IMIA NI- Bylaws

Approved Sep 1993

Amended Aug 1996

 

Amended June 2006

Approved November 2006

1. Introduction 

The statutes of the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) refer extensively to Special Interest Groups. Article 5.4 of IMIA statutes outlines a general framework for the bylaws of Special Interest Groups, and at the same time define the formal relationship between the parent organization IMIA and the Special Interest Group. 

It is clear that in general, the bylaws of the Special Interest Group will add specificity to the article mentioned above, or contain some rules that are not referred to at all in article 5.4. 

The Medical Informatics Association – Special Interest Group on Nursing Informatics (formerly IMIA Working Group 8 on Nursing Informatics) was established in 1983 to serve the specific needs of nurses in the field of Nursing Informatics. The name, The Medical Informatics Association – Special Interest Group  on Nursing Informatics will be referred to as IMIA-NI. 

The bylaws are written as an integration of IMIA statutes and IMIA-NI additions. 

2. Name, Scope and Aims 

IMIA Special Interest Group on Nursing Informatics shall be a non profit organization. The abbreviated name is: IMIA-NI. 

IMIA-NI is a Special Interest Group within IMIA and shall as such follow the statutes of IMIA.

IMIA-NI is established by IMIA General Assembly and can only be terminated by the same body on request from a national representative or IMIA board. 

The focus of IMIA-NI is to foster collaboration among nurses and others who are interested in nursing informatics to facilitate development in the field.   We aim to share knowledge, experience and ideas with nurses and healthcare providers worldwide about the practice of nursing informatics and the benefits of enhanced information management.

Specific objectives are:

·        Explore the scope of Nursing Informatics and its implications for health policy and information handling activities associated with evidence based nursing practice, nursing management, nursing research, nursing education, standards and patient (or client) decision making and the various relationships with other health informatics entities.

·        Identify priorities or gaps and make recommendations for future developments in nursing informatics.

·        Support the development of nursing informatics in member countries and promote nursing informatics worldwide.

·        Promote linkages and collaborative activities with national and international nursing and health informatics groups and nursing and health care organisations globally.

·        Provide, promote and support informatics meetings, conferences, and electronic communication forums to enable opportunities for the sharing of ideas, developments and knowledge.

·        Participate in IMIA working groups and special interest groups to present a nursing perspective.

·        Develop recommendations, guidelines, tools and courses relating to nursing informatics.

·        Encourage the publication and dissemination of research and development materials in the field of nursing informatics

·        Support and work with patients, families, communities and societies to adopt and manage informatics approaches to healthcare.

3. Seat 

The seat of IMIA-NI shall be the same as that of its Chairperson. 

4. Membership

4.1 National Members 

There will be one member selected by the respective country member of IMIA, except for the Chairperson, and 4 Vice Chairpersons.

National IMIA member countries will seek nominations for this  appointee from appropriate country level groups, including recognized nursing and health Informatics groups, the ICN affiliated national nursing association, and other organizations as appropriate. 

4.2 Institutional Members

Any institution, company, hospital or other organization working in the field covered by nursing informatics or closely related fields, may become an institutional member of IMIA, and therefore IMIA-NI. 

4,3 Associate members 

Associate members to IMIA-NI from IMIA and non-IMIA member countries can be honoured by the Chairperson of IMIA-NI upon recommendation by the Executive Committee. 

4.4 Honorary members 

The IMIA-NI Assembly appoints honorary members. Past chairpersons are automatically honorary members. 

4.5 Observers

Observers to IMIA-NI from non-IMIA member countries can be honoured by the Chairperson of IMIA-NI upon recommendation by the Executive Committee. 

4.6 The role of the IMIA-NI national members, would include: 

·        Representing the member country’s view. 

·        Assisting IMIA-NI achieve its objectives by recognizing, supporting, initiating Nursing Informatics events in his or her  own country. 

·        Participating in the group’s activities, and  communicating  to and from the IMIA-NI and relevant groups in his or her country thus contributing to the dissemination function of the group. 

·        Sharing knowledge, expertise and developments plus difficulties and needs. 

·        Promoting a multi-disciplinary collaborative approach to informatics in health care and demonstrating sensitivity to the contributions that other disciplines make. 

·        Serving on other groups within IMIA. 

·        Considering hosting  a symposium or workshop in his or her own country and recognizing the unique opportunity this offers to nursing in the host country. 

5. The Operation 

The governing and advisory bodies of IMIA-NI shall be: 

·                                 The Assembly 

·                                 The Executive Committee 

·                                 Standing and ad hoc Advisory Committees 

The scientific activities of IMIA-NI will be channelled through: 

·                                 Scientific and Technical Committees 

·                                 Working Groups 

IMIA-NI does not take into account the political or social aspects of its member organizations, because IMIA-NI is totally dedicated to the transfer of scientific and technical information and experience. 

5.1 The Assembly

5.1.1 Composition

The Assembly shall be composed of the Executive Committee (Chair and 4 Vice Chairs) one representative from each IMIA Member Country (National Members), Honorary Members, Institutional Members, Working Group Chairs, Associate Members and Observers. 

The Vice Chairs are  accountable for secretarial and treasury roles plus further accountabilities as defined by the current chair. 

The National Members of IMIA-NI should be encouraged to serve  for a minimum period of three years. 

5.1.2 Voting rights 

Only National Members of IMIA-NI have full voting rights in the Assembly and represent only one vote per country.  The Chair has a casting vote if required 

The Assembly shall be able to conduct business if at least eight Executive Committee and/or National Members are present or represented by proxy. 

5.1.3 Meetings 

The Assembly shall decide on the dates and the places of its meetings. 

5.1.4 Notice of meetings 

The Vice Chair, Administration/Treasurer shall give not less than three months notice of any Assembly meeting, enclosing a statement of the purposes of the meeting.  A member may have a matter included on the agenda for a meeting provided the request is received in writing one month in advance of the meeting and has the support of at least one other Executive Committee and/or National Member. 

5.1.5 Waiver of notice 

No business other than that included in the agenda for the meeting shall be transacted at any such meeting except by special consideration of the Executive Committee or if by two-third-majority vote.

5.1.6 Minutes of the Assembly 

The minutes of one meeting of the Assembly as submitted by the Vice Chair, Administration/Treasurer shall be approved by the Assembly at its next meeting. 

5.2 International Conferences on Nursing Informatics 

IMIA-NI shall organize an international conference every three years with the aim to present the status of Nursing Informatics  and to encourage nurses in the host country to learn more about Nursing Informatics. 

5.3 IMIA_NI Working Groups 

An IMIA-NI working group is established by the Assembly upon the submission of the proposed scope of the working group and shall deliver whatever result is decided at a specific time. The term of a working group shall be decided by the Assembly. 

 A working group consists of experts selected and assigned, without consideration of nationality, to work in a specified area.   Membership in a working group is not restricted to  IMIA-NI members  

The Chairperson of a working group is elected by the Assembly upon recommendation of the Executive Committee. The term of office of the Working Group Chairperson is three years but can be renewed for one further three year period. 

The Chairperson of the working group may designate a Vice Chairperson and a Secretary with the approval of the working group membership.

The Chairperson of the Working Group shall report to the Executive Committee via the Vice Chair, Working Groups twice a year. If no report has been delivered on two consecutive occasions the working group shall automatically be dissolved. 

5.4 Publication 

Publication by IMIA-NI or its Working Groups in the name of IMIA may be made only after authorization of the IMIA Publication Committee. After approval the publication becomes an official IMIA publication. 

6. The Officers 

IMIA-NI has an Executive Committee with five officers.  In selecting officers both expertise and geographical distribution shall be considered. The officers shall be selected from among the National Members.  The country, which is represented by the Officer, has the right to nominate a second representative during that period. 

6.1 Term of office 

The term of office shall be three years and can be renewed only once for each of the five Executive Committee Officers in exceptional circumstances as agreed by a vote of national members at the General Assembly.     An officer can have up to two vice chair roles on different occasions in special circumstances as agreed by a vote of national members at the General Assembly. 

6.2 Nominating Committee 

The nominating committee is appointed for a three year period by the General Assembly. The Committee consists of at least two members, a past chairperson and one national member.   The nominating committee will seek nominations for vice chair roles and the chair elect that will succeed the chair. 

6.3 The role of the Chairperson 

6.3.1 Appointment 

The nominating committee shall propose the next chair from a current vice chair to be agreed by the members of IMIA-NI in a general assembly meeting.  Should more that one vice chair be suitable and seek election to become chair, a vote of national members would be made at the General Assembly.  The chair elect will be appointed 1 year before the term commences.

The Chairperson of IMIA-NI is appointed by IMIA General Assembly on recommendation of the Assembly.

6.3.2 The Role

 The Chairperson has both a reactive and a strategic role. 

The reactive role would include: 

·        Promoting the exploration of the scope of nursing informatics with and through the group.

·        Noting when new countries or institutions are joining IMIA, making links with the IMIA members and, through the national nursing and professional computer associations, seeking a nurse member to represent the country. 

·        Giving support to IMIA-NI and IMIA members and their nursing contacts.

·        Recognizing the potential of group members and playing a facilitative role in putting this to good use. 

·        Initiating meetings in conjunction with other Health Informatics Groups to maximize the opportunity of group members being together and to minimize costs. 

·        Ensure that developments and achievements identified in a particular country or working group are shared with the group as a whole. 

·        Identifying nursing informatics problems and needs that are common across countries and lead an appropriate response. 

·        Recognize the need to initiate and facilitate publications and to use appropriate influence to get publications out. 

The strategic role would include: 

·        Leading the development of an IMIA-NI strategic plan that  meets the aims and objectives of the group, ensuring implementation and monitoring of achievements.

·        Prioritizing nursing informatics issues to be addressed by the group. 

·        Initiating appropriate task force meetings for specific purposes.

·        Ensuring that conferences are sensitive to the wider issues of health care, major new informatics initiatives and the multi disciplinary health care team approach. 

·        Ensuring that working conferences undertake a wider exploration of specific issues that are appropriately chosen for their current relevance and future significance. 

·        Recognizing the vast expertise of the group members that this makes the group a formidable source of knowledge, skills and expertise and ensure that this is channelled to meet the IMIA-NI’s vision, aims and objectives. 

6.4 The role of the Vice Chairpersons 

6.4.1 Appointment

The nominating committee shall propose vice chairs from  current national members to be agreed by the members of IMIA-NI in a General Assembly meeting.  Should more that one national member be suitable and seek election to become a vice chair, a vote of national members would be made at the General Assembly. 

Role of the vice chair, administration/treasury, would include:

·        Knowing what funds are available from IMIA.

·        Generating income to improve the financial state of the group.

·        Keeping adequate records of meetings and looking ahead, ensuring meeting agendas are prepared and communicated in advance

Role of the vice chair, communications, would include:

·        Promoting the groups activities internationally and across IMIA member countries.

·        Acting as a conduit between the Executive Committee, Working Group Chairs and members, and ensuring they are properly informed

·        Maintaining the website and using other communication media to disseminate information and ensure the nursing informatics and the nursing community are informed of the groups strategies, activities and plans.

Role of the vice chair, membership, would include:

·        Ensuring new members have adequate information about the operation of the group.

·        Encouraging new membership from the nursing informatics community.

·        Maintaining a Membership Database.

Role of the vice chair, working groups, would include:

·        Supporting the development of new working groups.

·        Co-ordinating regular report on the activities of the working group.

·        Ensuring publication of working groups activities.

 7. Links to IMIA

The chair is the formal link to IMIA board 

8. The Language 

English shall be the working language of IMIA-NI 

9. The Finances 

It is important that IMIA-NI is free from undue influence of contracts with vendors and consultants within the field of Nursing Informatics. 

Sponsoring of conferences and workshops is of great importance. 

When planning a conference or a workshop the budget calculation shall include a surplus. IMIA-NI shall receive an agreed percentage levy of the registration fee of IMIA-NI sponsored conferences and workshops, in return for its endorsement. 

IMIA-NI has no economical responsibilities for any loss in conferences and workshops. 

IMIA-NI will not cover any travelling expenses for members or officers. 

If IMIA-NI receives any funds these shall be deposited through the IMIA treasurer. The funds are under all circumstances the property of IMIA-NI. 

10. Other Matters 

In all other matters IMIA-NI will follow the statutes of IMIA. 

Bylaws approved by IMIA General Assembly in Kyoto, Revised by IMIA-NI General Assembly in Copenhagen, Denmark , August 1996.

Revised by IMIA-NI General Assembly in Soul, Korea , June 2006.

Approved by IMIA General Assembly in Washington November 2006