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If new lessons are going to be remembered and bring long-term value, effort must be taken to reflect on the experiences one has had, evaluate them in terms of whether they were positive or not, consider what one might do to alter future activities and behaviors as a result, and do concrete things to bring about real change.
The previous seven modules have laid the foundation for understanding the current state of the science in nursing informatics. This final module focuses on the future of nursing informatics, challenging students to think of what will or could be, and how their current practice setting and nursing informatics applications could evolve or develop over time. Students will learn about the power of informatics tools to develop a professional ePortfolio and to help network with other professionals to build and share professional knowledge. Finally, this module concludes by reintegrating the Foundation of Knowledge model as we look toward the future of nursing informatics.
This module explored some of the merging technologies that are in both general use and in use and development within health care. The prospect that emerging technologies may create more problems than they solve was considered. However, by having an awareness of likely and possible technological developments nurses can assess what impact they might have on the ways in which we work and live. This module addressed web-based electronic portfolios as both a social networking and professional networking tool.
Finally, the four key areas of the Foundation of Knowledge model were considered. The critical challenges for the future lie within identifying which emerging technologies will best provide the usable tools that nurses will need to manage the coming knowledge “explosion” as more information becomes available to support diagnosis, treatment, and care.
**Note: You will not have access to the Signature Assignment without first submitting the Proctored Assessment, including a verified identification and receiving confirmation from your instructor with a satisfactory grade for Module 7. You must complete this requirement to pass the course.
Module Goals
Goals Alignment
Professional Standards
After completing this module, students will be able to do the following:
Distinguish between social networking and professional networking.
Compare and contrast bioinformatics, biomedical informatics, and computational biology
Outline the history of technology development and informatics applications.
Assess the state-of-the-art technologies of today.
Predict the evolution of technology and its impact on knowledge generation in nursing.
Explore the contribution of nursing informatics to the foundation of knowledge.
Learning Materials
McGonigle, D. & Mastrian, K. (2017). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (4th ed.). Boston: Jones & Bartlett. ISBN: 9781284142990. Read chapters 11 & 26.
PowerPoints
Chapter 11: The Human-Technology Interface
Chapter 26: Nursing Informatics and the Foundation of Knowledge

You are a nurse caring for 16-year-old Jonathan Collins. He was admitted to the emergency department after passing out during gym class. During your admission assessment, he admits he has not been eating much and exercising more to lose weight.  Based on this information, your prior knowledge of this client (refer to medical card from the Collins-Kim family tree interactive), and your knowledge of the pathophysiology of anorexia and fluid and electrolyte imbalances, respond to the following prompts:
Thoroughly explain the pathophysiology of anorexia. Use a scholarly or authoritative source to support your answer.
Examine each of the following three factors related to this disease process. Support all three with a scholarly source.
cultural
financial
environmental implications
Identify 3-5 priority nursing interventions for the client while in the emergency department.
Describe labs and diagnostic testing you would want to include in client’s plan of care and why. What are critical indicators? Support with a scholarly source.
What members of the interdisciplinary team need to be included for holistic patient-centered care? Provide a rationale and support with a scholarly source.