U of M Nursing Hails International Recognition for Leadership in Researching and Developing Nursing Minimum Data Sets

International Council of Nursing recognized school as one of five research and development centers in the world

Contact:
Aneisha Tucker, School of Nursing, 612-626-1817, tucke127@umn.edu
Laura Stroup, Academic Health Center, 612-624-5680, stro0481@umn.edu

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (Sept. 17, 2007)—The University of Minnesota School of Nursing has earned national and international recognition for its work with nursing minimum data sets, including the Nursing Management Minimum Data Set which was co-developed by dean of the School of Nursing, Connie Delaney, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N., F.A.C.M.I. 

Earlier this year, the school was approved as an International Classification for Nursing Practice (ICNP) Research and Development Center by the International Council of Nurses. This recognition makes the School of Nursing one of two ICNP Research and Development Centers in the United States, and one of five in the world.

Minimum data sets are standards which aim to improve patient safety and efficiency in health care, as well as provide rapid access to scientific findings for support of clinical decision making. There is a considerable effort worldwide to move from paper-based documentation of health care to electronic health records in order to make these improvements. By providing standardized terminologies, minimum data sets will enable health care systems to document nursing care using standardized terms that have comparable meanings across hospitals, systems, and even nations.

The University of Minnesota School of Nursing Center for Nursing Minimum Data Set Knowledge Discovery will focus on strengthening the value of interrelated data set projects in the field of nursing.

“This is a formal acknowledgement by the International Council of Nurses to promote the development and use of standardized nursing data on a global basis,” said Bonnie Westra, Ph.D., R.N., assistant professor and co-director of the School of Nursing ICNP center. “As a center, the University of Minnesota School of Nursing will provide leadership to advance the development and adoption of nursing minimum data sets within electronic health records both nationally and internationally.”

The NMMDS, co-developed by Delaney, has also been approved for inclusion in one of the national standards for electronic health records in the United States.“This designation is a milestone in nursing’s history and that of the University of Minnesota School of Nursing in recognition of the excellence, innovativeness, and national impact of nursing informatics research coordinated here,” Delaney said.

With its recent recognition, the School of Nursing will begin collaborating with the World Health Organization, the International Council of Nurses, and nations around the world participating in iNMDS in order to address World Health Organization priorities related to nursing, such as the care of children with HIV/AIDS and nursing workforce issues. The School will also surge ahead and continue research related to electronic health records.

“We will continue to refine the use of the iNMDS to ensure the comparability of nursing data collected through Electronic Health Records across all sites, settings, and nations,” said Delaney. 

The University of Minnesota, School of Nursing, ranked among the nation's top nursing schools, is a leader in improving health care through research, education, and service. Its nationally and world-renowned scientists discover practical health care treatments and solutions people can use today to improve their daily lives. The oldest continuing university-based school of nursing in the nation, it has a combined undergraduate and graduate enrollment of approximately 800 students. The school educates 55 percent of the faculty in Minnesota's public and private nursing schools, advanced practice nurses, and nurses who can assume leadership positions. The School of Nursing is part of the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center, one of the most comprehensive facilities for health professionals in the nation, fostering interdisciplinary study, research, and education. For additional information on the University of Minnesota School of Nursing, go to www.nursing.umn.edu.