NURSING INFORMATICS IN CANADA

BRIEF HISTORY Nursing informatics began to evolve as nurses participated in the early initiatives in hospital information system adoption in various health agencies across the nation. Early systems were primarily imported from other countries, especially the USA. By the late 1980s, most hospitals had at least a rudimentary information system that required nurses to enter common data such as admission profiles and basic care requirements like diet, medications, and treatments into a computer as part of their routine duties.

THE NATIONAL NURSING INFORMATICS PROJECT In 1998 a national steering committee was formed to address Nursing Informatics issues and develop strategies to ensure that Registered Nurses have the competencies required to successfully carry out the responsibilities of their practice - whether that be clinical, administrative, educational or research. The committee membership represented the Canadian Association of University Schools of Nursing, Canadian Nurses Association, Registered Nurses Association of British Columbia, Academy of Canadian Executive Nurses and the COACH Nursing Informatics Special Interest Group.

EACH PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATION APPOINTED A NURSE EXPERT IN NURSING INFORMATICS TO A FIVE- MEMBER WORKING GROUP TO DEVELOP AND INITIATE A PLAN TO: develop consensus on a definition of Nursing Informatics for Canada; recommend Nursing Informatics competencies for entry level nurses and specialists, managers, educators, and researchers; identify curriculum implications and strategies for both basic and continuing nursing education; and determine priorities for implementing national nursing informatics education strategies.

NURSING MINIMUM DATA SET the first major Canadian Nurses Association informatics initiative beginning in This was in response to the strong conviction that nursing data must be included in the centralized national health data system being planned by the Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI)

THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH INFORMATION (CIHI) plays a unique and crucial role in the development of this new Canadian health information system. Roles: 1. Setting National standards for financial, statistical, and clinical data 2. Setting National standards for health information technology, 3. Collecting, processing, and maintaining health related databases and registries

THE CANADIAN ORGANIZATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COMPUTERS IN HEALTH (COACH) Founded in 1975, actively initiated professional protocols for using computer systems in Canadian health care. One important document, Guidelines to Promote Confidentiality and Security of Automated Health-related Information (1979), has been incorporated into the national accreditation guidelines approved by the Canadian Council of Health Facilities Association in These guidelines were also supported by the CNA in 1993.

In 2001, COACH, as Canada's Health Informatics Association, launched the Patron Program. Today, COACH is a leading organization with an evolving membership. It is in the forefront of the Canadian Healthcare information resource and technology field by working cooperatively with health institutions, professions, associations, consultants, vendors of information technology and applications, government and regulatory organizations in the pursuit of its mandate.

THE CANADIAN NURSING INFORMATICS ASSOCIATION (CNIA) In 2001, a new group, the Canadian Nursing Informatics Association (CNIA) received emerging group status from the CNA and affiliate status in Now, it has full associate status with the CNA. It has a website and the executive board encourages new members, including student members. The mission of the CNIA is to be the voice for Nursing Informatics in Canada.

THE USE OF ICTS HAS BECOME ROUTINE IN THE LIVES OF MOST CANADIANS Uses information and communication technologies to support information synthesis in accordance with professional and regulatory standards in the delivery of patient/client care. Uses ICTs in accordance with professional and regulatory standards and workplace policies.

ACCORDING TO THE CANADIAN NURSES ASSOCIATION “Nursing Informatics (NI) is the application of computer science and information science to nursing. NI promotes the generation, management and processing of relevant data in order to use information and develop knowledge that supports nursing in all practice domains”