Data management in a database is vital for a health care organization. This paper analyses the Epic database system used in the health care facility. In the paper the data points captured in the system are presented and their different elements are discussed. The information found in the system is discussed on how it assists the nursing practice and improves patient care. The benefits and challenges of the system have also been presented in the paper.
Databases and Data Management
Every day, nurses health care practitioners challenged managing large quantities data information. Unless data information translated knowledge, meaningful . Databases data management techniques, designed effectively, present health care organizations
Epic database is designed for large health care organizations. The database captures data related to patient care in a health care organization. The database facilitates patient registration, treatment scheduling, lab test results, radiology information, and billing. The database is able to schedule for any tests that a patient needs in the course of treatment. The information is used across the health care facility to assist in decision making. Having a centralized system for capturing and storing patient information and records is vital for a quick decision making especially for the nurses. This is because the nurses are able to follow up on a patient's treatment from a central place Burton, Anderson, & Kues, 2004.
The nurses are also able to determine a patient's medical needs easily instead of having to consult the patient's doctor. The Epic database enhances a patient's experience in the hospital and provides them with better care. This is because the entire patient's information is stored centrally and this makes it easy to retrieve patient information Kidd, 2008.
Follow up is also easy as the database system allows nurses to quickly check on a patient's progress and determine the best course of care.
Data points captured and used by nurses
The data points captured by the system are patient information, medical history, laboratory results, scheduled treatments, scheduled surgeries, test needed before surgery, and patient medical needs Laxmisan et al., 2012.
This information is vital to a nurse as it will assist them in preparing a patient for their surgery and treatment. Understanding a patient's medical history will provide vital information to a nurse on the best course of treatment to use for the patient. The database system will also indicate any allergies a patient might have, which enables the nurse to determine the correct medication for the patient. Using the information from the database system, a nurse is able to easily understand a patient's health care needs and determine if they need any test before they can be taken to surgery. Having a centralized system that captures all the tests a patient has undertaken ensures that a patient does not take the same test twice. Storing the results in the system makes it easily accessible and it is least likely the results would be lost.
A patient's medical history is vital as it provides a nurse with an overview of the patient's previous medical treatments. The treatments are not necessarily related to the current visit, but they can provide some insight on the patient's history, which will be vital for the current treatment. A patient's medical history would reveal if the patient has any reaction to certain medications, if they have previously been treated for the disease, any surgeries they have undergone and the outcome of such surgeries Pagliari, Don, & Singleton, 2007.
This information is key to determining the best treatment for a patient. The information could also be used for research purposes. Laboratory tests are requested to check on specific ailments. The result of these tests are normally unavailable to a nurse using paper records. Having the results on the database system provides the nurse with information that could be vital for treatment. All tests the patient has undergone would be located at a central location. If the patient suffers from any genetic disease the nurse could identify this from the test. This would eliminate the need to schedule for the tests again. A patient suffering from a chronic disease would be scheduled to visit the health care facility occasionally. The patient's course of treatment might be known to their nurse, but if the nurse is not available the other nurses need to determine the patient's needs and scheduled treatments. Each patient's visit would be documented in the system, and their next scheduled treatment would also be listed. This way anyone with access to the system can determine the patient's treatment needs easily.
How the information is used for patient care and nursing practice
The information stored in the database system facilitates an easy and comfortable experience for the patient. The patient does not need to recall all the treatments and test they have undertaken and their results. The information would be easily available to the nurses and doctors. Patient care is improved as nurses have a centralized location for checking on a patient's needs and requirements. There is no likelihood of information getting lost as everything is stored on the database system. Therefore, a patient can be guaranteed to receive correct and best treatment for their ailment. A nurse can easily check to determine if a patient has received their medications or if the tests scheduled have been conducted Poon et al., 2010.
This way if the nurse's change shifts the patient can still be guaranteed of the best care possible. Centralized information enables nurses to check on patient progress easily, and they can determine what the patient's needs are based on the information retrieved from the system.
For the nurses, the system improves their nursing practice. This is done by increasing their understanding of a patient, and their treatment needs. Nurses are less prone to make errors in judgment. This is because the system will provide the nurse with all the information they need to determine a patient's medical needs. Nursing practice is improved as the nurses can easily check to see if the patient has undertaken all the required tests before they are taken for surgery. This reduces time wastage in preparing a patient for surgery and their tests have not been completed. The database system improves the nursing practice as it assists in promoting, protecting, and optimizing the patient's health. Using the system nurses are able to identify any underlying problems before they occur. This is because the system handles information regarding the patient and the nurse could foresee an ailment before it becomes critical when the patient visits the health care facility. Assessing the laboratory tests immediately will allow a nurse to identify the correct course of treatment for a patient. The nurse would be able to start treatment before the patient reaches a critical stage.
Benefits and challenges of the database system
The database system provides the nurses with information easily, which assists in making quick decisions. The systems also improves the care provided to the patients, and this improves the hospitals overall care giving. The nursing practice is improved as the nurses have a centralized location for accessing and retrieving information regarding any patient. From the system nurses can schedule patient treatments and laboratory tests, which makes it easy for any other nurse to follow up on and this ensures that a patient receives the required treatment Salazar, Stinson, Sillau, Good, & Newman, 2012.
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