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.
consider a scenario that would benefit from access to data and how such access could facilitate both problem-solving and knowledge formation.
• 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.
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?
Sample Solution
Scenario: A hospital is experiencing a high rate of readmissions for patients with heart failure. The hospital wants to understand why this is happening and what they can do to reduce the number of readmissions.
Access to data: The hospital could access data from a variety of sources, including electronic health records (EHRs), patient surveys, and quality improvement reports. This data could be used to identify patterns and trends in readmissions, such as the patients who are most likely to be readmitted, the reasons for readmission, and the interventions that have been effective in preventing readmissions.
Full Answer Section
Problem-solving: By analyzing this data, the hospital could identify the problems that are contributing to the high rate of readmissions. For example, they might find that patients are not taking their medications as prescribed, or that they are not receiving the appropriate follow-up care after discharge. Once the problems have been identified, the hospital can develop interventions to address them. Knowledge formation: The data could also be used to form new knowledge about heart failure and readmissions. For example, the hospital might learn that patients who are readmitted are more likely to have certain risk factors, such as diabetes or obesity. This knowledge could be used to develop new interventions to prevent readmissions in these patients. Conclusion: In this scenario, access to data can help the hospital to solve the problem of high readmission rates and to form new knowledge about heart failure. This knowledge can then be used to improve the care of patients with heart failure and to reduce the number of readmissions. Here are some other examples of how data can be used to solve problems and form knowledge in nursing:- A nurse can use data from EHRs to identify patients who are at risk for falls. This data can then be used to develop interventions to prevent falls, such as providing patients with fall risk assessments and education.
- A nurse can use data from patient surveys to identify patients who are dissatisfied with their care. This data can then be used to improve the quality of care by addressing the concerns of patients.
- A nurse can use data from quality improvement reports to identify areas where the hospital can improve its processes. This data can then be used to develop and implement interventions to improve the quality of care.