands, increases the occurence of ethical encounters. On the other hand, medical informatics decreases the vulnerability of the patient by allowing them to access a vast amount of information about his/her condition. This article discusses the importance of healthcare practitioners when using medical informatics to understand the added ethical, moral, and legal responsibilities.

Tara

JC article

Simpson, R.L. (2006). Nursing informatics. Ethics and information technology: how nurses balance when integrity and trust are at stake. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 30(1), 82-87.

JC

Summary: The article starts with a very interesting statment- Patient care dilemma is "to do, not to do" while information technology poses a similar but different dilemma "to know or not to know." The author talks about how ethics is not a black or white deal but is rather up for discussion and interpretation. It discusses HIPAA and ANA Code of Ethics and how they play a role in ethics and informatics. Although electronic health record helps eliminate paper trails, electronic information has the potential to be widely dispersed. Simpson provides a list of ways ethics should shape information technology.

Nursing Informatics and "Big Brother"

In Daniel Solove's book Information-Age Privacy Concerns...(2004) he discusses Big Brother's infiltration into our society via the internet. Nothing is sacred anymore and everything is subject to public access. How is this going to effect patient privacy in a healthcare setting? Everyone that works within the healthcare arena makes special, explicit effort to guard patient privacy. If spyware can infiltrate home computers, business computer systems, and even government systems, at what point will our patient's and even our own private information become public knowledge.

Businesses use these techniques for marketing strategies. Even Wal-Mart now has tracking devices on their packaging which can determine where a particular item is being taken (i.e. TVs, CDs, etc.) Traffic lights have cameras so an eye is always watching to ticket those speeders who think they are getting away with something. Would it not be feasible that drug companies, medical supplies manufacturers, etc. would not want to know medical information about the patients that are utilizing their products? But what about when the time comes that insurance companies are wanting this information? The public's secrets will be a thing of the past. That could prove to be both good and bad. These are really scary thoughts. Who is going to spy on the spys? If we all have secrets that we would prefer to be kept that way, I'm sure they do to.

dd

SB Reference

Here is my reference and I'll post the summary in a few minutes.

Layman, E. (2003). Health informatics: Ethical issues. Health Care Manager 22(1), 2-15.

SB

e-Ethics. New Dilemmas Emerge Alongside New Technology

Here is my article

Simpson, R.L. (2005). Nursing Admin Quarterly 29(2), 179-182

This article reinforces that nurses are stil ethically bound to protect patient's confidential information. It furthe emphasizes that software programs should supplment a practitioner's knowledge, rather than replace it.

Hollie

Ethics in Informatics: The intersection of nursing, ethics, and information technology

Curtain, L. (2005). Ethics in Informatics: The intersection of nursing, ethics, and information technology. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 29(4), 349-352.

Student Perspectives of web based vs on-site graduate nursing infrormatics programs

New blog: I found an article that addresses the advantages and disadvantages of online vs on-site graduate nursing informatics programs. I found the article interesting. I personally find that in-person dialog is better for me but can see how some may find the on-line experience better for them. What are your thoughts from this article. The article information is:

Computers in Nursing 17(5): 212-214, September/October 1999
Student perspectives on creating completely Web-based graduate programs in Nursing Informatics by: Womack, D. et at

Ethics/Social Nursing Informatics

I am going to go search CINAL for an article and get back to you.
JD

julie's article citation

Rock, B. & Congress, E. (1999). The new confidentiality for the 21st century in a managed care

environment. Social Work, 44(3), 253-262.

I apologize for the inability to form a hanging indent! Will get back to you on content.
julie

Today

Hello,

M y hands are cold!!!

SB

mel's test

this is a test to see if i get it.
melissa

mel's test

this is a test to see if i get it.
melissa

Hello Helen

journal club

This blog is a journal club sharing environment. Member of the class are identifying articles and posting a brief commentary