Nurse Informatics Officer

The Department of Health Services invites suitably qualified applicants to apply for the position of Nurse Informatics Officer.

Mandate

To analyze, design, implement, and evaluate information and communication  systems to improve patient care; support meaningful use of the Electronic Health Record System; enhance access to care; and strengthen patient centered initiatives, as well as overseeing the integration of data, information and knowledge to support decision-making by patients and their healthcare providers.

Key Functions

• Ensures the completion and effectiveness of assessing, planning, implementing, evaluating and optimizing nursing informatics projects.
• Coordinates system parameters and project designs with the Director of Nursing Services, project teams and/or vendors.
• Provides programme management for nursing informatics projects.
• Facilitates a safe practice environment for interdisciplinary team members’ use of technology.
• Liaise between Nursing and the IT Unit in the development of informatics competencies and direction setting for the use of clinical information systems in the nursing areas.

Key Duties

• Collaborates with the Director of Nursing Services, nurse managers, physicians and other key staff in overall project evaluation, and identifies key benchmarks for use in evaluation
• Initiates and directs planning related to project development including the identification of project objectives, expected outcomes, resource requirements and evaluation strategies.
• Contributes to the design and conduct of evidence-based practice and quality improvement activities related to the care with patients and their families.
• Assesses unit and department technology needs.
• Coordinates orientation classes at implementation.
• Provides ongoing end user education and training.
• Participates in the Development of system related policies and procedures.
• Works with the appropriate Department Teams and Directors to confirm staff involvement and competency for projects as appropriate.
• Provides support to nursing staff for relevant technologies through regular clinical rounds.
• Provides support for daily system operations for relevant technologies.
• Models behaviors that demonstrate specific professional values and commitment to advanced practice.
• Ensures that reliable data are being reported in patient care services information systems through the use of nurse auditors.
• Facilitates a safe practice environment for interdisciplinary team members’ use of technology.
• Establishes collaborative relationships with other members of the health care team for effective interdisciplinary care.
• Evaluates current interventions and emerging technologies to ensure implementation of strategies that promote viable data, cost, safety, and quality outcomes.
• Provides a nursing perspective and articulates nursing needs related to integration of technology in patient care delivery.
• Participate in the development of policy and procedure to support practice implementation and modification as necessary.
• Evaluates necessary changes in nursing clinical practice and workflow as related to technology, including new functionality and functional applications.
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• Analyzes processes and implements necessary process improvements related to technology inventory and lifespan; obtains and analyzes data related to the quantity of devices needed to meet clinical demands.
• Evaluates practice setting suitability for use of technology with the goal of ultimately achieving one standard of care.
•  Evaluates outcomes of technology use including but not limited to feedback from users and impact on improved patient safety.
• Assists patient care managers and others in the interpretation and use of data for decision-making.
• Promotes inquiry by stimulating and encouraging staff members to question and investigate best practice phenomenon with respect to the impact of technology within clinical practice and workflows.
• Improve and innovate the use of technology within clinical practice and workflows.
•  Manages resources effectively to achieve identified project objectives and expected outcomes.
• Participates in the production and distribution of communications related to technology through active internal networking, clinical liaison role, newsletters, announcements and other technology based mechanisms to health professionals.
• Contributes to the development of Nursing Informatics practice and the education of the application of clinical technology with the practice of Nursing.

SCOPE OF THE JOB

The job carries the responsibility for the assessment, planning, training, implementation, evaluation and development and delivery of quality improvement and optimization of informatics projects and initiatives across the Nursing Services

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

The incumbent must possess well – developed theoretical and practical knowledge and skills in nursing, the nursing process and practice relevant regulatory mandates and principles of quality/safety improvement, as well as the principles and practices of computer science and information systems with regard to nursing informatics.

The incumbent must be knowledgeable in planning and implementing nursing informatics projects using evidence-based practices for planning, understanding, guiding and delivering responsible nursing care. Must demonstrate evidence to function with a high degree of independence while actively collaborating with health care members providing care for highly complex patients; knowledge of mandates of regulatory and accrediting bodies; knowledge of current literature that impacts technology/information needs as well as financial management.

The incumbent must also possess sound judgement, must exhibit high standards of integrity, excellent written and oral communicative skills, effective leadership and managerial skills, analytical and diagnostic skills as well as the ability to establish and maintain communicative and interpersonal skills.

Education and Experience

Such knowledge, skills and abilities are normally obtained in the process of acquisition of a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing and a Master’s degree in Nursing Informatics. Three (3) years of clinical and/or informatics-related experience along with experience leading a project resulting in positive change management is required