Informatics frameworks and models that are applicable to healthcare organizations and nursing practice.

Sample Answer

Informatics frameworks provide the structural "DNA" for modern healthcare, moving beyond simple data entry to a sophisticated system of knowledge management. For nursing practice, these models transform the profession from a series of tasks into a data-driven science.

The following analysis highlights the most applicable frameworks and the principles you can leverage to support your practice.

1. The DIKW Hierarchy (Data, Information, Knowledge, Wisdom)

This is the foundational framework for nursing informatics. It describes a linear yet complex progression of how a nurse’s mental processing interacts with technology.

Data: Discrete facts (e.g., a blood pressure reading of 140/90).

The DIKW Hierarchy (Data, Information, Knowledge, Wisdom)

This is the foundational framework for nursing informatics. It describes a linear yet complex progression of how a nurse’s mental processing interacts with technology.

Data: Discrete facts (e.g., a blood pressure reading of 140/90).

Information: Data with context (e.g., recognizing that 140/90 is "high" for this specific patient).

Knowledge: Discovering patterns (e.g., realizing the blood pressure spikes only after the patient receives a specific medication).

Wisdom: The ethical and clinical application of knowledge (e.g., deciding to hold the medication and notifying the provider).

Best Practice Leverage: Use this model to advocate for Clinical Decision Support (CDS). Systems should not just show you "data"; they should provide "information" and "knowledge" through alerts and trends to help you reach "wisdom" faster.

2. Graves and Corcoran’s Model (1989)

This model defines nursing informatics as the linear progression of managing and processing nursing data to support care delivery. It emphasizes the intersection of three sciences: Nursing Science, Information Science, and Computer Science.