Identification of Data Element Categories for Clinical Nursing Information Systems via Information Analysis of Nursing Practice

It is a given that a clinical nursing information system (CNIS) assists in the management of nursing data, information, and knowledge. While there are other factors that must be taken into account in the design of an information system, the element most intimately dependent upon the domain served is the design of the data base, specifically, the identification of the data elements themselves and how the data in the system interact. Further, design of the CNIS must not only take into account data needed to document practice and record nursing diagnoses, interventions, and outcomes, the design must include information required by the nurses in order to give care.