Warm welcome to all of you!
Nursing Informatics and the IMIANISIG
Heimar F. Marin, RN, PhD, FACMI
Professor, Federal University of São Paulo; Chair of IMIA NI SIG

Technology can innovate, improve, and redesign the way nursing care is provided.

Consistent with the tendencies driven by IMIA, the International Medical Informatics Association, Nursing Informatics Special Interest Group (IMIA NI SIG) updated the definition of nursing informatics emphasizing that “Nursing informatics science and practice integrates nursing, its information and knowledge and their management with information and communication technologies to promote the health of people, families and communities worldwide.”

By the definition it can be observed how practice of nursing informatics is broad, ranging from clinical care settings to management of health services, health problems, research, training and education, as a major factor to assure the continuity of the field though future generations.

Over the years, since the pioneering initiatives in nursing informatics began, several important accomplishments were achieved to drive the profession and developments in support education, research and practice. It is clear however, that technology is the means but not the final product of accomplishing nursing care.

The field of health informatics has continually experienced extraordinary global growing. As consequence, increasing awareness of the need for trained personnel has led to the development of several training programs in different countries. Education is long life value achieved by a continuous process.

Nurses must continue to ensure that information technology remains an integral part of professional practice and that computers are just an instrument with which they can acquire the information required. The information we share, we record and we analyze is the main aspect of nursing informatics and it will support the evaluation of our contribution to the healthcare services. It also allows us to develop new models that could better utilize resources to improve quality of care and professional performance.

At IMIANISIG we promote the use of technology to provide even better conditions and quality to the healthcare delivered. We invite all country members to share their experiences and disseminate their accomplishments with us. Visit our website, send us your contributions, and participate in our conferences! The IMIANISIG is the result of our individual collaboration and our willingness to make technology resources even more global!