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ABSTRACT
It is clear that technology and informatics are becoming increasingly important in disasters and humanitarian response. Technology is a critical tool to recording, analyzing, and predicting trends in data that could not be achieved prior to its implementation. Informatics is the translation of this data into information, knowledge, and wisdom. Combining technology and informatics applications with response efforts has resulted in various enhanced biosurveillance efforts, advanced communications, and information management during disasters. Although these efforts have been well described in the literature, research on the impact of technology and informatics during these efforts has been limited. As a result, this chapter will provide an overview of these technology and informatics solutions and present suggestions for further research in an era when disaster and humanitarian response efforts continue to increase as well. A literature search was performed using PubMed search tools with the National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms of "disasters," "disaster planning," "disaster medicine," "technology," "informatics," and "research." Search limitations were set for 5 years and in English. Because of the limited number of research articles in this field, the MeSH term research was deleted.
NURSING INFORMATICS RESEARCH ISSUES IN DISASTER AND HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE
The World Health Organization (WHO) convened the First Consultation on Nursing and Midwifery Contributions in Emergencies in Geneva during November 22-24, 2006 (WHO, 2007). Weiner (2011) described the research issues for nursing and midwifery contributions that were discussed during this event. Although many factors were considered as impacting nursing research in this area (such as the more recent development of emergency nursing as a specialty, the uncoordinated efforts for competency development, the difficulties with field research, the lack of policy development, the lack of funding for nursing research in emergency planning and response, and the need for more multi-disciplinary research), there were also technology and informaticsrelated factors.
Standardized terminology is one of the basic foundations to the science of informatics. Although classic definitions have been provided by WHO, various terms have continued to be used to describe the same thing (e.g., disasters and emergencies). Emergency nursing also means a specialty in the emergency department of hospitals rather than the more global use of the term of providing nursing care during emergency situations. The term "terrorism" has...