Message from the Chair of HiNZ-NMI
Welcome to the newest edition of the HiNZ Nursing and Midwifery Special Interest Group (SIG) Newsletter! We are delighted to have you join us as we delve into the latest advancements, insights, and experiences in the world of nursing and midwifery. This edition is packed with captivating articles, and practical resources that will inspire and inform healthcare professionals across all specialties. From groundbreaking research to personal narratives, we aim to foster a sense of community and provide a platform for knowledge exchange and growth. As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, this newsletter aims to empower, engage, and unite nursing and midwifery professionals from diverse backgrounds. So, grab a cup of tea, settle in, and immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of knowledge and inspiration that awaits you within these pages.
Emma Collins (@emma.collins)
Chair of HiNZ Nursing & Midwifery Informatics Special Interest Group (HiNZ-NMI)
HiNZ-NMI Updates and News
View from the Inside
Artifical Intelligence: Friend or foe?
Emma Collins
The burgeoning world of AI is one that is foreign to me as a practicing nurse. I almost feel ashamed to say that, as someone who has been working as a researcher in the nursing informatics space for a few years now. However, I find it difficult to see the use and implications of AI, at first glance, in my daily practice. If I delve a little deeper, I can see the impact of large datasets and machine learning of a considerable amount of my daily practice. When looking through facebook, LinkedIn, eHealth News and other sites I can see the numerous articles and opinions popping up (or is that just the algorithms at work?). It all seems rather scary, pervasive, and confusing. As someone who comes from a nursing background, and not an information science background, I feel that I need to understand AI more, to make more sense of it, as a clinician.
So, I have embarked on a self-imposed artificial intelligence learning journey.
What I have found so far is that there are a number of positive and negatives. Without the use of big data sets, it is harder to improve patient workflow, manage staffing and measure patient outcomes. There are a number of factors that need to be explored further, such as the ethical issues of AI (for example, if AI is making a decision in patient care, who is responsible for that decision if something goes wrong?), the potential for bias (this depends on the data set that is used), and clinical reasoning (this involves deep learning, which you can argue isn’t well mastered by AI…yet).
I am reading, watching, listening to, and absorbing anything to do with AI in healthcare. I am still on this journey, but things are becoming clearer. If you are interested, here is what I have looked at lately:
HiNZ Webinar:
AI in Health - What does ChatGPT mean for me?
This webinar, delivered by people who are much further down the AI rabbit hole that I am, was great to tease out some of the issues that we are faced with. Chat GPT is discussed as well as potential ethical issues.
Article
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/10/4/608
This article, found via Google Scholar, presents a number of pros and cons. Mostly pros though. They state that “AI can assist healthcare staff in expanding their knowledge, allowing them to spend more time providing direct patient care and reducing weariness”. This sounds like a debatable topic to me.
One of the largest AI companies in the world is calling for regulation of AI. From what I can see, NZ doesn’t yet have a government led AI strategy, but is working on one. This article is also an interesting read:
Podcasts
Here are some podcasts to listen to on the drive home:
AI in education
AI in education is a related issue and poses different questions. These presentations discuss the use of AI in education.
Youtube Video: How AI Could Save (Not Destroy) Education | Sal Khan | TED
Summary
So, as the saying goes… keep your friends close, but your enemies closer… That is the motto I am going to go with at the moment for trying to understand the implications for AI in patient care. Lets engage in further discussions and be educated on the positives and negatives of AI.
P.S. The welcome paragraph for this edition was written by ChatGPT. Did you notice?
What’s been happening on the eHealth forum
There is a buzz developing for MedInfo 2023 in Sydney. If you are going, and are keen to catch up, please let us know.
Other topics to take a look at and engage in discussion with:
Learning & Development
New publications from the Nursing and Midwifery Community of Practice
Latest newsletter from IMIA NI:
Also see: Digital Excellence in Healthcare: APAC Case Studies Vol 4 from HIMSS
Upcoming Events
National Events
If you are interested in getting together (most events are in-person!) with others in the health informatics space, please do consider attending the following:
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Digital Health Leadership Summit: 30-31 May 2023, Shed 6, Wellington
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Digital Health Week: 27-30 November 2023, Claudelands, Hamilton
International events
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MedInfo24 is being held in Manchester, UK. The theme is ‘Applied nursing informatics: Innovations in the practice of nursing informatics’
Register your interest now! https://ni2024.org
Please let us know if you have any other news or events to share as a reply to this.
About HiNZ-NMI
The HiNZ nursing & midwifery informatics special interest group (HiNZ-NMI) supports the development of nursing informatics in New Zealand. HiNZ-NMI meets on the eHealth Forum and publishes a free eNewsletter with digital health updates of relevance to nurses.
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What is nursing informatics?
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 world-wide.