Application:The Data- Information- Knowledge- Wisdom Continuum
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Application:The Data- Information- Knowledge- Wisdom Continuum
Knowledgeis one of the key aspects that a practicing nurse needs to employthroughout his or her working period. This knowledge ranges fromtheoretical to practical aspects to deliver a quality service,especially, in this 21stcentury where the world keeps going digital. The use of the Data-Information- Knowledge- Wisdom (DIKW) helps nurses in adjusting tothe current technology and providing a quality work through a smoothsystem. DIKW framework for nursing informatics was created by mergingthe three properly established scientific fields that includeinformation science, computer science, and nursing science. Thestructure provides an escalating complication for understanding themedical information systems and their influence on management ofhealthcare. DIKW framework helps the nursing practitioners tocomprehend data and information that enables them to have theessential knowledge, and use wisdom in the delivery of healthcare insafe hands. This paper explains the application of DIKW continuum incomprehending a clinical question through a research-based evidence.It will explain how I would work on the research subject questionfrom data to information, knowledge, and wisdom.
Somepatients get into the hospital with one disease however, theycontract other diseases as they spend in the hospital ward. The casestudy in my research work is a patient who enters a hospital with ahigh blood pressure and diabetes mellitus as the health problems. Thepatient later acquires nosocomial pneumonia and diseases of theurinary tract after staying in the ward for some period. Althoughthe patient cooperates in taking his medication, he does not maintainhygiene levels such as by washing hands. My research question,therefore, states, “Why do patients contract other diseases as theystay in hospital wards?” In answering this question, I would needadditional information on the occurrence of nosocomial diseases amongpatients in different health centers. I would also require the dataon the level of hygiene and the customs of hand washing among thesick.
Databasesand Search Words
Datais the least component of the DIKW structure. They are normallyrepresented as separate facts, that is, the result of examinationwith little interpretation. I would point out the significant datathat I need to answer the research subject from appropriate nursingdatabases to help dig up the literature in the formation the content.Using CINAHL Plus database, I would find a set of nursing articlesthat have basic information on nosocomial infections. The Journal ofHygiene and Preventive Medicine (JHPM) can also gives adequateliterature on sanitation and its significance in providing measuresto curb transmission of diseases. Other relevant databases Iconsidered are The National Nursing Database and PubMed database. Thekeywords during my search were "nosocomial infections, theirspread and prevention," “hand washing and diseases," and“the correlation between cleaning of hands and nosocomialinfections." Many articles with such words were generated, andthis helped me to complete my research with no difficulty.
of the Articles
Thearticles that I used in the research shows that proper hand washingamong patients in various hospital wards is reliable means ofreducing nosocomial infections. The articles show the massiverelationship between the nosocomial infections (like respiratorypneumonia, bacteremia, gastrointestinal and skin infections) and handwashing. The hygienic practices should extend to the nurses andfamily friends who visit the sick to reduce the Hospital AcquiredInfections (HAI).
Datato Information
Informationis the processed data that has importance and value to create asensible meaning (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2012). It is a continuumof progressively developing and clustered data and answers thequestions on the research topic. Making a connection of how handwashing can prevent nosocomial infections, one can make a decision toback up the clinical question. Proper hand washing involves the useof clean and adequate water in clean facilities or containers. Themanagement team should place clean water next to the toilets and nearthe bed of the patients(Brewer, 2011).The patients wash their hands after visiting toilets, before, andafter taking meals.
Informationto Knowledge
Anindividual can arrive at a particular task or decision afteracquiring valuable information (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2012).Knowledge is the information that one has synthesized such that ithas a definite and formal relationship. One can easily compareinformation and then present it in an accurate way when he or she hasknowledge.Simpson (2012) concludedthat one could rely upon the use of modern hand washing system incurbing the HAIs due to its high efficiency in eradicating thedisease-causing microorganisms. A clean environment provides anassessment to save patients from suffering from pneumonia and skininfections.
Wisdomto Knowledge
Wisdominvolves the application of appropriate knowledge and experience toincrease the one’s sense and apply a moral judgment to matters athand. (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2012). One can gain wisdom by usingNursing Informatics (NI). Informatics helps nurses, especially thefamily nursing informatics, to develop skills and acquire nursinginformation and knowledge (Simpson,2012).Through the informatics, the nursing practitioners can buildknowledge and experience to solve a variety of problems that affecthuman beings in the society. NI helps in data collection,synchronization of health information, and making some discoveries toraise health care. Therefore, NI helps nurses to gain wisdom.
Summary
TheDIKW framework is highly relevant to the nurses, especially, whenthey assimilate it with the NI. The framework ensures there is aquality output from the nurses who employ it in their operations.From DIKW, one can use the critical thinking skills to make decisionsfrom the concerns of his or her client. The DIKW continuum becomesmore difficult as the level increases implying that the thinkingcapacity of the nurse would grow with the level.
Conclusion
Research,as a process, has a systematic structure that when one properlyfollows, he or she will achieve the demands of the research question.The use of DIKW framework to nurses opens an excellent platform torealize the quality of work output. When integrated with the NursingInformatics technology, DIKW helps in building proper knowledge forproblem-solving, data management, and provision of a comfortableenvironment for a quick healing of the patients. DIKW framework makesthe work of the nurses easy because it provides the guidelines fortheir operations.
References
Brewer,E. P. (2011). Successful techniques for using human patientsimulation in nursing education. Journal of Nursing Scholarship,43(3), 311–317.
McGonigle,D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2015). Nursing informatics and thefoundation of knowledge (3rd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and BartlettLearning. o Chapter 12, "The Human-Technology Interface" oChapter 19, "Telenursing and Remote Access Telehealth."
Simpson,R. L. (2012). Technology enables value-based nursing care. NursingAdministration Quarterly, 36(1), 85–87.
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