Developing national level informatics competencies for undergraduate nurses : methodological approaches from Australia and Canada

Health information systems are being implemented in countries by governments and regional health authorities in an effort to modernize healthcare. With these changes, there has emerged a demand by healthcare organizations for nurses graduating from college and university programs to have acquired nursing informatics competencies that would allow them to work in clinical practice settings (e.g. hospitals, clinics, home care etc). In this paper we examine the methods employed by two different countries in developing national level nursing informatics competencies expected of undergraduate nurses prior to graduation (i.e. Australia, Canada). This work contributes to the literature by describing the science and methods of nursing informatics competency development at a national level

Nursing informatics competencies for entry to practice: the perspective of six countries

Internationally, countries are challenged to prepare nurses for a future that has ever increasing use of technology and where information management is a central part of professional nursing practice. There has been a growing trend to move nursing to competency-based education, especially for those students undertaking their first nursing qualification. This first nursing qualification may be linked to pre-registration, pre-licensure or undergraduate education; the term used depending on the country. The authors are drawn from the International Medical Informatics Association special interest group, Nursing Informatics (IMIA-NI) Education Working Group and represent New Zealand, the United States of America, England, Australia, Finland and Canada

Nursing Students\u27 Self-Efficacy and Attitude: Examining the Influence ofthe Omaha System In Nurse Managed Centers

Self-efficacy, or confidence, as an outcome behavior has been identified as influencing nursing job satisfaction and retention. Clinical learning environments and teaching strategies that build and support perceived self-efficacy are critical aspects of preparing new nurses for their entry and continuing role as professional nurses in today\u27s information-intensive data-management healthcare environment. The purpose of this pre-test post-test study is to measure, using the C-scale (Grundy, 1992), nursing students\u27 self-efficacy to perform patient assessment in Nurse Managed Centers (NMC) after one semester of using the Omaha System documentation framework. Nursing students\u27 attitudes of preparation for using Standardized Nursing Languages (SNL) in the future was also examined. Bandura\u27s (1977, 19986) theoretical model of self-efficacy provided the conceptual framework. Students\u27 overall self-efficacy scores increased significantly over the 12 week study. Use of the Omaha System \u27prepared a little\u27 to \u27very prepared\u27 90% of student nurses for future use of SNL. Continued use of the Omaha System documentation framework in Nurse Managed Center clinicals as a tool for understanding SNL is recommended.

An Exploration of the Influence of Nursing Education Culture on the Integration of Nursing Informatics Competencies Into a Collaborative Nursing Program Curriculum

Information communication technologies are becoming a customary part of the way in which nurses provide care. Consequently, it makes good sense to ensure that nursing informatics competencies are integrated into nursing curricula to prepare graduates for practice. However, few schools of nursing within Canada have fully integrated nursing informatics competencies into their curricula. Nursing education culture appears to influence decision-making, and the development of organizational priorities. Nonetheless, there are no known studies examining how nursing education culture impacts nursing informatics curriculum development endeavours. Therefore, this study aimed to address the following research questions: 1) In what ways does a nursing education culture (the shared values, assumptions and behaviours of two schools of nursing) and the practices and policies within the two schools of nursing affect the incorporation of nursing informatics competencies in a collaborative undergraduate nursing program curriculum? 2) How is the incorporation of competencies related to nursing informatics in the collaborative program curriculum influenced by the systems and subsystems within two schools of nursing? 3) How do the subsystems within the two schools of nursing interact to affect the incorporation of nursing informatics competencies in the undergraduate nursing curriculum? and 4) In what ways do resources within these two schools influence the curriculum development process and incorporation of nursing informatics competencies within the curriculum? These questions were explored using a focused ethnography framed with a systems theory perspective. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and document review. The culture under investigation was a collaborative undergraduate nursing program culture, offered jointly through a partnership between a University and College. Findings identified external and internal systems and subsystems had a significant influence on how values, beliefs, and priorities within the collaborative program were determined and this ultimately influenced the selection of curricular content. Subsequently, findings suggest that commitment and priority for the topic of nursing informatics need to be established within the nursing education culture. Until faculty value the use of information communication technologies to support nursing practice, nursing informatics as a topic area will be undervalued and its incorporation within the curriculum will remain limited

Nurses and Computers: An international perspective on how nurses are, and how they would like to be, using ICT in the workplace, and the support they consider that they need.

The use of IT in nursing (nursing informatics) is increasing, and has the potential to improve patient care. Research, and the experience of the author, have shown however that nurses lack basic IT skills and informatics knowledge. This study sought to explore what nurses’ want from IT in the workplace, and how pre-registration education can help to prepare nurses for working in this changing environment. The study, undertaken in New Zealand, a country also seeking to drive forwards its use of IT in healthcare, found that nurses want systems that save them time, and equipment readily available at the patients’ bedside. Nurses who had recently completed their pre-registration programmes tended to have better skills than nurses who had trained some time ago. Nurses who lacked skills, or confidence, wanted support available that understood the role of nurse, and could provide help when it was needed. Nursing schools in New Zealand tend to have a lecturer leading nursing informatics. Nursing informatics is included in pre-registration education programmes, and I was able to see several innovative developments supporting this. Qualified nurses and students generally considered that pre-registration programmes should include information security, legal and ethical issues and supporting patients in meeting their information needs as well as basic IT skills

Leveraging Clinical Preceptorship to Enhance Nursing Students’ Readiness in Digital Health

As technology continues to advance rapidly and digitalization becomes more prevalent in healthcare, the nursing profession must also adapt to these changes. The integration of informatics in nursing education and practice should serve as a catalyst for shaping future nursing leaders who can drive innovation, influence policy, and contribute to the advancement of healthcare. During the final stage of their undergraduate education, nursing students would have gained substantive knowledge and have been exposed to different digital health technologies and medical devices used in the delivery of clinical care. However, their ability to assimilate this knowledge and make sense of how nursing informatics and digital health relate to their practice roles may not be as readily visible to them. Nursing preceptors can play a vital role in assisting students discover the potential of technology in healthcare and nursing practice. Yet, despite the significance of clinical learning experiences and the important role nursing preceptors play in the development of nursing students, there is limited discussion in the literature with respect to their role in relation to digital health readiness among nursing students. The purpose of this discussion paper is to illuminate the importance of nursing informatics as a foundational knowledge base for Canadian nurses and argue the need for advancing clinical nursing education, particularly preceptorship experiences, as a potential pathway for enhancing nursing students’ readiness in digital health and to facilitate their transition into the Registered Nurse role in digitally enabled work environments. Résumé Alors que la technologie continue de progresser rapidement et que la numérisation devient de plus en plus répandue dans le domaine des soins de santé, la profession infirmière doit également s’adapter à ces changements. L’intégration de l’informatique dans la formation et la pratique en sciences infirmières devrait servir de catalyseur pour façonner les futurs responsables des sciences infirmières capables de stimuler l’innovation, d’influencer les politiques et de contribuer à l’avancement des soins de santé. Au cours de la dernière étape de leurs études de premier cycle, les étudiantes et étudiants en sciences infirmières auraient acquis des connaissances approfondies et auraient été exposés à différentes technologies en santé numérique et à des dispositifs médicaux utilisés dans la prestation de soins cliniques. Cependant, leur capacité à assimiler ces connaissances et à comprendre comment l’informatique infirmière et la santé numérique sont liées à leurs rôles en pratique n’est peut-être pas aussi visible pour eux. Les préceptrices et précepteurs en sciences infirmières peuvent jouer un rôle essentiel en aidant les étudiantes et étudiants à découvrir le potentiel de la technologie dans les soins de santé et la pratique infirmière. Pourtant, malgré l’importance des expériences d’apprentissage clinique et le rôle significatif que jouent les préceptrices et précepteurs en sciences infirmières dans le développement des étudiantes et étudiants, la littérature traite peu de leur rôle dans la préparation à la santé numérique. Le but de ce document de discussion est de mettre en lumière l’importance de l’informatique infirmière en tant que connaissances fondamentales pour les infirmières et infirmiers canadiens et de faire valoir la nécessité de faire progresser la formation clinique en sciences infirmières, en particulier les expériences de préceptorat, comme voie potentielle pour améliorer la préparation des étudiantes et étudiants en sciences infirmières à la santé numérique et pour faciliter leur transition vers le rôle d’infirmière ou d’infirmier œuvrant dans des environnements numériques de travail

Digital Health in Canadian Schools of Nursing Part A: Nurse Educators’ Perspectives

Introduction: While much progress has been achieved in advancing nursing informatics capacity in Canada, more work is needed to keep pace with the 21st century technological revolution. Nursing education programs and nurse educators are at the forefront of this change, and are key to ensuring successful integration of digital health technologies in future nursing practice. Methods: In 2018, a mixed methods study was conducted including a survey of nursing school administrators and nurse educators, telephone interviews, and one focus group meeting to understand the current state of digital health and informatics content integration in nursing curricula within Canadian Schools of Nursing. In this paper, we report on findings pertinent to nurse educators’ perspectives; findings from the nurse administrator survey will be reported separately. Results: Congruent with the general literature, findings from this study suggest that the challenges for nurse educators to realize informatics integration in nursing curricula are universal. A developing awareness of CASN’s entry to practice informatics competencies and a strong interest and desire among nurse educators to respond to current demands for advancing the digital health learning needs of future nurses are evident. However, there are still gaps and challenges in digital health content integration that need to be addressed. Conclusion: Realizing the vision of adequately prepared nursing workforce for digital health requires a shift in thinking about the role of informatics in nursing education and practice, as well as concerted efforts by all stakeholders. In view of the current technological revolution impacting all sectors of society including health care, nurse educators are in a unique position to shape the future of nursing practice. Educator engagement and administrative leader support within every Canadian school of nursing are vital for overcoming barriers and advancing the informatics capacity of all future nurses. Résumé Introduction : Bien que de nombreux progrès aient été réalisés au niveau des aptitudes en informatique des infirmières au Canada, il reste encore du travail à faire pour suivre le rythme actuel de la révolution technologique. Les programmes de formation en sciences infirmières et les infirmières enseignantes elles-mêmes se trouvent au premier plan de ce changement et sont essentiels pour assurer une intégration réussie des technologies numériques dans le domaine de la santé pour la pratique infirmière de demain. Méthodologie : En 2018, une étude utilisant des méthodes mixtes a été menée pour comprendre l’état actuel de l’intégration du numérique en santé et de contenu informatique dans les programmes d’études des écoles de sciences infirmières au Canada; cette étude comprenait notamment un sondage auprès des gestionnaires et des enseignantes des écoles de sciences infirmières, des entrevues téléphoniques et un groupe de discussion. Dans cet article, nous rendons compte des résultats concernant la perspective des infirmières enseignantes; les résultats du sondage auprès des gestionnaires académiques seront présentés séparément. Résultats : Les résultats de cette étude indiquent que les défis des infirmières enseignantes pour réaliser l’intégration de l’informatique dans les programmes de sciences infirmières sont universels et correspondent à ceux qui ont été identifiés dans la littérature générale. On remarque bien une prise de conscience croissante des compétences en informatique identifiées par l’ACÉSI pour l’entrée dans la pratique infirmière ainsi qu’un vif intérêt et désir de la part des infirmières enseignantes de répondre aux demandes actuelles pour faire progresser les ’apprentissages selon les besoins des futures infirmières en matière de santé numérique. Cependant, il reste certains défis et lacunes dans l’intégration du contenu de santé numérique qui doivent être examinés. Conclusion : Mettre en œuvre la vision d’un effectif infirmier adéquatement préparé pour la santé numérique nécessite un changement radical dans la façon de percevoir le rôle de l’informatique dans la formation et la pratique infirmières, ainsi que des efforts concertés de toutes les parties prenantes. Compte tenu de la révolution technologique actuelle qui touche tous les secteurs de la société, y compris les soins de santé, les infirmières enseignantes se trouvent dans une position unique pour façonner l’avenir de la pratique infirmière. L’engagement des enseignantes et le soutien des leaders gestionnaires de chacune des écoles de sciences infirmières au pays seront essentiels pour surmonter les obstacles et renforcer les aptitudes en informatique de toutes les infirmières de demain

A Review of Clinical Informatics Competencies in Nursing to Inform Best Practices in Education and Nurse Faculty Development

AIM The aim of this literature review was to determine the state of the science related to clinical informatics competencies of registered nurses and to determine best practices in educational strategies for both nursing students and faculty. BACKGROUND Continued emphasis on the provision of evidence-based patient care has implications for requisite informatics-focused competencies to be threaded throughout all levels of nursing educational programs. METHOD Whittemore and Knalf’s five-step integrative review process guided this research. An extensive search yielded 69 publications for critical appraisal. RESULTS Results suggest nursing educational programs do not adhere to standardized criteria for teaching nursing informatics competencies. Another identified literature gap was the scarcity of research related to informatics training requirements for nurse educators. CONCLUSION Findings support the need for continued research to provide clear direction about the expected clinical informatics competencies of graduate nurses and what training faculty need to facilitate student learning

New BSN Nurse Informatics Competencies: Perceptions of Academic Preparedness for Practice

One rapidly expanding nursing program at a public research university in the mid-south region of the United States served as the site for this study. Recent nurse graduates were selected in a purposeful sampling from alumni who had conferred degrees from May 2007 through May 2013. Sixty-three graduates completed the online survey in Phase I and five recent graduates participated in semi-structured interviews during Phase II of the study. Data were collected utilizing a mixed methods design. Descriptive statistics explained survey and interview results. Of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs), attitude competencies reported the highest means and were very effective at providing informatics attitude competencies to graduates. The program was also reported being somewhat effective at providing skills competencies and included navigating and documenting in the electronic medical record. The most desired skills reported by participants to include as more curriculum focus were electronic medical record (EMR) navigation, hands-on experience with different technology systems, and documentation, charting, and nurses\u27 notes with legal implications. The top comparable competencies introduced at the new nurse orientation were facility specific navigation of the EMR and computer documentation. Findings in this study served to provide additional knowledge to existing literature about competency preparedness and transition into practice. Results of this inquiry also served to provide direction for future curriculum planning involving QSEN informatics competencies at the nursing program