Handbook
of Informatics for Nurses and Health Care Professionals, 4th Edition
Toni Hebda, Patricia Czar, Cynthia Mascara
Softcover, 576 pages
ISBN 0135043948
978-0135043943
Prentice Hall / Pearson
September 2008 (click button below for the very best currently available price
for this important resource)
This useful handbook introduces nurses
and other health care professionals to the most current application
of computer-related technology in the health care environment.
Completely updated, this edition offers
a clearly written overview of informatics, as well as practical
applications of computer-based education for day-to-day use. The
authors recognize that health care professionals have varying
degrees of computer and informatics knowledge. One of the features
of this book is that it does not assume that the reader has prior
knowledge of computers. All computer terms are defined in the text
and in the Glossary. This book may be used the following different
ways:
It may be read from cover to cover
for a comprehensive view of nursing informatics.
Specific chapters may be read
according to reader interest or need.
It may serve as a reference for
nurses and other clinicians involved in system design,
selection, and implementation.
It may be useful for the educator or
researcher who wants to make better use of information
technology.
It can serve as a review for the
American Nurses Association's Informatics Credentialing
examination.
Included are the various forms of
electronic communication and ways to use it more effectively. New
coverage of web-based technology, search tools, and evaluation
criteria for online material are presented along with regulatory and
accreditation requirements, such as HIPAA.
The original idea for this book came from the realization that there
were few comprehensive sources available with practical information
about computer applications and information systems in health care.
From its inception this book was
envisioned as a guide for nurses and other health care professionals
who needed to learn how to adapt and use computer applications in
the workplace. As the outline developed it became apparent that this
book could also serve as an informatics text for students in the
health care professions. This new edition contains updates and
revisions to reflect changes that have occurred in the rapidly
evolving technology and health care field since the book was first
written.
This book is divided into three sections. The first section, General
Computer Information, reviews information common to all information
systems. It assumes no prior knowledge of or experience with
computers. Chapter 1 introduces the reader to the role of
informatics in contemporary health care. Chapter 2 reviews basic
information and terminology related to computer hardware and
software. The section on the roles of various support personnel has
been expanded. Chapter 3 emphasizes the importance of maintaining
data integrity and suggests some practical steps to ensure current,
accurate data in health care information systems. The fourth chapter
addresses basic Internet use to support health care. The discussion
on search tools and intranets has been expanded and content has been
added on portals, e-health, and e-care. Additional information on
Internet use and resources are found in the appendices at the end of
the book.
The second section, Health Care Information Systems, covers
information and issues related to the use of computers and
information systems in health care. This section bridges the gap
between the theory and practice of nursing informatics. Chapter 5
covers basic information on health care information systems,
including decision support and expert systems. Chapters 6 through 15
discuss all aspects of selecting, implementing, and operating these
systems. Chapters 6 through 9 discuss the processes of overall and
system strategic planning, system selection, implementation, and
training. Chapter 8 now contains additional information on testing,
system evaluation, and strategies to implement system changes after
system installation. Other pertinent topics are addressed in the
remaining chapters. Chapter 10 discusses information security and
confidentiality; Chapter 11, system integration; and Chapter 12, the
computerized patient record. Chapter 13, Regulatory and
Accreditation Issues, has been updated to include a review of the
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and its
implications for nursing informatics and health care professionals.
Chapter 14 covers community health information networks and Chapter
15 covers disaster planning and recovery.
Section III covers three specialty applications of computers in
health care. Chapter 16 discusses ways that computers can support
health care education. It now contains content on Web-based
education. The title of Chapter 17 has been changed since the first
edition from Telemedicine to Telehealth to reflect the growing
acceptance of telehealth as a broader term. This chapter explores
the growing field of telehealth, which uses computer and
teleconferencing technology to provide top-quality health care to
clients all over the world. Chapter 18 looks at ways that computers
are increasingly being used in nursing and other health care
research.
Four appendices are included at the end of the book. The first three
provide detailed information on getting up and running on the
Internet, using the Internet to perform a job search, and Internet
resources of special interest to health care professionals. The
fourth appendix provides suggested answers to the case studies that
are found at the end of every chapter.
Each chapter contains pedagogical aids that help the readers learn
and apply the information discussed. Learning objectives let the
readers know what they can expect to learn from the chapter. Case
studies at the end of each chapter discuss common, real-life
applications, which review and reinforce the concepts presented in
the chapter. Each chapter also includes a summary and list of
references. The Glossary at the back of the book serves to
familiarize readers with the vocabulary used in this book and in
health care informatics.
Toni Hebda, RN, PhD, is a nurse
clinician at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She has
worked as a system analyst and adjunct faculty for Duquesne
University School of Nursing, having taught both nursing informatics
and clinical courses. Her interest in informatics provided a focus
for her dissertation and subsequently led her to help establish a
regional nursing informatics support group and obtain a graduate
degree in information science and ANCC certification as informatics
nurse. She is a reviewer for the Online Journal of Nursing
Informatics.
Patricia Czar, RN, is an Information
Systems Consultant. She has been active in informatics for more than
25 years, serving as manager of clinical systems at a major medical
center where she was responsible for planning, design,
implementation, and ongoing support for all of the clinical
information systems. She has been an active member of several
informatics groups and has presented nationally and internationally.
Ms. Czar has served as mentor for nursing and health informatics
students and has a Microcomputer Specialist certificate.
Cynthia Mascara, RN, MSN, MBA, is a
Principal Consultant with Siemens Medical Solutions-Health Services.
She provides consulting related to clinical systems implementation
in the United States and internationally. Ms. Mascara has extensive
experience with project management as well as the design and
implementation of clinical information systems. She previously
served as a nursing informatics specialist at a major medical center
and has been an active member and leader in several informatics
groups. Ms. Mascara has also presented extensively. She previously
served in nursing services and administration at the University of
Pittsburgh Medical Center.
