BHS455 Module2 Case

HEALTH AND MEDICINE STUDENT`S NAME: COURSE NAME: INSTRUCTOR`S NAME: DATE: Communication among Inpatient Physicians and Nurses McKnight, Stetson, Bakken, Curran, & Cimino (2002) performed a study to examine the perceived information needs and communication difficulties among inpatient physicians and nurses at New York Presbyterian Hospital. According to the study, there are several ways in which the information needs of physicians and nurses at the hospital are similar and different as well. To begin with, this essay will provide ways in which they are similar. Both the physicians and the nurses needed computers in undertaking their duties. There is a high percentage of computer use especially in regard to the current clinical information system (WebCIS). Actually, all the respondents reported having accessed the internet. All the physicians had used WebCIS while 76% of nurses were reported to have used this function as well. Also, WebCIS function was reported to have frequently have been used by both physicians and nurses in laboratory results reporting. In addition, both physicians and nurses need the patient- specific information relating to the patient`s problems and the laboratory and other test results. Moreover, they both focus on the domain- specific information. That is, information on disease management and the information linked to the patient data. Besides, they both ensure effective and reliable information and communication in order to counter the difficulties; this is done through identifying and contacting other health care providers. However, the information needs for physicians and nurses are different in several ways. First, while physicians (92%) were reported to have used the specialty reports such as Cardiac Imaging and Endoscopy, nurses used these functions rarely (35%). Also, regarding patient- specific information needs, physicians tended to be more detailed than nurses; nurses simply sought for patient diagnoses and laboratory results while physicians focused on patient`s current medication, outpatient notes, and the list of patient`s current providers. Furthermore, their institution- specific information needs differ; physicians concentrate only on current providers and how to contact them, but nurses` focus on protocols and policies, and census reports M...