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When you wake up in the morning, you may reach for your phone to respond to a few text or email messages that you missed the night before. You may need to refuel your car on your way to work. When you arrive, you may need to swipe a key card at the door to gain access to the facility. And, before you get to your workstation, you might want to stop by the cafeteria for a cup of coffee.

You are a data-generation machine from the moment you wake up. Every time you use your phone, every time you use a debit or credit card, every time you enter your workplace generates data. It begs the question, how much data do you produce each day? Many studies have been conducted on this subject, and the results are astounding: According to estimates, nearly 1 million bytes of data are generated every second for every person on the planet.

As the volume of data grows, information professionals have sought ways to use big data—large, complex sets of data that require specialized approaches to use effectively. Big data has the potential to bring significant benefits—as well as significant risks—to healthcare. You will consider these risks and rewards in this Discussion.

Discussion:

To Get Ready:

Examine the resources and think about the web article Big Data Means Big Potential, Big Challenges for Nurse Executives. (https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/nursing/big-data-means-big-potential-challenges-nurse-execs)

Consider your own experience with complex health information access and management, as well as any challenges or risks you may have encountered or observed.

Post an explanation of at least one potential benefit of using big data as part of a clinical system. Then, explain why you believe at least one potential challenge or risk of using big data as part of a clinical system exists. Propose at least one strategy that you have experienced, observed, or researched that may effectively mitigate the challenges or risks associated with using big data that you have described. Provide specifics and examples.

**Don’t forget to include three references**