NR-512 Discussion Week 2, Wisdom Versus Judgement (Two Versions)

NR-512 Discussion Week 2, Wisdom Versus Judgement (Two Versions) The development of a nurse’s knowledge base is not built overnight. It most assuredly is not finished after they obtain their bachelor’s and subsequently their license. The development of a nurse’s wisdom is something that is delicate and takes time. The development of wisdom generally coincides with that of a nurse’s judgement. As the nurse grows, the strength and confidence in their wisdom and judgement do too. Wisdom in nursing informatics is essential to developing a nurse and according to the American Nurses Association they believe that all nurses should have a basic education in nursing informatics in order to practice safely (Watts, 2016). If a nurse is to succeed in their career, not only do they need a strong set of nursing skills but they also need a general knowledge of informatics. This particular requirement isn’t essential, but it helps and it benefits the patient, but it shouldn’t have an effect on the quality of care delivered to the patient. I remember when my first hospital transferred to an electronic charting system, some of the most veteran and skilled nurses appeared to be paralyzed by the transition. The ability to care for their patients never wavered but their ability to follow through with physician orders and administer new medications were affected. When you compare nursing informatics with the concept of professional nursing judgement, the two don’t necessarily describe an excellent nurse alone. If a nurse has the ability to strive in their knowledge of informatics and their professional nursing judgement there is a good chance that the nurse is a very skilled worker. A nurse who struggles with nursing informatics doesn’t necessarily mean they struggle with their nursing judgement. This could be in reference to the skilled nurse I mentioned earlier, who struggled with the transition to the EMR. A nurse who struggles with professional nursing judgement and who succeeds with nursing informatics, doesn’t mean that that nurse is a lost cause, it could simply mean that that nurse is new to the field, fresh out of school, their judgement has yet to develop. The nurse’s role in the new digital space is an evolving one and it’s up to the nurses to collaborate and work towards improvement as the profession adapts (Australian Nursing & Midwifery Journal, 2016). The key to being a successful nurse in this day and age is applying your knowledge of nursing informatics and incorporating that with you nursing judgement. One can use what the CCN has shortened to DIKW (2016). This stands for data, information (when information from the data is used), knowledge (synthesis of the information from several sources), wisdom (when knowledge is properly applied) (CCN, 2016). As a nurse on my floor I’m able to use DIKW on a daily basis. When I get to the floor first thing I do is look up the information on my patients. I check out their primary medical history, I look at their most recent vitals, I look at their AM lab results, and from there I am able to shape a picture of what my day may end up looking like. I’m able to anticipate giving blood if my patient’s hemoglobin is under 7.5, I’m able to anticipate rechecking a blood pressure during change of shift if their last blood pressure was in the 180’s systolic. By getting to work early, looking up data, processing the information, using the knowledge I have on that particular aspect of that patient’s chart, I use my nursing wisdom to formulate a plan for the day and be the best nurse I can be. Challenges face nurses in digital healthcare. (2016). Australian Nursing & Midwifery Journal, 24(3), 9. Chamberlain College of nursing. (2016). Nursing Informatics Week 2 Lesson. Watts, C. S. (2016). Preparing nursing graduates for the future: adding informatics education to entry level programs. Nursing Informatics Today, 31(1), 10-16.