The American nursing association has established the Nursing Information and Data Set Evaluation Center (NIDSEC). The center aims to develop and disseminate standards related to information systems that support the documentation of nursing practice.
The audience for these standards includes consumers and vendors of clinical information systems. NIDSEC is a forum where the American Nurses Association (ANA) reviews and evaluates the information systems. The system supports the documentation of nursing care within an automated system.
Introduction to NIDSEC
In 1993, the Steering Committee on Databases to Support Clinical Nursing Practice reviewed commercial healthcare information systems that support nursing documentation. In some systems, the data set had been developed in consultation with experts and also with vendor-supported research.
Throughout the review, the committee heard a refrain from the vendors. From the perspective of the development of standards, it would improve the quality of vendor-supplied NIS. The use of these systems to meet the standards could lead to a long-standing ANA goal of achieving retrievable pools of data and effects of nursing practice.
The Nursing Information and Data Set Evaluation Center (NIDSEC) was established as an ANA entity. The center aims to develop and evaluate nursing practice used by vendors of information systems and to assure that outcomes related to nursing diagnosis are appropriate.
Background and Importance
The roots of this system extend back to the Secretary’s Commission on Nursing in 1987 by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to examine causes of nursing shortage. In the final report, the commission concluded that information systems should be designed better to support the work of nurses and would reduce development costs.
The ANA house of delegates has supported the need for data sets, especially the Nursing Minimum Data Set (NMDS). After the Secretary’s Commission on Nursing published its report, the major nursing organizations like AONE and NLN obtained funding to establish the National Commission on Nursing Implementation Project (NCNIP).
It convened a group with representatives and staff from ANA and NLN. The group developed a white paper that would expand and update the ANA’s 1988 criteria monograph.
Methods for Implementing NIDSEC
Several standards have been established for different dimensions. Let’s discuss a few methods for implementing NIDSEC.
1. Establish Standards and Scoring
The best and the useful model for the standards was the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations approach. It includes standards with multiple parameters, each of which is rated on a Likert-type scale.
The force suggests a method of awarding bonus points. If any of the standards within a dimension is not met, then the data set will not be approved.
2. Publish Standards and Applications
The Center would develop the process and definitions of the requirements of the vendors. The steps for the completion of the application would also be described. The center became operational with voluntary information systems reviewed before the end of the year.
3. Educational Programs and Establish Fees
Vender confidentiality would be maintained by the individuals and reviewers involved in the center. Individuals involved in implementing the program should be experienced in informal evaluations and informatics.
Final Words
The center helps information system vendors to develop systems that would reflect important contributions to patient outcomes. Furthermore, informing registered nurses and other healthcare professionals would make them informed about purchases.
In today’s market, the healthcare systems must believe that quality should be the top priority, and they should deliver better patient care.
