Nursing Informatics-where Caring and Technology Meet

Nursing, like other health-related professions, is information-inten­ sive. The quality of care a patient receives is based on the soundness of judgment exercised by the health care team. Underlying sound judg­ ment is up-to-date information. Unless nurses have access to accurate and pertinent information, the care being rendered will not be of the highest standard. What is required is not necessarily more rapid and efficient informa­ tion services. Modern technology can process immense amounts of data in the blink of an eye. What we in the health professions need are information systems that are more intelligent, systems that can inte­ grate information from many sources, systems that analyze and syn­ thesize information and display it so that it may be applied directly in patient care-in other words, information that answers a question or even gives practical advice. In order to accomplish such objectives, work is needed to establish the scientific and theoretical basis for the use of computing and infor­ mation systems by health professionals. This is the research com­ ponent. In addition, there is the need for continued development and evaluation of practical information systems.