SHARON HEYER, RN, BC
Nursing Informatics Coordinator
JFK Medical Center - Solaris Health System
Edison, New Jersey
Ms. Sharon Heyer, as Clinical Informatics Coordinator, is an expert in clinical information systems with advanced clinical experience. She is a pioneer in the clinical informatics specialty, AACN certified in Clinical Information Systems and a member of many professional networks assisting with the development and enhancement of clinical documentation tools. Ms. Heyer serves as a resource for the Department of Nursing and the Program Management staff and is responsible for assessing information technologies and making recommendations in the selection of clinical data and information systems that will support the practice of nursing. In addition, it is through Ms. Heyer’s guidance that the systems are modified to provide clinical information at the point of care to all clinicians who need the information to make care decisions. Ms. Heyer consults and provides direction to the multidisciplinary and other information data systems team members to maintain optimal delivery of healthcare.
Ms. Heyer’s leadership skills were clearly evident in her ability to engage nursing staff at the unit level to critique and make recommendations that would enhance the information systems for all clinicians, eventually forming the Clinical Informatics Council, consistent with the Shared Governance Model. Sharon also developed a level of staff nurses to serve in the role of “Clinical Rounder”. These nurses have mastered the clinical application of various initiatives and support their peers during the roll out of new functions.
Ms. Heyer’s role includes having developed a Nursing Demographic data tracker for the system to provide information on the nursing workforce, which offers guidance to the leadership team. She proposed and designed the website for the department of nursing which provides on-going information supporting clinical excellence and details progress of the Magnet journey. She coordinates the Journal Clubs, is a member of the Professional Practice Council, leads the Core Standard team of clinical experts to upgrade systems and hosts site visits for healthcare organizations nationally implementing clinical systems.
Sharon has developed appropriate tools to capture the compliance for Regulatory Standards and to effect the appropriateness of care provided to patients. These tools also provide managers with real time data for on-going Performance Improvement monitoring, These automated processes make unit based and department report cards available to the leadership team. Ms. Heyer also educates the nursing staff in the use of performance improvement tools and their data to create unit based action and improve the care of patients. Sharon serves as the liaison and consultant to the Information Systems and Program Management offices acting as the voice for nursing and clinical staff. Ms. Heyer deserves recognition for her professional practice and for providing guidance and education, ensuring evidence-based practice standards and guidelines are being followed.