NR 512 – Wk 2 Transformation from Data to Information to Knowledge to Wisdom in

Practice

Describe a nursing-practice situation in which you experienced the transformations of DIKW.

1. Explain the relationship, if any, between Data to Information to Knowledge to Wisdom in

Practice (DIKW) and informatics. Can DIKW exist independently of informatics?
Please explain your rationale. Class.

Response:

The American Nurses Association (2008) describes nursing informatics as integrating

“nursing science, computer and information science, and cognitive science to manage,
communicate, and expand the data, information, knowledge, and wisdom of nursing practice.”
There is a constant fluctuation between data, information, knowledge, and wisdom at any given
moment in the daily practice of nursing. Working in the Critical Care setting, it is imperative to
be able to move from data to information to knowledge to wisdom in a very quick manner. For
example, in the ICU setting an arterial line provides a continuous reading of a patient’s blood
pressure. This is considered data and it has no meaning by itself. Information occurs when I take
the reading of my patient’s blood pressure and interpret them to be outside of the defined
parameters set by the physician. Knowledge transpires as I take into consider that my patient has
a newly diagnosed stroke from a subarachnoid hemorrhage and is at risk for rebleeding if his
systolic blood pressure rises higher than 140. Wisdom follows as I am able to understand and
apply the data, information, and knowledge I have gained in order to successfully provide the
best possible nursing care for this patient.

Reference:

American Nurses Association. (2008). Nursing informatics: Scope and standards of

practice. Silver Spring, MD: Nursebooks.org.