Nursing Information for Electronic Clinical Exchange (niece) Nursing Information for Electronic Clinical Exchange (niece)

the makeup of that information exchange has been very limited. Discussions with nurses, both pre-registration and the qualified practitioner , have revealed that there are varied opportunities for nurse involvement with technology at the workface, primarily related to management or administrative information. Nurses should have wider opportunity within their working environment for information sharing through an appreciation of each others' knowledge and clinical experience. This would support an approach to communication which would de-isolate the nurse, and would advance discussion in nursing and healthcare information. The information in this context is visualized in three areas: patient information and management information (in its formal sense) which meets the measurable organizational needs, and the 'unrecorded' knowledge and experience in nursing – meeting the 'professional' information needs of the nurse user (Fig. 1). For example , when nurses are reviewing standards set for clinical procedures, references are searched to find literature that supports what is being done. What happens if there is no published literature to actually support the practice, is it then changed? Usually not, because the clinical practitioner with knowledge and experience knows how to… It is this 'professional' information that needs sharing, needs exchanging in the work environment. Research-based practice and evidence-based practice are acknowledged and there is easy access to materials to support these approaches. The professional role requires that patient data and management information are collected for the organization, though networks for nursing 'professional' information are not usually specifically supported by healthcare organizations within the work environment. Information is about supporting skilful decisions. Healthcare would benefit from acknowledging and enabling wider access to this 'know-how', this 'professional' information (Fig. 2). The value of clinical nursing information is not just within professional care delivery, but as a source for educational and professional development for practitioners. At the core of this argument is the informative connection nurses make through discussion , questioning and reflecting together. Nurses contribute to the production of much healthcare information; there is a danger, however , of their own expert information and knowledge being subsumed. There are ways to move forward: through facilitating the capture of nursing's 'professional' information, organizing a nurses' system, and establishing a nursing information electronic clinical exchange. This 'living' encyclopaedia would revalue knowledge and experience and support professional information development for the benefit of healthcare delivery. The issue for nurses becoming involved in electronic information exchange is the need for support from …