Nurses & Informatics: Transforming Healthcare
by Nora Hammell, RN, MN
ABSTRACT
The Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) is currently developing the Canadian Nurses Portal, an innovative and comprehensive web-based resource for nurses. Development of the portal began in August of 2004 and is funded by Health Canada’s First Nations and Inuit Health Branch. Once launched in June 2006, it will become a personalized interactive web-based resource to help nurses in Canada and around the world manage their careers, connect with colleagues and health care experts, and care for their patients. Continuing competence is an integral component of the project. The portal will provide nurses, in all domains of practice, with accurate, easily accessible information and will be supported by appropriate tools to assist nurses to complete requirements approved by their regulatory bodies, to perform self-assessment, to plan education programs, and to keep records of educational programs completed.
Nurses are becoming technologically literate and are demanding educational programs that are geographically accessible and that fit with their work schedules. The Canadian Nurses Portal responds to these growing needs. Furthermore, the scope of advanced and specialty nursing practice is expanding. The pooling of educational resources is a cost-effective solution to providing nurses with continuing competence tools.
The CNA’s paper addresses the growing needs of Canadian nurses, the benefits of the Canadian Nurses Portal, and promotes the advantages and rewards of applying computer-based technology to the continuing competence needs of the nursing profession.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nora Hammell, RN, MN
With both a Master’s in Nursing and Education, Nora Hammell has held senior positions at both provincial and national organizations: in an education portfolio at the Nurses Association of New Brunswick and with the AIDS Prevention Program at the Canadian Public Health Association. Hammell also worked for four years as a Nursing Policy Consultant at the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) in the early 90’s. In 2003, Hammell returned to the CNA and became Director of Nursing Policy.
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