Healthcare operations depend on data-driven decisions and articulating the value of work, making this an essential skill set for all nurses and especially for informatics nurses to develop. The profession of nursing is fundamentally designed to master problem-solving by identifying issues then take steps toward resolution. Nurses often miss the final component of this cycle to share their value contributions within the larger picture of healthcare outcomes. Nursing informatics (NI) has a unique opportunity given their practice model of transforming data into information, knowledge, and, ideally, wisdom.1,2 The perspective of informatics nurses to harness data to tell a story should be a natural skill since much of their work depends on sharing the outcomes of technology on clinical practice, yet these skills are still widely absent across the informatics workforce. Every informatics nurse, no matter their level of practice, should develop proficiency in identifying, visually representing, and promoting their message of the critical importance that their unique contributions deliver. This effort demonstrates how informatics brings value to nursing, technology, quality, safety, revenue, and organizational operations.

DIFFICULTY CONNECTING INFORMATICS TO VALUE

Informatics nurse professionals often struggle to describe their role in a meaningful and impactful way. Rather than a summary of value, these nurses often explain outcomes specific to their deliverables such as the number of implementations supported, nurses trained, or help requests addressed. Although these are great examples of everyday tasks, they do not promote broader value of this specialized nursing workforce. Evaluating the impact is necessary for executives, organizational business partners, and colleagues to fully realize the unique skill set and value that informatics nurses provide. To address this skill gap, the American Nursing Association's newly revised Scope and Standards of Practice for Nursing Informatics identified a core competency for all informatics nurses to promote the vision, goals, and strategic plan of an organization.3 The American Nursing Association also identifies interpreting the NI role for others as an additional competency expectation for all nurse informatics specialists.3 A global health informatics competency framework established by Technology Informatics Guiding Education Reform identified that as it relates to the four domains of data, information, knowledge, and wisdom. The number one core competency for informatics specialists is to know how to use data and information and how to leverage outcomes for decision making and analyzing what is truly useful.4 A three-step approach for success includes (1) accurate identification of value-driven metrics; (2) developing an impactful visual story; and (3) efficiently disseminating your impact message (Figure 1).

FIGURE 1:

Three steps to define NI value.

Step 1: Accurately Identify Value-Driven Metrics

In order to accurately describe the value of NI, it is important to first answer the question of what matters most. This question is evaluated from multiple sources, but the greatest value-driven items have a direct link between the outcomes for the business and the workforce. This question is considered in measurable terms, so the answers often appear as annual performance goals, organizational values, and key strategic priorities. It would be most helpful to identify measures of success that are unique to your organization and essential for care.

Consider a focus on value over volume as well. Instead of how much was achieved, focus on the return of the work. Being specific is also key to value-based success outcomes. There are methods and resources available to effectively identify value-based measures. A few different methodology examples include 5 Whys, identifying objectives and key results, SMART goals, and lean methodology gemba walks.5–8 Also, do not be deterred in sharing outcomes that were less than desirable. Others may benefit from the sharing of lessons learned regarding unexpected and unplanned results. Every informatics nurse should ask: Why does my role exist in this organization and what value does the role provide? This is not a personal question about skills or work ethic; this is a practical question about the application of knowledge, expertise, and services informatics nurse specialists provide. Reflecting on this question annually and with each initiative helps to focus one's mindset toward finding the value in informatics-related work, making it easier to identify measurable outcomes.

The timing of value-driven metrics is also key. Since so much of their purpose is to tie back to the organizational mission, these items should be defined well ahead of any work starting and they should be a portion of the overall work plan and strategy for the year. Premeasures or baseline data are helpful to measure benchmarks and compare the value of the work at the conclusion. Collecting outcomes promptly after work is completed is essential. Metrics left as an afterthought are more difficult to define and retrieve later on. Building time into the process to collect metrics with each major initiative is best done in real time. Furthermore, compiling positive outcomes along the way helps design the impact story around the broader portfolio of your informatics work.

Step 2: Developing an Impactful Visual Value Story

Although individual metrics may be identified and shared along the way, one highly useful practice is to complete a short summary for either individual or team contributions annually. Lengthy narratives to review project completion or year-end operational performance have now been replaced with visual dashboards and brief summaries. These impact stories are shared with quick, influential data and graphics to summarize major work in key performance metrics. This makes the format selected a critical component in defining value. The visual format may change depending on your audience, so start with one tool that can demonstrate an entire year in review. This will create flexibility in leveraging smaller portions later for different audiences as needed. Avoid overly descriptive summaries. Include only the most powerful measures. One marquee metric may be more meaningful than 10 predictable and routine measures of informatics success, making what you chose to display as important as the layout. Avoid the inclusion of usual and routine work within a portfolio summary of work. Consider sharing the work you have done from an outcomes perspective by including aggregated information and salient points. Otherwise, the report may be perceived as a list of routine work effort instead of the value outcomes from those endeavors.

The goal of value-based summaries is for someone unfamiliar with the work to understand the story at a first glance without any further explanation. Outcomes incorporating informatics skills and services should be instantly understood. This is one of the reasons why aligning work to the goals of the business is key. The themes will be recognizable and attention-grabbing because of their familiarity with the broader mission. Metric formatting should be quick news feed icons, symbols, and outcome data points to focus the message for impact. Some of the best tools to help data drive the story are scorecards, infographics, or even a single deck slide that contains bulleted measures and minimal narrative. There are many online tools, tutorials, and examples to assist you in visually impactful designs. Asking others to review the visual impact document and give feedback will also assist in understanding how these measures will be received by readers as you publish your outcomes.

Step 3: Efficiently Disseminating Your Value Contributions

No matter the level of experience or practice focus, each informatics nurse should complete the exercise of sharing their value impact at least annually. When disseminating your measures of success in a visually impactful way, you are communicating how your work impacts others while socializing the impact and worth of the NI profession more broadly. The goal is to have your value statements speak for themselves so they are able to stand alone regardless of the opportunity to personally present these measures. Taking the time to share value-based outcomes is a learned skill that becomes easier over time.

Value-based messages will vary by the type of informatics role and the focus of different intended audiences or stakeholders receiving this information. Generally, there are four best practice distribution categories to consider: (1) your leader, (2) your peers or teammates, (3) your key business partners, and (4) the broader NI community. The level of formality and your approach to dissemination may vary as a result. You might go from an annual performance self-evaluation report to a simple slide to share at a department meeting to a formal infographic for broad internal dissemination to a national poster presentation as one example of a path for dissemination for these four key stakeholder groups. Another powerful mode of sharing your work is on professional social media and networking sites. This modality is broad reaching and can be as formal or informal as you choose to make it. Align the measures you share to the visualization approach and the appropriateness of your intended audience when disseminating the NI value story.

CONCLUSION

There are many benefits in formally identifying and sharing value-based measures of your informatics-focused work. One major benefit is that the more you complete this type of exercise, the stronger your proficiency skills in this area will become, and the entire process will have an even greater impact and become more efficient each year. This skill set is an essential requirement for the informatics nurse. Getting feedback and assistance from others provides deeper insight and approaches to layout and disseminate the story.

The importance of every informatics nurse defining and sharing the value of their work strengthens and builds appreciation and understanding for this specialty. These efforts allow NI to stand out as a nursing specialty area, with nurses who value data and can assemble and share information in a usable way. For leaders, this effort of defining value helps with asking for resources and program expansion, promotes inclusion for a prominent seat at the strategy table, and increases understanding and appreciation for this work. For the informatics nurse, this work elevates your influence in information technology as a clinician who offers valuable solutions and opens doors for others to see the potential for future promotions, team collaboration, broader responsibilities, and job greater satisfaction. As more informatics nurses articulate their worth, they strengthen the standing of this specialty in the broader healthcare community.

References 1. Nelson R. Informatics: evolution of the Nelson data, information, knowledge and wisdom model: part 1. Online J Issues Nurs. 2018;23(3). doi:10.3912/ojin.vol23no03infocol01. 2. Nelson R. Informatics: evolution of the Nelson data, information, knowledge and wisdom model: part 2. Online J Issues Nurs. 2020;25(3). doi:10.3912/ojin.vol25no03infocol01. 3. American Nurses Association. Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice. 4th ed. Silver Spring, MD: American Nurses Association; 2021:97–98. 4. Hübner U, Thye J, Shaw T, et al. Towards the TIGER International Framework for Recommendations of Core Competencies in Health Informatics 2.0: Extending the Scope and the Roles. Stud Health Technol Inform. 2019;264:1218–1222. doi:10.3233/SHTI190420. 8. Cohen RI. Lean methodology in health care. Chest. 2018;154(6): 1448–1454. doi:10.1016/j.chest.2018.06.005.