Question

It can take several hours of gameplay to learn the mechanics of some games, even longer for the more complex games. If subject matter learning can occur only after this initial game mechanic learning occurs, how can educators justify the amount of time a learner must spend within the game just to get to the point where learning begins?

2. Incorporate the use of an electronic health record (EHR) :

Which informatics competencies would you focus on and why?

How can educators justify the amount of time a learner must spend within the game just to get to the point where learning begins?

Answer 1

Computers are already mainstream educational tools. The idea of playing a video game to learn a serious discipline, such as nursing, could be a little harder to accept. Video games are known primarily for their entertainment value. The word "game" itself implies "fun."

Game mechanics are, simply put, the rules and limitations in which a game takes place. It is imperative that the rules are clearly stated in the instructions so the players know what is expected of them and the rules that the game itself much follow.Games used for education are often referred to as "serious games" to differentiate them from those designed for entertainment. The concept of how nurses learn from a serious game or a virtual-world simulation is not complex. The mechanics determine how the players or learners moves or behaviors within the game, thus connecting the players or learners actions to the purpose of the game. The learning is experiential, they learn by doing something, rather than just watching someone do something or listening to how something ought to be done. An educational game, one designed for learning is a subset of both play and fun, and is sometimes referred to as a "serious game". Nursing education programs struggle to find enough clinical placements, preceptors, and opportunities for their students to practice their clinical skills. Patients can be harmed by errors made during the learning process.

Games are "designed experiences" that encourage the player to learn by acting and experiencing in a well-ordered, problem-solving space. During games, nurses also learn by thinking and reflecting on their actions -- both while they are acting in terms of problem-solving, and afterward. Their experiential learning is enhanced by this reflection. In a game, learners receive feedback on their performance and can promptly be made aware of mistakes or omissions during the exercise. Short-term patient consequences, such as hypoxia, are evident if the learner neglects to provide oxygen, just as they are in the real world. Games can take this a step further, to the point of providing rapid feedback that isn't available from the real world.

The ability to "compress time" within a game provides the unique opportunity to teach potential long-term consequences that are often only theoretical in the real world. A nurse rarely knows, for example, that neglecting to wash his or her hands that one time resulted in the patient acquiring an infection. We go home, we have a few days off, and we are never fully aware of the consequences of that lapse. But in a game, the outcome of the patient becoming infected can occur, and key connections are made in the learner's mind, solidifying the "if, then" element of learning. Good games are designed around these cycles of action and reflection.

Historically, educational preparation did not address informatics competencies; thus managers, administrators, or executives may not be prepared to use or lead change in the use of health information technologies. A number of resources for informatics competencies exist, however, a comprehensive list addressing the unique knowledge and skills required in the role of a manager or administrator was not found. Earlier nursing education did not include informatics competencies; thus, current managers, administrators, or nurse executives may not be adequately prepared to use or lead change in the use of HITs. Healthcare organizations are beginning to emphasize the need for informatics competencies appropriate for leadership roles. In fact the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) included informatics in it’s recent update of competencies for nursing executives, t, but most competencies were stated broadly and needed further specifications to translate them for implementation. More recently, the TIGER Initiative (Technology Informatics Guiding Education) identified that all nurses in every role must be prepared to make HIT the stethoscope of the 21st century. TIER is a collaborative of 120 diverse organizations working together to educate nurses “to use informatics tools, principles, theories, and practices to make health care safer, more effective, efficient, patient-centered, timely, and equitable by interweaving enabling technologies transparently into nursing practice and education.” Management’s role is pivotal in organizational transformation using EHRs and other HITs. In fact, one of the seven pillars of the Tiger Initiative focuses on management and leadership; however, competencies in this area are yet to be defined. A number of resources for informatics competencies exist, however, a comprehensive list addressing the unique knowledge and skills required in the role of a manager or administrator was not found.

In today’s world the potential for information and communication technology application is increasing so that it can enhance the quality of nursing domains outcome. Nurses have the most communication with patients, and interact with technology more frequently. Using technology should create a positive attitude in nursing productivity. It is essential for nurses to be involved in the initial design of systems to improve the quality of health care and change their culture in this regard.

Mediating technically and technologically on the borderline between medicine and nursing, nurses have become known as the medical Goddesses in the form of Tele-nurses. Nurses have got more authority in decision-making with the use of new technologies. For successful implementation of the electronic health reporting system, nurses must be knowledgeable about information technology, computer skills and informatics knowledge and skills. In telenursing, the importance of data quality criteria, transparency and integrity, authenticity, confidentiality, the updating of information, accountability, productivity, standards and accessibility of health web sites should be considered.

The National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice (NACNEP) recommended to prepare nurses to adopt intelligent and quality-based information technology use in patient care by implementing five strategies: providing core informatics courses to nursing schools, educating nurses specialized in informatics skills who are able to solve related issues, offering more powerful nursing care through the implication of telecommunication projects, preparing more nursing faculties in the informatics field to facilitate students skills enhancement and enhancing collaboration to advance informatics. The benefits of extending nursing informatics strategies directly and indirectly influence patient and people health positively. It seems necessary to prepare knowledgeable nurses to deal with selecting, developing, implementing and evaluating IT to interpret data as usable knowledge and information. It is essential that nurse educators incorporate the entire concept of informatics into the education of nurses.