HIMSS Backs Nursing Informatics Report, Recommendations

The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) board of directors approved this position statement describing how to transform nursing practice through technology and informatics

Nurses are key leaders in developing the infrastructure for effective and efficient health information technology that transforms the delivery of care. Recognizing this vital leadership role of nurses in providing quality patient care, the HIMSS board of directors approved a position statement describing how to transform nursing practice through technology and informatics. Leaders from the HIMSS Nursing Informatics Community, representing over 2,900 members who not only serve the nursing profession, but also, the broader healthcare industry and HIMSS membership at large, developed the position statement.

The position statement supports the landmark report from the Institute of Medicine and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health Report. The report provides criteria to transform the nursing profession, leading to new roles and leadership positions for nurses in the redesign of the healthcare system.

The Future of Nursing report includes eight key recommendations organized around three broad categories of Leadership, Education and Practice. Nursing informatics professionals support all nurses regardless of practice setting. As such, the implications of the IOM report for healthcare are far reaching.