NURS FPX 4045 Assessment 1 Nursing Informatics in Health Care
Student Name
Capella University
NURS-FPX4045 Nursing Informatics: Managing Health Information and Technology
Prof. Name
Date
Nursing Informatics in Health Care
Telehealth has become a vital tool in expanding access to healthcare, especially in remote and underserved areas. It facilitates timely interventions, overcomes geographical and economic limitations, and ensures continuity of care. Nurse Informaticists (NIs), with their unique blend of clinical and technological expertise, are central to implementing telehealth solutions. They contribute significantly to improving population health by supporting early diagnosis and streamlining virtual interactions between patients and providers. This paper discusses how NIs play a pivotal role in transforming healthcare delivery through the strategic use of telehealth, their collaborative efforts within healthcare organizations, and the challenges and opportunities associated with their integration in care systems.
Nursing Informatics and the Nurse Informaticist
Nursing informatics is a specialized field that integrates nursing science with computer and information science to manage and communicate health data efficiently. This intersection empowers nurses to leverage digital tools in patient monitoring, clinical decision-making, and remote care delivery (Nashwan et al., 2025). Nurse Informaticists (NIs), as registered nurses trained in information technology, ensure telehealth systems are implemented safely and effectively. They take responsibility for training staff, optimizing user experiences, and enabling precise, data-driven interventions.
A notable example is Dr. Bonnie Westra, who advocates for the use of standardized nursing data to support decision-making in virtual care environments (Institute for Health Informatics, n.d.). NIs are especially impactful in rural and underserved areas where traditional healthcare resources are limited. Their roles involve designing intuitive telehealth systems, training clinical teams, and analyzing usage data to ensure patient follow-up and reduce treatment delays.
Nurse Informaticists and Other Health Care Organizations
Healthcare institutions across the U.S. are increasingly integrating NIs to deploy telehealth solutions aimed at supporting remote and underserved populations. NIs facilitate seamless virtual communication, support chronic disease management, and contribute to strategic innovations in patient care. For instance, the University of Mississippi Medical Center has adopted remote monitoring systems through nursing informatics to aid rural communities in managing chronic conditions (UMMC, 2021). Similarly, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium leverages telehealth to deliver care across expansive geographic regions, minimizing the need for patient travel (ANTHC, n.d.).
Table 1: NI Contributions in Key Healthcare Settings
| Healthcare Organization | Telehealth Initiative | NI Involvement |
|---|---|---|
| University of Mississippi Medical Center | Remote monitoring for chronic disease | Developed and managed monitoring systems |
| Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium | Long-distance telehealth services | Implemented telehealth tech and ensured system functionality |
| Multiple health systems | EHR-integrated telehealth solutions | Optimized platforms and trained personnel |
NIs collaborate across disciplines—including physicians, IT teams, and frontline nurses—to tailor telehealth tools for enhanced usability and effectiveness. Through these collaborations, they resolve workflow inefficiencies, foster adoption, and ensure the long-term viability of virtual care systems (Kagan et al., 2024). They also conduct training programs to ensure staff are proficient and confident in telehealth operations, thereby improving patient engagement and continuity of care.
Impact of Full Nurse Engagement in Health Care Technology
Nurses’ active involvement in telehealth implementation significantly improves care quality, safety, and cost-efficiency. Their close monitoring abilities and timely interventions result in better health outcomes. Engaging nurses in the design of virtual systems ensures those systems align with patient and provider needs (Rosen et al., 2024).
NIs, in particular, lead these initiatives by creating user-friendly telehealth platforms and promoting safe, team-based digital practices. Cost savings are another benefit; a study revealed that one nurse-led telehealth program saved approximately \$24,352 in just seven months, with individual telehealth visits costing around \$430 (Detten, 2023). This demonstrates the financial viability and clinical effectiveness of NI-led telehealth programs.
Table 2: Benefits of NI-led Telehealth Programs
| Impact Area | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Clinical Decision-Making | Enhanced through real-time data and remote monitoring |
| Patient Outcomes | Improved via timely interventions and follow-ups |
| Financial Efficiency | Reduced per-visit costs and annual savings |
| Workflow Optimization | Increased provider efficiency and reduced care delays |
NIs also help mitigate technological apprehension among staff by designing targeted training sessions, awareness campaigns, and simulation-based learning experiences. They play a vital role in addressing cybersecurity concerns as well, developing protocols for secure logins, encrypted communication, and regular system audits (Butzner & Cuffee, 2021).
Summary of Recommendation and Justification of the Role
A Nurse Informaticist (NI) is an essential asset to any healthcare team implementing telehealth technologies. Their contributions support safe, equitable, and effective virtual care models, particularly in remote and underserved communities. Evidence shows that telehealth—when facilitated by experienced NIs—can scale access, enhance diagnostic accuracy, and improve care coordination (Tsou et al., 2021). They also enable nurses to remotely assess patient data, provide real-time feedback, and ensure follow-ups, all of which are crucial for quality outcomes (Butzner & Cuffee, 2021).
Moreover, NIs help enforce HIPAA compliance by training staff in privacy protocols and integrating safety checks into daily operations. These professionals also bring a measurable return on investment. For example, the aforementioned telehealth initiative that saved over \$24,000 in less than a year illustrates their financial and operational value (Detten, 2023). Their unique expertise ultimately ensures the sustainability, accessibility, and reliability of telehealth across diverse care environments.
Conclusion
Incorporating a Nurse Informaticist (NI) into healthcare teams is a strategic move to enhance virtual care delivery. NIs improve access, reduce healthcare disparities, and enhance safety in the digital space. Through collaboration, system design, and training, they support the transformation of traditional models into efficient, high-quality, patient-centered care. Their involvement is key to making telehealth sustainable and impactful, especially for those most in need.
References
American Nurses Association. (2024). What is nursing informatics, and why is it so important? https://www.nursingworld.org/content-hub/resources/nursing-resources/nursing-informatics/
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. (n.d.). Telehealth. https://www.anthc.org/telehealth/
Butzner, M., & Cuffee, Y. (2021). Telehealth interventions and outcomes across rural communities in the United States: Narrative review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(8), e29575. https://doi.org/10.2196/29575
NURS FPX 4045 Assessment 1 Nursing Informatics in Health Care
Detten, B. von. (2023). Improving access to the healthcare system for disadvantaged groups with the help of private health insurance in Portugal. ProQuest. https://search.proquest.com/openview/3c2cd516cfc88984280cabb5cbc5aaac/1?pq-origsite=gscholar\&cbl=2026366\&diss=y
Institute for Health Informatics. (n.d.). Bonnie L. Westra | Institute for Health Informatics. Retrieved April 5, 2025, from https://healthinformatics.umn.edu/staff/bonnie-l-westra
Kagan, O., Owen, K., & Carroll, W. (2024). The state of nursing informatics specialty in 2024: Practice, research, and education. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 43(3). https://doi.org/10.1097/cin.0000000000001225
Nashwan, A. J., Abujaber, A. A., Mohamed, A. S., & Younes, H. M. (2025). Nursing informatics: The future of nursing practice. Informatics in Medicine Unlocked, 38, 101294.
Rosen, M., Stewart, C. M., Kharrazi, H., Sharma, R., Vass, M., Zhang, A., & Bass, E. B. (2024). Potential harms resulting from patient–clinician real-time clinical encounters using video-based telehealth: A making healthcare safer rapid evidence review. Journal of Patient Safety and Risk Management. https://doi.org/10.1177/25160435241269665
Tsou, C., Robinson, S., Boyd, J., Jamieson, A., Blakeman, R., Yeung, J., McDonnell, J., Waters, S., Bosich, K., & Hendrie, D. (2021). Effectiveness of telehealth in rural and remote emergency departments: Systematic review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(11). https://doi.org/10.2196/30632
NURS FPX 4045 Assessment 1 Nursing Informatics in Health Care
University of Mississippi Medical Center. (2021). New study highlights success of remote patient monitoring. https://umc.edu/news/News_Articles/2021/11/Remote-Patient-Monitoring.html
