DNP Essential IV focuses on the ability of the DNP prepared nurse to critically evaluate healthcare technology and how it relates to patient care and patient delivery in addition to understanding potential ethical dilemmas which may arise from technological advances. The following assignment aligns with DNP Essential IV as it discusses a specific organizational model within a health system utilizing an EMR nurse reminder system.

The conceptual concept best relating to my area of practice (primary care) and the fictitious practicum would be the Structure, Process, and Outcomes Model of Healthcare Quality. This concept explains the relationships of nursing care reminders (structure) use of the reminders (process) have on missed nursing care (immediate outcome) and patient and organizational outcomes (distal outcomes). Nursing reminders include electronic lists, prompts or cues for tasks/procedures that must be completed by the nurse or assistant (Piscotty, 2015). In Piscotty’s research, it was found that those nurses who utilized electronic reminders, had less missed patient care than those who did not use reminders (2015).

This concept, when utilized in the primary care setting, helps practitioners and nurses improve outcomes. The EMR system my office is currently using is Athena Health. With this EMR, the nurse must follow the intake screen by screen without advancing. It is not until the nurse releases the chart by selecting “done with intake,” that the provider can proceed with the exam screens. This process, when used properly, enables the nurse to ensure necessary information is obtained. Athena will also allow the provider to create “ticklers” which remind key staff about patient needs. Some of the patient needs that are addressed with these ticklers include preventative health services such as colonoscopy and mammography screenings, follow up appointments, and labs. There is, unfortunately, redundancy in some documentation. This EMR requires the practitioner to accept delegation of orders daily prior to nursing and lab completing their orders. This causes multiple people to handle simple orders. The most taxing issue I have found with this EMR, is with patient cases. Patient cases are essentially in chart messaging with nurses, patients, and providers. Once the patient case has been addressed you must select save and close 2 different times. This is unnecessary duplication. Overall, this nursing concept is applicable when discussing EMR systems and their effectiveness is very useful.

The use of innovative technology will continue to be integrated in healthcare. With new technology, ways to measure outcomes is necessary in order to decipher the best use of technology. Informaticists will continue to find better ways to make processes within the health system more efficient while improving patient care and outcomes.