Respond to your colleagues’ posts by sharing your thoughts on their specialty, supporting their choice or offering suggestions if they have yet to choose. 
At least 2 references in each peer responses! 
  
Nurses are crucial to improving quality and safety standards because they are the largest group of healthcare professionals (Glassman, 2017). Nurses care for patients and are responsible for identifying issues and implementing and adjusting care for each patient 24 hours a day (Mancieria et al., 2017). The growing use of electronic health records (EHR) has proven very helpful in monitoring and analyzing data (Mancieria et al., 2017). Not only is the EHR vital for improving patient outcomes, but it also shows the impact of nursing care on patients (Mancieria et al., 2017).
When recalling experiences and observations with nursing informaticists in my healthcare organization, the nurses in the Quality Improvement (QI) department come to mind. At my hospital, we have a team of nurses that work in the QI department reviewing data related to patient care to improve patient outcomes. A few examples of this data are restraint usage and documentation, catheter-associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI), central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), etc. These nurses are continually reviewing this data and working on ways to decrease the incidence of patient issues. The QI nurses use data to implement new policies on our unit and round frequently on our patients to ensure we are implementing these strategies.
Regarding Foley catheter safety, they ensure the stat lock on the foley catheter is dated and timed, there is a loop present, and a urine sample is sent before insertion. Regarding central lines, they must be dated for the last dressing change, have alcohol caps present on the ends, and be clean and dry. These are just two examples that the QI team monitors due to research for best practices. One way I do think communication can be improved is by explaining the rationale and the data behind these best practices and rather than just implementing a policy or procedure, teaching to those who will be applying it why or why not. Although the world has not fully grasped the full potential of big data analytics, I think most healthcare agencies are on the right path (Wang, Kung, & Byrd, 2018).
In conclusion, big data analytics and those who decipher the data are essential to improve nursing practice and patient outcomes. However, I do think it would be beneficial to have the nurses understand the data as well as they are the ones implementing care.

Respond to your colleagues’ posts by sharing your thoughts on their specialty, supporting their choice or offering suggestions if they have yet to choose. 
At least 2 references in each peer responses!
  
Having been an RN in a few different countries, namely the Philippines, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Canada, impacted how I evolved as a nurse in the 21st century. Starting as an RN in a third world country 13 years ago was challenging. Instruments in the operating room, as well as gloves, were reusable through the process of autoclaving. Patients documents were hand or typewritten and attached in a solid steel frame chart. In far-flung areas where hospitals are out of reach, people die of myocardial infarction and infectious diseases due to the lack of resources. There is available transportation, including an ambulance; however, there is the absence of an AED or life-saving medications and providers to treat a disease. Besides, the travel takes at least 3 hours to arrive in the hospital. That is the reality of my hometown in the Philippines.
As I ventured along as a nurse in the Middle East, I was amazed at a national system of government-funded health care and how technology evolved. I practice how to use computer-based electronic health and utilized advanced technology in my daily patient care encounter. However, the electronic health record didn’t have much of the options in transmitting data compared to the electronic health record (EHR) that we have today. Those days, the usage of a computer was to record nurses’ notes, input records of vital signs, and check laboratory and imaging results of the patient. In today’s world, we can see competitions and evolving EHR in hospitals. Nowadays, several hospitals and health systems with mature EHRs have portals for patients to access and record their health data. (Glassman, 2017).
We are now in the future of involving patients in their care. I got awestruck with telemedicine and hospital bill payment transactions through hospital portals. Globally, the spread of information in several countries in the hospital setting evolved tremendously. Saudi Arabia’s government spends thousands to millions of dollars to develop and improve the kingdom’s health care through research and technology. King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSH&RC) is Saudi Arabia’s first integrated digital hospital that successfully utilized superior health information technology upon achieving Stage 7 on the ambulatory Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (EMRAM). Alswailem(2017).  
Before my arrival in the US, It was part of my obligation to do a 16-week online course in Health Stream as part of my transition in the US nursing practice. It is a great advantage to re-learn basic nursing principles using animations and online patient simulations. I also learn about the problems of miscommunications in the hospital setting due to the use of abbreviations. All health care settings should create a plan for implementing an ANA recognized terminology supporting nursing practice within their EHR. (American Nurses Association, 2018). 
Interestingly, I find out that few of my colleagues still utilized abbreviations like U, IU, QOD, and other more. I realized that there is still discrepancies and incongruencies with the abscense of nursing informatics whose role is to facilitate clinical care, education, administration and research. (Darvish, Bahramnezhad, Keyhanian, & Navidhamidi, 2014).
Indeed, it is essential to be aware that a standardized nursing language should always be carried out. This will enhance better communication among co-workers, increased visibility of nursing interventions, improved patient care, enhanced data collection to evaluate nursing care outcomes, greater adherence to standards of care, and facilitated assessment of nursing competency. (Rutherford, 2008). In the future, we may be able to defend ourselves if a quantitative or court review comes knocking on our doors.  

  Safety and Transportation 
A community assessment begins with a basic windshield survey where each community subsystem is explored.  Explore the relationship of safety and transportation to determinants of health.
Click on the Enter Sentinel City® and continue your virtual experience by taking a bus tour of Sentinel City®.  Since this is your second tour, feel free to choose any bus speed and/or get off the bus at any time to walk around.  As you take the tour, write down your observations, specifically focusing on the following subsystem: safety and transportation.  Meet with Mayor Hill to discuss the subsystems: Safety and Transportation.  Meet with Officer Cooper in Acer Tech about neighborhood crime rates.  Compile your observations and any demographic information addressing each item listed in the first column of the rubric.  We encourage you to add other relevant characteristics you observe that may not be listed in the first column as you complete this activity. 
Reading and Resources
Harkness & DeMarco (2016) Read Chapters 4 & 5
Visit World Health Organization – Determinants of Health Visit Healthy People 2020 Determinants of Health Visit Healthy People 2020 Objectives Visit Health Disparities
Find the health rankings for the county where your practice learning site is located by visiting: “Health Rankings for Your State & County” 
Watch the Levels of Prevention Video
Additional Instructions: All submissions should have a title page and reference page. Utilize a minimum of two scholarly resources. Adhere to grammar, spelling and punctuation criteria. Adhere to APA compliance guidelines. Adhere to the chosen Submission Option for Delivery of Activity guidelines.
Submission Option
Paper 1 to 2-page paper. Include title and reference pages.

 
Trait Theory suggests certain individuals have innate characteristics or traits that may assist in particular leadership situations. Researchers in the field have identified specific traits necessary for effective leadership. As a future leader in health care administration, it is important to know how particular traits may impact effective leadership.
For this Discussion, review this week’s Learning Resources to highlight the strengths and limitations of the Trait Theory of leadership. Select an effective leader/health care administrator to use for this Discussion. Think about the traits of the leader you selected. Consider how useful the Trait Theory is in assessing the leader’s effectiveness.
Post a brief description of the leader you selected and two of his or her essential leadership traits. Then, describe two strengths and two limitations of Trait Theory. Finally, explain the usefulness of Trait Theory in assessing the effectiveness of the leader you selected.