Introduction
Health Information Technology (HIT) includes various modern technologies used in healthcare. First of all, HITs are used in order to improve the effectiveness and quality of healthcare. Second, they increase the accuracy of healthcare and prevent medical errors. Third, it helps minimize healthcare costs, increase its efficiency and productivity. They also help get rid of paperwork and improve the overall administrative efficiency (Forrester, Hepp, Roth, Wirtz, & Devine, 2014). Finally, they extend access to healthcare and allow healthcare professionals to engage in real-time communications. On the whole, HIT possesses great potential for the improvement of diverse aspects of health care. Thus, it is now an indispensable part of any healthcare system that makes it much better. Here at Trinity Healthcare, implementation of a Computerized Provider Order Entry required strategic planning and an array of diametrical view in taking the establishment to another level.
Strategy, Vision, and Alignment
The concepts of strategy, vision, and alignment are crucial for leadership, especially in the sphere of HIT. Thus, a strategy is the following of a particular plan focused on the achievement of the company’s goals. A vision is a particular objective that must inspire all members of the company to work as hard as possible in order to achieve this goal (Khanna & Yen, 2014). Alignment is the coherence of the two previous concepts and their close connection with other leadership concepts so that they function together in harmony and bring the maximum result.
In general, the tools of strategy, vision, and alignment are used by leaders to promote HIT innovations, thereby improving healthcare (Snedaker, 2016). A clearly communicated vision and strategy of a company in general, and its HIT department in particular, should be implemented by a leader as an instrument for the advancement of the agenda of HIT. Trinity Healthcare is aware not to follow its competitors and is geared at improving what already exists. It is focused on innovations that would contribute to its competitive ability and create distinguishing features of the healthcare provider. We are to remember a CIO is especially needed as HIT analyzes the strategic organization’s direction. It is crucial to have a person able to guide and give directions because innovative processes and changes demand careful management. Moreover, Trinity Healthcare considers an environmental aspect. The vision at Trinity is simple: To pioneer software that is in harmony and creates a crescendo.
Innovative Aspects in HIT
The innovative character of HIT presupposes certain improvements after its application. Thus, Jones, Rudin, Perry, and Shekelle (2014) speak about the improved outcomes that result from hits such as quality, safety, and efficiency outcomes. For example, the research revealed the influence of HIT on the increase in the quality of outcomes. Also, the direct effect of HIT on patient safety in general and medication safety, in particular, was revealed (Jones et al., 2014). Finally, the introduction of HIT positively influences efficiency-related outcomes such as cost-efficiency or treatment effectiveness that results in the reduction of hospital stay.
There are certain aspects that a good HIT leader should take into account in order to become a better innovator. First, a good leader should know that innovation is a way of improvement. Thus, when applying certain innovative technologies, a HIT leader should always think about the improvements that this innovation will bring (Romanow, Rai, Keil, & Luxenberg, 2017). In addition, a successful leader should be able to develop an ambitious vision and elaborate a good strategy, which will promote innovation. Trinity is prepared at such a task and has unified it’s staffing for such a groundbreaking event.
HIT Governance
In general, information technology governance is the actions implemented to ensure the efficient and effective usage of modern technologies, thereby allowing an organization to complete its purposes (Heath, Appan, & Gudigantala, 2017). In addition, there is certain evidence that it is more difficult for healthcare institutions to adopt IT governance, but they try their best so as not to lose their competitive ability.
The implementation of IT governance is imperative, as it can cause many problems in the modern world. The unwillingness to implement innovative technologies can have a negative influence on an organization, especially in a medical institution. Consequently, one of the tasks of HIT governance is to check if HIT processes and strategies do not contradict the general policy of the company. Also, HIT governance should consider the aspects of financing and consideration of the interests of all stakeholders. Finally, HIT governance is necessary to predict the possible outcomes of innovations and assess the necessary resources, both human and material. In terms of leadership, the concept of HIT governance plays a crucial role (Yen, Phillips, Kennedy, & Collins, 2017). Thus, in order to provide quality patient care, healthcare professionals are constantly involved in the process of communication, governance, and interaction, which help remain the standard services and the accepted quality criteria and, at the same time, not to disturb the process of innovation.
Computerized Provider Order Entry
Computerized physician order entry (or CPOE) is a process of electronic entry used by healthcare providers to treat patients who are under their care (Cresswell & Sheikh, 2013). At Trinity Healthcare it is important for healthcare professionals to take into account potential benefits and obstacles related to the use of innovative technologies.
Benefits of CPO
Certainly, such a program as CPOE is beneficial to healthcare institutions, patients, healthcare providers, and others. The most important advantage of this system is that it makes communication between healthcare practitioners easier. One more advantage is that this system is portable, and the specialists can access it even being far away from their workplace (McCartney, 2014). In addition, this program checks the information on medication mistakes, thereby preventing confusing situations and unnecessary repetitions.
Thus, it can be stated that CPOE is a great program for healthcare institutions. However, in certain cases, it can be misused. That is why effective HIT leadership skills are required in order to provide guidance for healthcare professionals and improve this system (Yen et al., 2017). Basically, stakeholders are ready to implement this new system, but they should place a great emphasis on the importance of the appropriate period of training. The duration of the training period is primarily determined by the level of computer skills of employees and some other challenges (Romanow et al., 2017). Additionally, the implementation of CPOE is quite a difficult task that requires considerable effort from the side of all healthcare specialists and the readiness to keep up with modern trends in the sphere of information technology.
It should be noted that at the global level, millions of errors related to the appointment and distribution of drugs are predicted. This leads to several millions of preventable adverse effects and millions of dollars that represent the costs of the necessary subsequent medical care (Charles, Cannon, Hall, & Coustasse, 2014). Global approaches to collecting, storing, and disseminating data can help reduce the errors made when prescribing and distributing medicine. Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) is one of the global standards designed to help solve this issue. The purpose of this paper is to answer three research questions related to CPOE, in particular, it is essential to determine the core of this standard, define its advantages, and evaluate its projected impact.
Details
Here at Trinity Healthcare the core of CPOE lies in the idea that it can replace recipes that are written manually with electronic orders. This approach involves reducing text recognition errors. In addition, the costs for medicines can be reduced by the introduction of this module. With the implementation of this approach, health care specialists are able to use electronic databases regarding medicines, determine their compatibility with other drugs and medications, and refine their awareness on contraindications and so on (Khanna & Yen, 2014). After specialists receive the initial information, they can choose the method of treatment in accordance with medical standards. At the same time, the platform allows taking into account the cost of the medicinal product, the rational combination with other medicines, and the optimal intake regime. Some researchers state that this system will reduce the total cost of drugs up to 15%, which is a weighty argument displaying the need to implement the module across healthcare institutions.
Conclusion
Thus, it can be concluded that computerized provider order entry can serve as a powerful tool for reducing the number of medical errors, ensuring patient safety, and enhancing care provision. This type of clinical decision support system can have diverse options for the application. For example, it can use preset rules to evaluate allergies, drug-drug interactions, and drug dosing at the time of ordering. In addition, it can even suggest an appropriate dose by pulling in the patient’s age, weight, and renal function. Such an application is likely to reduce mistakes in medication use and result in improved patient outcomes that is one of the major goals of the healthcare system. However, despite the benefits CPOE brings to Trinity Healthcare, many health care institutions still do not employ it. It can be explained by the complications that can appear during HIT implementation and management. Moreover, many health care facilities do not possess enough resources to introduce HIT. Therefore, this topic can be leveraged to advance research regarding the module implementation and employment barriers that hinder the widespread use of this platform.
References
Charles, K., Cannon, M., Hall, R., & Coustasse, A. (2014). Can utilizing a computerized provider order entry (CPOE) system prevent hospital medical errors and adverse drug events? Perspectives in Health Information Management, 11, 1-16.
Cresswell K., & Sheikh, A. (2013). Organizational issues in the implementation and adoption of health information technology innovations: An interpretative review. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 82(5), e73-e86.
Forrester, S. H., Hepp, Z., Roth, J. A., Wirtz, H. S., & Devine, E. B. (2014). Cost-effectiveness of a computerized provider order entry system in improving medication safety ambulatory care. Value in Health, 17(4), 340-349.
Heath, M., Appan, R., & Gudigantala, N. (2017). Exploring health information exchange (HIE) through collaboration framework: Normative guidelines for it leadership of healthcare organizations. Information Systems Management, 34(2), 137-156.
Jones, S., Rudin, R., Perry, T., & Shekelle, P. (2014). Health information technology: An updated systematic review with a focus on meaningful use. Annals of Internal Medicine, 160(1), 48-54.
Khanna, R., & Yen, T. (2014). Computerized physician order entry. The Neurohospitalist, 4(1), 26-33.
Khanna, R., & Yen, T. (2014). Computerized physician order entry: Promise, perils, and experience. The Neurohospitalist, 4(1), 26-33.
McCartney, P. (2014). Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE): Evidence on implementation challenges. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 39(1), 63-66.
Romanow, D., Rai, A., Keil, M., & Luxenberg, S. (2017). Does extended CPOE use reduce patient length of stay? International Journal of Medical Informatics, 97(1), 128-138.
Snedaker, S. T. (2016). Leading healthcare IT: Managing to succeed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
Yen, P., Phillips, A., Kennedy, M., & Collins, S. (2017). Nursing informatics competency assessment for the nurse leader. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 47(5), 271-277.
Child Corporal Punishment As Domestic Violence
Topic Description
Domestic violence is an important public health issue that affects the physical and emotional well-being of men, women, and children all over the world. However, when it comes to children, some parents advocate for physical punishment as a means of teaching children to behave properly. The public widely accepts a differentiation between domestic violence and corporal punishment, although the latter can be damaging to children’s health and well-being. My opinion on the topic is that corporal punishment by parents and family members is a form of domestic violence that can be damaging to children. Approaching the topic from a scientific point of view could help to shed light on the health effects of corporal punishment in the home and highlight why it should be considered a form of domestic violence.
The research questions that the proposed paper will seek to answer are as follows:
- What is the prevalence of corporal punishment in the United States?
- What is the state of legislation on corporal punishment of children in the United States?
- How does corporal punishment affect the child’s behavior and development?
- What are mental and physical health problems associated with corporal punishment in the home?
- What are the safe and efficient strategies that can be used by parents instead of corporal punishment?
Purpose of Research
At the moment, many U.S. states have no legislation regarding corporal punishment in the home. This threatens the health and well-being of children that suffer from physical punishment by parents. The main reason for the absence of adequate legislation is that corporal punishment is not considered to be a form of domestic violence. However, corporal punishment by parents can damage children’s health, as well as their physical and emotional development, in the same way as domestic violence does (McCall, 2014; Case, 2017). Similarly to domestic violence, corporal punishment in the home is linked to increased aggression, impaired cognitive development, poor learning abilities, and psychological disturbances (Case, 2017). The topic affects me as it impacts the health of children and their development, which can cause problems in later life. Therefore, this paper seeks to increase the awareness about health and psychological impacts of corporal punishment in the home. Establishing the similarities in the effects of domestic violence and corporal punishment could help to promote adequate policy against the use of physical punishment by parents.
Preliminary Research
Gershoff, E. T. (2013). Spanking and child development: We know enough now to stop hitting our children. Child Development Perspectives, 7(3), 133-137.
Gershoff (2013) argues against spanking, which is a common form of corporal punishment, showing its lack of effectiveness and negative consequences for health. The author examines how corporal punishment is linked to impaired family relationships, aggression, abuse, criminal behavior, and more. For example, the author cites previous research that proves that in families where spanking is a regular practice, children are abused.
Hyland, M. E., Alkhalaf, A. M., & Whalley, B. (2013). Beating and insulting children as a risk for adult cancer, cardiac disease, and asthma. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 36(6), 632-640.
In this article, the authors present findings of their research, arguing that physical punishment of children is correlated with negative health outcomes in later life. The researchers investigated the correlation between physical punishment, its frequency, and the incidence of asthma, cancer, and cardiac disease in adults. The research also showed a correlation between the frequency of beating and health risks: for example, children who experienced corporal punishment every six months or less were at a higher risk of cardiac disease, cancer, and asthma. The authors found a strong correlation, suggesting that physical punishment of children is an early life stressor affecting somatic health in further life.
Audience
The paper is aimed at patents and policymakers, as the purpose of it is to show that corporal punishment in the home should be perceived as a form of domestic violence. The majority of the readers would see physical punishment as necessary for teaching children to behave. The main factors influencing their views on corporal punishment would thus be its perceived necessity and the lack of information about adverse outcomes associated with it. The motivation behind corporal punishment in the family is to eliminate misbehavior by punishing children for it. Thus, the audience needs to understand the effect of corporal punishment on children and gain knowledge about alternative parenting strategies that are more effective in achieving their goal. Overall, the research will seek to appeal to parents by defending the children’s interests while also recognizing the need for appropriate behavior modification tools.
Focus
Few studies attempted to compare the effects of domestic violence and corporal punishment on children. The present paper will seek to provide a new viewpoint on corporal punishment, arguing that it should be perceived as a form of domestic violence. The preliminary thesis of the work is as follows: “The present paper will show that the effect of corporal punishment and domestic violence on children are the same, which is why physical punishment should be perceived as the form of domestic violence”.
References
Case, H. (2017). The long-term effects of physical punishment on a child. Web.
Gershoff, E. T. (2013). Spanking and child development: We know enough now to stop hitting our children. Child Development Perspectives, 7(3), 133-137.
Hyland, M. E., Alkhalaf, A. M., & Whalley, B. (2013). Beating and insulting children as a risk for adult cancer, cardiac disease, and asthma. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 36(6), 632-640.
McCall, C. (2014). Consider the impact of domestic violence on children. Web.
Nursing Theory Of Virginia Henderson
Virginia Avenel Henderson was born on November 30, 1897, in Kansas City, MO. She graduated from the U.S. Army School of Nursing in 1921, completed her B.S. at the Teachers College in 1932, and her M.A. at the Columbia University in 1934. Then she taught at the Columbia University until 1948. Later, Henderson became a part of the Yale School of Nursing in 1953. She continued her work until her death on March 19, 1996. She worked for the majority of the 20th century. Her work shaped the modern standards of nursing, through her theories and textbook work. Over her carrier, she has received a wide variety of honors. Henderson was presented with the inaugural Christiane Reimann Prize by the International Council of Nurses in 1985, as well as other prestigious honors in the field of nursing. She was widely beloved by the nursing community and is still referred to by such titles as “the first lady of nursing,” “modern day Florence Nightingale,” and “the quintessential nurse of the twentieth century.” She could be considered to be the most influential person in nursing of the last 100 years. Her main theory is called the “Need Theory,” and it proposed that the self-determination of the patients is essential for their well-being after leaving the hospital. This paper will cover her theory, its relevance, as well as its strong and weak points.
Analysis
Virginia Henderson is most famous for her nursing Need Theory. This theory is focused on the idea that self-determinate patients are more likely to experience faster recovery and to sustain their health after leaving the hospital. She proposed that caring for the patient’s basic human needs is essential, and that nurse can help to meet those needs. There are four assumptions of the Need Theory. The first is the assumption that nurses will care for patients up until they are independent enough to care for themselves. The second assumption is that patients desire to return to health. The third is that the nurses are willing to devote themselves to the patient during any time of day. The last assumption is that the mind and body of a persona are one. Four major concepts were described in theory: environment, health, individual, and nursing. The environment is not clearly defined, but she states that it should be supportive. Henderson describes health as a balance in all aspects of life and is directly connected with independence. In her theory, the individual has basic needs that make up health and need to be met to achieve the required nursing results. Interestingly, her idea of patients includes more than just people suffering from illnesses (Smith & Parker, 2015). Henderson’s concept of nursing requires the most explanation. Its definition was written before she started her work on the theory. This definition concerned the unique role of the nurse in aiding the patient in performing health-related activities until the patient can do them independently while doing things according to the therapeutic plan provided by a physician. However, she states that the nurse should be able to act creatively and independently if it is required (Alligood, 2014).
The main purpose of the nurse in this theory is to help individuals who cannot fulfill one or more of the 14 needs defined by Henderson. These needs make up the fourteen components of the Need Theory. These components can be separated into categories. Physiological:
- The need to breathe normally;
- The need to eat and drink adequately;
- The need to eliminate body wastes;
- The need to move and stand with the desired posture;
- The need to rest and sleep;
- The need to dress and undress in the desired clothes;
- The need to maintain the required body temperature through clothes adjustment or environment adjustment;
- The need for cleanliness, grooming, and skin protection;
- The need to avoid dangers from the environment, and possible injury to people around the patient.
The second category is psychological, and involves communication and learning:
- The need to communicate and express emotions;
- The need to learn, discover new information, or develop through the satisfaction of curiosity.
The smallest category concerns the spiritual and moral needs of a person:
- The need to worship according to the faith of the person.
The last category concerns the needs related to sociological aspects of life:
- The need to work with a sense of accomplishment;
- The need for recreation (Butts & Rich, 2013).
Relevance
The writing of Virginia Henderson is not only relevant today, but is widely used in everyday nursing. The writing style is almost poetic when she describes what the nurse should be for the patient. She was clearly concerned for the wellbeing of every patient, and that is why this system is so extensive, while also being understandable to a layman. It could be said that this theory is closely connected to her personality and approach to healthcare. Henderson defined one of the most important parts of health – independent practice of health activities. While the hospital can heal a person, without independence, they will again become a patient. This type of approach to healthcare is timeless, because a person has to be able to care for his health, no matter the era. This is what led to her theories being applied to practice by most of the modern nurses, making it one of the most relevant nursing theories today (Sitzman & Eichelberger, 2015).
Summary
Henderson states that the role of the nurse is to assist the patient until they are able to fulfill their basic needs. In this theory, she outlines 14 basic needs that every person has. Everything is written in a simple language, without an overuse of medical terms and concepts. This simplicity of language is one of the main strengths of the Needs Theory. Every point she makes is logical and relatable. Most people experienced at the very least one of those needs, so fulfilling them is a natural goal (Masters, 2014). Some minor weaknesses exist, however. Despite the concepts defined by the theory, Henderson does not provide a conceptual diagram that could show the interconnectivity of these needs. Another issue lies in the concept of “peaceful death,” which is described in the nurse’s duties. Henderson states that the nurse should be able to make the death of the person peaceful, but she does not define what is required of the nurse in this case (Smith & Parker, 2015).
Conclusion
Virginia Henderson is a legendary nurse. She managed to work for the better part of the century. Her writing defines the nursing today. Her books are used to teach nurses who are just starting their training. Her theory might be one of the most simple, and yet most important theories proposed in nursing, perhaps even in all medicine. With most people, this would sound hyperbolic, but her ideas truly define the field of nursing today. Hopefully, there are more people out there, who are as talented and caring as she was, all of the humanity could benefit from improved nursing and healthcare.
References
Alligood, M. (2014). Nursing theorists and their work (8th ed.). Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier Health Sciences.
Butts, J., & Rich, K. (2013). Philosophies and theories for advanced nursing practice. Sudbury, Canada: Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC.
Masters, K. (2014). Nursing theories: A framework for professional practice. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Sitzman, K., & Eichelberger, L. (2015). Understanding the work of nurse theorists. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Smith, M., & Parker, M. (2015). Nursing theories & nursing practice. Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis.
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