10th annual Nursing Knowledge: Big Data Science Conference celebrates achievements, sets vision for future

The 10^th annual Nursing Knowledge: Big Data Science (NKBDS) Conference brought national experts to Minneapolis to discuss the future of nursing informatics and its alignment with the NKBDS strategic plan.

The conference, held June 8-10, celebrated the initiative’s accomplishments over the past decade and set a strong vision for the years ahead.

“The passion that birthed this conference was about the transparency and visibility of the voice of all people,” said Dean Connie White Delaney, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI, FNAP. “We believe and know that nursing is a potent pathway for not only the voice of people but for equity. Underneath it all, that’s what drives our involvement and our conversations at this conference.”

Together with NKBDS Co-Chair Lisiane Pruinelli, PhD, RN, FAMIA, they discussed the evolution of the conference, which began as an invitational with a think-tank commitment. “Nursing had been at the forefront of the informatics transformation but it wasn’t as empowered to make a difference,” said Delaney, noting the conference sought to provide that empowerment.

Over the years, a preconference was added with an emphasis on education to inform conference work, and the work groups – which are composed of volunteers focused on specific topics aligned with the NKBDS vision who work throughout the year – grew. There are now 160 people engaged in year round work groups. They have created more than 200 presentations and 140 publications over the years.

With the work group growth, dissemination of their work became a priority, to make it visible to the broader public. The Nursing Big Data Repository was created and more than 600 people are engaged with the listserv.

Delaney called last year a defining moment when the vision and mission were redefined and the 2021-2026 strategic plan was created for targeted actions.

The NKBDS steering committee now oversees the initiative, which includes the work groups, conference and repository.

“It is all about better health outcomes and that comes from shareable, comparable data,” said Delaney.

Panel topics include national patient outcome initiatives, future of artificial intelligence

The conference included the panel discussion National Patient Outcome Initiatives at the Intersection of Nursing, Informatics, and Big Data moderated by Judy Murphy, RN, FACMI, LFHIMSS, FAAN, with Victoria L Tiase, PhD, RN-BC, FAMIA, FNAP, FAAN – The Future of Nursing Report; Marisa Wilson, DNSc, MHSc, RN-BC, CPHIMS, FAMIA, FIAHSI, FAAN – The AACN Essentials; and Joyce Sensmeier, MS, RN-BC, FHIMSS, FAAN – The Unique Nurse Identifier.

Catherine Ivory, PhD, RN-BC, RNC-OB, NEA-BC, FAAN, moderated the panel discussion Artificial Intelligence Informed by Big Data: Challenges and Future Potential with Asta Thoroddsen, PhD  – ICNP; Kenrick Cato, PhD, RN, CPHIMS, FAAN – Artificial Intelligence; and Laura Heermann Langford, PhD, RN.

The 11 workgroup reported on major achievements in 2021 and discussed top priorities for the coming year.

The closing panel Ethical, Social and Workforce Considerations for Nursing, Big Data & Artificial Intelligence, was moderated by Martin Michalowski, PhD, FAMIA, with Rebecca Freeman, PhD, RN, FAAN, FNAP - How AI can help to decrease the nursing work/mundane work?; Alain Junger, MS, RN - Social/Human/Patients’ rights/privacy in front of AI; and Martha Turner, PhD, RN-BC, FAAN – Ethical implications of building, implementing, using artificial intelligence.

The 2023 conference will be June 7-9, 2023, in Minneapolis.