Question 1

Emotional connectivity between nurses and patients is endangered by use of technology. By focusing solely on this issue, which other issue is often overlooked?

Accepted Answer

1. Technology is expensive, but this issue is at the forefront of many discussions.
2. In order to stay competitive, healthcare organizations cannot afford not to implement technology. This is also at the forefront of many discussions.
3. The focus on connectivity between patients and staff leaves out the problems that occur when staff members become isolated from one another. Technology supports work being done in isolation from other staff.
4. The third party demands for demonstration of outcomes is a reason that healthcare organizations adopt technology.

Question 2

Which technologic advancement would improve emotional connectivity while providing patient care?

Accepted Answer

1. Using the laptop while in the patient room can be a time-saver, but also draws the provider's attention to the machine, not the patient.
2. Telemedicine can improve connectivity if used with the goal of doing so. The technology can be used to talk to the patient, visualize the patient for assessment, and to allow the patient to "see" the provider. This is much more connected than a provider calling another provider with information for a consult.
3. Until patients become more accustomed to this technology, it can be somewhat "off-putting." Many correlate this technology as impersonal and much like groceries being scanned at the supermarket.
4. The PDA is certainly a nice tool for accessing information, but can come between the patient and the provider if the provider is spending more time interacting with the PDA or smartphone than the patient.

Question 3

The nurse works in a healthcare clinic in which providers communicate with one another and with patients using e-mail. What guideline associated with this method of communication should the healthcare providers follow?

Accepted Answer

1. While lists and groups are convenient, if they are not designed carefully confidentiality may be breeched.
2. Archiving messages produces an "electronic paper trail" for future referral.
3. Patients should always be advised of anyone who will be accessing information or messages.
4. The providers should ask patients which type of communication they prefer. Some may prefer telephone messages or mail rather than electronic communication.

Question 4

The nurse answers a "nurse call" line for a hospital. Which resources will this nurse use to guide patients using this technology? Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

1. Protocols define the ongoing care or management of a broad problem or issue. They direct the advice/triage/education/counseling process commonly used when answering "nurse call" lines.
2. Research and evidence-based practice are used in general to provide care; however, they are not specific tools used in practice.
3. An algorithm prescribes what steps to take given particular circumstances or characteristics. These tools may be used by this nurse.
4. Guidelines are typically a more narrative description of assessment steps that include education and counseling text to support the nurse during calls.
5. Internet search engines can help obtain information, but is not a tool generally used specifically in this situation.

Question 5

The healthcare organization has elected to move towards use of electronic medical records (EMR). In order to be most successful, management should involve nurses in which part of this work? Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

1. Nurses should be consulted regarding the types of EMR systems available and should be heavily involved in choosing the system purchased.
2. Staff training will be lengthy and time consuming. Nursing should be consulted about how best to plan for this training and how best to implement the training.
3. This is the work of the chief financial officer of the organization.
4. The change to an EMR is not undertaken quickly. Plans for a smooth conversion should include nursing input. Nursing should also be consulted regarding back-up plans and trouble shooting plans.
5. Nursing will be heavily involved in use of this system and should be involved in its long-term evaluation.

Question 6

The human resources (HR) department is developing a newspaper advertisement for nurse positions. In order to meet National Academy (NAM) guidelines, which information technology skills should be included as a job requirement? Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

1. Use of word processing, presentation, and data analysis software is one of the IOM/NAM guidelines.
2. Searching, retrieving, managing, and making decisions using electronic data from internal information databases and external online databases and the Internet is one of the IOM guidelines.
3. Computer programming skills are not included in the IOM/NAM's guidelines.
4. Trouble shooting hardware or software is not included in the IOM/NAM's guidelines.
5. Communication using e-mail, instant messaging, listservs, and file transfers is one of the IOM/NAM guidelines.

Question 7

Physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers within the hospital have complained that the current documentation system is slow and that information is often not accessible when needed. Which system would increase the speed and accuracy of provider-to-provider communication?

Accepted Answer

1. A clinical data repository provides longitudinal clinical data storage of patient information and would not be practical for immediate access.
2. Communication can be improved as point-of-care clinical documentation systems are used to enhance provider-to-provider communication that is rapid and accurate. Care is documented as it is completed and is immediately accessible.
3. Handheld communication devices can be used for documentation or to search for medical information. These would be a possible component of the point-of-care system, but are not, individually, a method to enhance provider-to-provider communication.
4. Narrative documentation is slow and time intensive.

Question 8

A rural hospital has resisted moving to electronic record keeping, but now believes moving to a clinical information system is unavoidable. Place in order the steps this hospital should take to develop its clinical information system strategic plan. Choice

Accepted Answer

1. The organization must identify what it believes about the role of information technology in its services. This is the first step of the process.
2. Development of specific strategic goals is the third step.
3. The second step is to develop a general clinical strategy that includes how information technology will affect the strategy.
4. These vital signs are used to determine if the goals are being achieved.
5. Evaluation is the last step of the process and will trigger a new round of changes.

Question 9

The nursing student states, "I use information and technology all the time to keep in touch with my friends and family. I didn't know it was used in healthcare, too." Which statements, made by a fellow student, would explain the healthcare uses of information and technology? Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

1. Advances in information and technology have improved patient safety and quality of care.
2. This is one of the seven issues reflecting the broad impact of technology in the healthcare environment.
3. Laboratory simulators have developed as a result of new technologies and use of information.
4. There is concern that use of technology may distance the nurse from the patient, interfering with the personal connectivity that has long been the domain of nursing.
5. Automated medication systems are another development that can be traced to technology and information.

Question 10

Which statement regarding the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) position on the use of information technology (IT) by healthcare professionals is accurate?

Accepted Answer

1. The IOM/NAM supports IT use by all healthcare professionals.
2. This statement is accurate.
3. The IOM/NAM supports IT use by all healthcare professionals.
4. The IOM/NAM supports the use of IT.

Question 11

The large healthcare organization is determined to develop and support technological processes and structures to help nursing staff members manage the data generated in the direct care of patients. Which person would be best for the organization to hire to achieve this goal?

Accepted Answer

1. Computer programmers may be helpful in system design, but would not have the nursing expertise to be the most effective in this position.
2. Software analysts would not have the nursing expertise to be the most effective in this position.
3. The nursing informatics specialist is a nurse who should have these skills among others included in the specialty. This professional will have nursing expertise essential to develop applications useful to nurses.
4. This individual would not have the nursing expertise to be the most effective in this position.

Question 12

The patient expresses concern about the confidentiality of his medical information since, "so much of it gets faxed around nowadays." How should the nurse respond to this concern?

Accepted Answer

1. This statement is correct and helps assure the patient that efforts to protect his confidentiality are being taken. It is the best response.
2. This is a confusing answer to patients and is not on point for the statement made.
3. This statement is not true and does not address the patient's real concern. It sounds like a statement that would be made to "skirt" the issue.
4. This statement may have some truth. It is not the best response to a patient who is already concerned about his confidentiality.

Question 13

The nurse educator would like to participate in the development of a single standardized language to be used across all settings and by all healthcare professions. What should this nurse consider about this goal? Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

1. While work has been done toward this goal, there is not widespread use of a standardized language to date.
2. Nursing schools have used North America Nursing Diagnosis (NANDA), Nursing Intervention Classification (NIC), and/or Nursing Outcome Classification (NOC) languages for many years. Changing to a different standardized language would require major revision to most nursing school curriculums.
3. This statement does not reflect the state of the issue today.
4. Compromise will be required as many professions use languages that are specific to that profession.
5. Developing and adhering to distinct profession-specific terms may be a manifestation of professional's desire to preserve identity, status, or control.

Question 14

Which statement best describes the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) position on the use of North America Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA) approved nursing diagnosis (NDX) statements?

Accepted Answer

1. IOM/NAM supports the use of a standardized language common to all healthcare professionals. NANDA and NIC are not used by all healthcare professionals.
2. IOM/NAM supports the use of a standardized language common to all healthcare professionals. NIC, NOC (Nursing Outcomes Classification), and NANDA are not standard to all healthcare professions and are confusing or not relevant to most providers.
3. IOM/NAM supports the use of a standardized language common to all healthcare professionals. NIC is not common to all healthcare professionals.
4. IOM/NAM supports the use of a standardized language common to all healthcare professional. NIC and NANDA are not common to all healthcare professionals.

Question 15

The hospital's risk management team has recommended that the hospital adopt an automated medication administration system. What benefits can the hospital expect from this change? Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

1. This automated system verifies that all "five rights" have been met at the time the medication is being administered.
2. The bar coding that is associated with automated systems is useful in collecting data about medication administration.
3. Data collected about medication administration can serve to improve the quality of care.
4. These systems can be quite expensive to implement and cost-savings through decreased error and increased quality may take some time to realize.
5. The ISMP strongly supports use of the bar coding that is required for these systems.

Question 16

The public health nurse is planning an education session on healthcare literacy for the community. What topics should the nurse include in this session? Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

1. Healthcare literacy includes recognizing what information is needed.
2. Healthcare literacy includes how to locate information.
3. Healthcare literacy includes how to evaluate information for accuracy and pertinence.
4. Dissemination of information to others is not a part of healthcare literacy.
5. Healthcare literacy includes recognizing how to use information once it is located.

Question 17

The hospital is considering implementation of the following technology upgrades. Which one will have the most direct implications for patient confidentiality?

Accepted Answer

1. The use of medical e-mail has the most potential for breaching confidentiality.
2. All methods of electronic documentation have implications associated with confidentiality, but this is not the technology that presents the most direct implications.
3. All methods of electronic documentation have implications associated with confidentiality, but this is not the technology that presents the most direct implications.
4. All methods of electronic documentation have implications associated with confidentiality, but this is not the technology that presents the most direct implications.

Question 18

The hospital has identified telehealth as a potential addition to its services and is conducting cost-benefit analysis. Which barrier to developing this service is likely to emerge?

Accepted Answer

1. There is no evidence that this is the case.
2. Limited reimbursement mechanisms may make telehealth economically unfeasible for some organizations.
3. The use of telehealth should increase the contact with practitioners.
4. Practice standards do exist and can be used to establish policy and procedure to limit risk.

Question 19

Telehealth has been used for some time in rural areas. In order to expand the use of telehealth, it has been proposed that it would be useful in which other areas? Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

1. At this time, telehealth is unlikely to be used in this area.
2. Home healthcare presents a likely practice area for telehealth.
3. School-based healthcare in inner cities presents a likely practice area for telehealth.
4. Telehealth technology offers opportunities to provide care when face-to-face interaction is impossible. It is currently not appropriate for use in this practice area.
5. Telehealth technology offers opportunities to provide care when face-to-face interaction is impossible. It is currently not appropriate for use in this practice area.

Question 20

The nurse educator would like to promote the use of standardized language in healthcare with nursing students. Which occurrence would be the most significant toward this nurse's goal?

Accepted Answer

1. This is an attempt toward standardization of categories of patient data, but is nursing based.
2. This is an attempt toward standardization of categories of patient data, but is nursing based.
3. The Omaha system is a comprehensive and standardized taxonomy designed to improve practice, documentation, and information management in home healthcare, community, and public health. It is not used across all healthcare settings or disciplines.
4. SNOMED CT is a comprehensive clinical terminology system recognized by the Federal government systems for electronic exchange of clinical health information and is used across healthcare professions.

Quiz 19: Healthcare Informatics and Technology