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90+ informatics in nursing essay topic ideas & examples, dr. wilson mn.

• April 20, 2023
• Essay Topics and Ideas , Samples

90+ Informatics in Nursing Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Informatics in nursing refers to the use of technology and data to improve patient care outcomes and streamline healthcare processes. With the increasing use of electronic health records (EHRs) and other technological tools, informatics has become an essential component of nursing practice. In this post, we will provide several topic ideas and examples of informatics in nursing and why they are important.

Informatics in nursing is important for several reasons. First, it allows nurses to access patient information quickly and easily, leading to more efficient and effective care. Second, it promotes patient safety by reducing the risk of errors and ensuring that patients receive the right medications and treatments. Third, it can help to reduce healthcare costs by identifying areas for improvement and streamlining processes. Finally, it can improve the overall quality of care by providing nurses with the information they need to make informed decisions.

What You'll Learn

Tips for Students Writing an Essay on Informatics in Nursing

• Start with a clear and concise thesis statement that outlines the main points of your essay.
• Provide a brief overview of the history and evolution of informatics in nursing.
• Discuss the benefits of informatics in nursing, including improved patient outcomes and increased efficiency.
• Provide examples of informatics tools used in nursing practice, such as EHRs and clinical decision support systems.
• Discuss the challenges associated with implementing informatics in nursing practice, such as resistance to change and concerns about privacy and security.
• Analyze the impact of informatics on the nursing profession and healthcare as a whole.
• Conclude with a summary of your main points and a call to action for further research and implementation of informatics in nursing practice.

Informatics in nursing is an essential component of nursing practice that can improve patient outcomes, increase efficiency, and reduce healthcare costs. By using technology and data to inform decision-making and streamline processes, nurses can provide better care for their patients. When writing an essay on informatics in nursing, it is important to provide a clear thesis statement, discuss the benefits and challenges of informatics in nursing practice, and provide examples of informatics tools used in nursing practice.

Informatics in Nursing Essay Topics/Ideas:

• The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Nursing Practice and Patient Outcomes
• The Use of Mobile Health Applications in Nursing Practice: Opportunities and Challenges
• The Role of Social Media in Promoting Health Literacy and Patient Engagement
• The Impact of Data Analytics on Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice
• The Use of Telemonitoring in Chronic Disease Management: A Nursing Perspective
• The Impact of Health Information Technology on Interprofessional Collaboration in Healthcare
• The Use of Patient Portals in Nursing Practice: Promoting Patient-Centered Care
• The Role of Informatics in Nursing Education: Preparing Future Nurses for the Digital Age
• The Impact of Informatics on Nursing Documentation and Workflow
• The Use of Virtual Reality in Nursing Education and Training
• The Role of Nursing Informaticians in Healthcare System Development and Implementation
• The Impact of Informatics on Nursing Leadership and Management
• The Use of Clinical Decision Support Systems in Nursing: Improving Patient Outcomes
• The Impact of Wearable Technology on Nursing Practice and Patient Care
• The Role of Nursing Informatics in Promoting Health Equity and Addressing Healthcare Disparities
• The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Nursing Education and Training
• The Impact of Informatics on Patient Safety and Quality of Care in Nursing Practice
• The Use of Robotics in Nursing Practice: Opportunities and Challenges
• The Role of Informatics in Promoting Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing
• The Impact of Telehealth on Nursing Practice and Healthcare Delivery
• The Use of Blockchain Technology in Nursing Practice: Enhancing Security and Privacy
• The Role of Nursing Informatics in Promoting Patient-Centered Care and Shared Decision-Making
• The Impact of Informatics on Nursing Research Methodologies and Approaches
• The Use of Machine Learning in Nursing Practice: Improving Diagnosis and Treatment
• The Role of Informatics in Nursing Professional Development and Lifelong Learning
• The Impact of Informatics on Nursing Workforce Diversity and Cultural Competence
• The Use of Chatbots in Nursing Practice: Enhancing Patient Communication and Engagement
• The Role of Nursing Informatics in Addressing Ethical and Legal Issues in Healthcare
• The Impact of Informatics on Nursing Practice in Rural and Underserved Communities
• The Use of Augmented Reality in Nursing Education and Simulation Training
• The Role of Nursing Informatics in Promoting Interprofessional Education and Collaboration
• The Impact of Informatics on Nursing Practice and Patient Outcomes in Developing Countries
• The Use of Data Visualization in Nursing Practice: Enhancing Data Interpretation and Communication
• The Role of Nursing Informatics in Promoting Health Information Exchange and Interoperability
• The Impact of Informatics on Nursing Practice and Patient Outcomes in Disaster and Emergency Situations

Controversial Informatics in Nursing Essay Topics:

• The Ethics of Using Artificial Intelligence in Nursing Practice
• The Controversy Surrounding the Use of Social Media in Nursing Practice
• The Impact of Health Information Technology on Nursing Job Satisfaction and Burnout
• The Controversy Surrounding the Use of Telehealth in Nursing Practice
• The Ethics of Using Patient Data for Research and Quality Improvement Purposes
• The Controversy Surrounding the Use of Wearable Technology in Nursing Practice
• The Impact of Health Information Technology on Nursing Workforce Diversity and Inclusion
• The Controversy Surrounding the Use of Clinical Decision Support Systems in Nursing Practice
• The Ethics of Using Chatbots in Nursing Practice
• The Controversy Surrounding the Use of Blockchain Technology in Nursing Practice
• The Impact of Health Information Technology on Nursing Education and Training
• The Controversy Surrounding the Use of Augmented Reality in Nursing Education and Training
• The Ethics of Using Machine Learning in Nursing Practice
• The Impact of Health Information Technology on Nursing Professionalism
• The Controversy Surrounding the Use of Data Visualization in Nursing Practice
• The Ethics of Using Robotics in Nursing Practice
• The Controversy Surrounding the Use of Virtual Reality in Nursing Education and Training
• The Impact of Health Information Technology on Nursing Autonomy
• The Controversy Surrounding the Use of Telemonitoring in Nursing Practice
• The Ethics of Using Artificial Intelligence in Nursing Education and Training
• The Controversy Surrounding the Use of Machine Learning in Nursing Research
• The Impact of Health Information Technology on Nursing Scope of Practice
• The Controversy Surrounding the Use of Chatbots in Nursing Education and Training
• The Ethics of Using Augmented Reality in Nursing Practice
• The Controversy Surrounding the Use of Data Analytics in Nursing Research

Latest Informatics in Nursing Essay Topics to Write About:

• The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Nursing Documentation: Opportunities and Challenges
• The Use of Electronic Health Records in Nursing Practice: Enhancing Patient Safety and Quality of Care
• The Role of Nursing Informatics in Addressing Health Disparities: A Global Perspective
• The Impact of Health Information Exchange on Interprofessional Collaboration in Healthcare
• The Use of Telehealth in Nursing Practice: Challenges and Solutions
• The Impact of Health Information Technology on Nursing Education and Training: Emerging Trends and Future Directions
• The Use of Data Analytics in Nursing Research: Opportunities and Challenges
• The Role of Nursing Informatics in Promoting Health Equity and Social Justice
• The Impact of Wearable Technology on Nursing Practice and Patient Outcomes: A Systematic Review
• The Use of Augmented Reality in Nursing Education and Training: A Scoping Review
• The Role of Nursing Informatics in Promoting Interprofessional Education and Practice
• The Impact of Health Information Technology on Nursing Workforce Development and Retention
• The Use of Clinical Decision Support Systems in Nursing Practice: Improving Clinical Outcomes and Quality of Care
• The Role of Nursing Informatics in Promoting Evidence-Based Practice: From Research to Implementation
• The Impact of Telemonitoring on Chronic Disease Management: A Nursing Perspective
• The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Nursing Education and Training: Current Trends and Future Directions
• The Role of Nursing Informatics in Promoting Health Information Privacy and Security
• The Impact of Health Information Technology on Nursing Professional Development and Lifelong Learning
• The Use of Digital Health Technologies in Nursing Practice: Opportunities and Challenges

Related Article: Importance of Nursing Informatics Essay

Informatics in Nursing Research Questions:

• How does the use of electronic health records impact nursing workflow and efficiency?
• What are the key challenges associated with implementing telehealth in nursing practice, and how can they be addressed?
• How can nursing informatics promote interprofessional collaboration and teamwork in healthcare settings?
• What is the impact of health information exchange on patient safety and care coordination in nursing practice?
• How can wearable technology be used to improve patient outcomes and quality of care in nursing practice?
• What are the ethical considerations associated with using artificial intelligence in nursing practice, and how can they be addressed?
• How can nursing informatics promote health equity and social justice in healthcare settings?
• What is the role of nursing informatics in addressing healthcare disparities and promoting health equity on a global scale?
• What are the key challenges associated with using clinical decision support systems in nursing practice, and how can they be addressed?
• What is the impact of health information technology on nursing education and training, and how can it be optimized?
• What are the key benefits and challenges associated with using telemonitoring in chronic disease management, and how can they be addressed?
• What is the role of nursing informatics in promoting evidence-based practice and improving patient outcomes?
• How can nursing informatics promote health information privacy and security in healthcare settings?
• What is the impact of health information technology on nursing job satisfaction and burnout, and how can it be addressed?
• What is the role of nursing informatics in promoting patient-centered care and shared decision-making in healthcare settings?

How can nursing informatics promote lifelong learning and professional development among nurses?

• What are the key opportunities and challenges associated with using data analytics in nursing research?
• What is the impact of augmented reality on nursing education and training, and how can it be optimized?
• What is the role of nursing informatics in promoting interprofessional education and practice in healthcare settings?
• How can digital health technologies be used to enhance nursing practice and improve patient outcomes?

FAQs Related to Informatics in Nursing:

What is informatics in nursing.

Informatics in nursing refers to the use of technology and data to improve patient care outcomes and streamline healthcare processes.

How does informatics improve nursing practice?

Informatics improves nursing practice by providing nurses with access to patient information, promoting patient safety and quality of care, and streamlining healthcare processes to increase efficiency.

What are some examples of informatics tools used in nursing practice?

Examples of informatics tools used in nursing practice include electronic health records (EHRs), clinical decision support systems, telehealth technologies, wearable devices, and data analytics software.

How does informatics impact nursing education?

Informatics impacts nursing education by preparing future nurses for the digital age, promoting lifelong learning and professional development, and enhancing nursing research methodologies and approaches.

What are the challenges associated with implementing informatics in nursing practice?

Challenges associated with implementing informatics in nursing practice include resistance to change, concerns about privacy and security, lack of informatics competencies among healthcare professionals, and the need for ongoing support and training.

How can nursing informatics promote interprofessional collaboration in healthcare?

Nursing informatics can promote interprofessional collaboration in healthcare by providing a common language and framework for data exchange, promoting shared decision-making and teamwork, and enhancing communication and coordination among healthcare professionals.

What is the role of nursing informatics in promoting evidence-based practice?

The role of nursing informatics in promoting evidence-based practice involves using data and technology to inform clinical decision-making, promoting research and quality improvement initiatives, and enhancing patient outcomes and quality of care.

How can nursing informatics promote health equity and address healthcare disparities?

Nursing informatics can promote health equity and address healthcare disparities by promoting the use of data to identify and address health inequities, enhancing cultural competence and diversity in healthcare settings, and promoting patient-centered care and shared decision-making.

What are the ethical considerations associated with using informatics in nursing practice?

Ethical considerations associated with using informatics in nursing practice include maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality, ensuring data security and integrity, avoiding bias and discrimination, and promoting informed consent and patient autonomy.

Nursing informatics can promote lifelong learning and professional development among nurses by providing ongoing education and training opportunities, promoting collaboration and knowledge-sharing among healthcare professionals, and facilitating the use of technology and data to enhance nursing practice.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, informatics in nursing is an essential component of nursing practice that can improve patient outcomes, increase efficiency, and reduce healthcare costs. It is important for nurses to be knowledgeable about informatics tools and competencies in order to provide effective and high-quality care. Nursing informatics can also promote interprofessional collaboration, evidence-based practice, health equity, and lifelong learning among nurses. By embracing informatics, nurses can enhance their practice and contribute to the advancement of healthcare.

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What Is Nursing Informatics and Why Is It So Important?

If you’re considering a career in nursing informatics, here’s what you need to know. Many people are unaware of What nursing informatics is and why it is vital to medical research, healthcare, and patient care.

You’re not alone if you don’t know precisely what Nursing Informaticists do. The pandemic of Covid-19 shows everyone why Nursing Informatics is so essential.

Developing a deep understanding of nursing informatics will enable nurses to solve their most pressing problems, and that’s why we will share some information about what nursing informatics is and why it is so important?

Salary and Employment in this exciting field:

What is nursing informatics.

Nursing Informatics offers powerful resources to help meet these responsibilities and improve the standard of care. It’s a system that helps track patient health data, records clinical outcomes, monitors the quality of healthcare delivery, and evaluates provider performance.

The goal is to provide an effective tool for nurses who need better ways to manage their patients’ information while providing optimal care at the same time. This field can accomplish this through improved access to timely medical research findings or autonomously predicting drug development problems.

Nursing informatics is a relatively new field of study that provides nurses with the necessary skills to use information technology to improve healthcare.

The nursing informatics degree prepares nurses for these future demands by providing them with the knowledge and skills needed to work within an ever-changing technological environment.

Why Is Nursing Informatics So Important?

To provide safe patient care, nurses must have access to accurate information on the patient, such as his or her medical history, medication list, lab results, and physician team notes.

Informatics is a system of organizing and utilizing data to solve problems. With the widespread use of electronic medical records, nurses have access to information that can help them assess patients more accurately and make better decisions about their care.

For Example, before CPOE, nurses had to transcribe provider orders by hand, which was caused by handwriting that was hard to read and human error, resulting in medication errors, delays, and omissions.

From this, you can see why nursing informatics is essential for nurses and the entire health care organization.

How Nursing Informatics Improves Patient Care

Nursing informatics can improve communication between health professionals by providing them with more accurate information about patients and their treatment plans, thus allowing better decision-making regarding medication administration or treatments that are needed for the patients.

It encompasses a wide variety of fields such as computer science, data management and analysis, healthcare policy research, clinical decision support systems for nurses, design of software to assist with patient care or education.

Careers in informatics for nurses

Informatics has become a significant part of nursing practice through patient records and other technology.  The demand for qualified nurses has grown exponentially in recent years, and those who study informatics are swamped with career opportunities.

Following career paths are available in this lane:

• Clinical informatics manager
• Clinical analyst
• Nursing informatics specialist
• Nursing informatics analyst
• Clinical informatics coordinator
• Clinical informatics specialist

There has been an increase in the need for clinicians who specialize in using medical technologies at hospitals around the country since they help facilitate efficient coordination among caregivers, helping manage chronic conditions like diabetes and congestive heart failure while also identifying gaps in care.

The first step on your journey toward a nursing informatics degree is deciding which type will be best for you: undergraduate or graduate level? Undergraduate programs offer courses that prepare students for entry-level positions in health IT; graduate programs provide more advanced instruction tailored towards leadership roles.

Some Requirements for this Job

If you are looking for an opportunity, make sure you have these skills or qualifications for a job in the Nursing Informatics field.

• A bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN)
• Certifications and a master’s degree
• Experience and strong knowledge of working in a clinical setting 
• Skills in technology and innovation; ability to adapt quickly to new technologies
• Excellent project management skills
• The desire to gather, analyze, and strategize about data
• Knowing medical economics
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Leadership experience
• Effective interpersonal skills

Informatics nurses can earn between $56,369 and $97,367 per year, with an average salary of $79,631. Salary can depend on additional degrees or certificates held, the city and state they work, experience, and the organization.

Source: Payscale

Generally speaking, the field of nursing is overgrowing, and in the future, it is projected to grow more than any other occupation.

The American Nurses Association predicts that the nursing profession in America will need around one million new nurses by 2022 due to various factors like an aging population and those with chronic illnesses.

Additionally, the top-paying states for registered nurses are:

• Massachusetts

All healthcare professionals need to know about this information because of how quickly technology is advancing in medicine, making these tools so much easier than ever before.

Informatics aims to improve patient care through education, research, health outcomes measurement, and clinical decision support systems (CDSS).

Benefits of Nursing Informatics

With the help of informatics, nurses and others in healthcare can stay at the top of their game.  This is especially important in a field that’s constantly changing. Informatics offers many benefits, including:

We maintain and improve the quality of care by making it easier to track both patient needs and data from across different providers.

Reducing errors through more accurate recording systems

Keeping up with changes in technology. Such as advances in medical devices or pharmaceuticals.

They are creating better information management practices for compliance purposes (including handling HIPAA).

All aspects of care delivery are based on evidence, including patient safety,  quality improvement initiatives, research compliance, and policy development.

Informatics can also help nurses locate state legislation concerning nursing issues like staffing ratios, competency requirements, and various licensing regulations.

Above are some of the essential benefits of why informatics matters so much to healthcare professionals today.

With the ever-growing digitization of healthcare, there is a need for nurses with in-depth knowledge and understanding of how to use technology. That’s why you have to learn why it is so important.

If you are interested in informatics or would like more information on this field, revisit our blog soon. We will have even more posts about informatics careers for nurses.

More Resources on Nursing Informatics:

• How to Get a Nursing Informatics Certification
• How to Get a Job in Nursing Informatics
• Health Informatics: Is Technology Improving Healthcare?
• Nursing Professional Development Week – Tips & Ideas

About The Author

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• Healthcare Informatics

Benefits of Informatics in Nursing

Hospitals and organizations across the healthcare continuum have adopted increasingly sophisticated health information technology to record patient data and guide clinical decision making. Specialists in nursing informatics harness these sophisticated applications to support crucial duties like performing diagnostics, developing care plans, administering treatments, and educating patients and their families. Healthcare providers can now access an unprecedented volume of quantitative information that makes it possible to assess the needs of patients more accurately.

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What Is Nursing Informatics?

Healthcare informatics is a discipline focused on the management of electronic health records and information systems . Equipped with up-to-date information technology, medical facilities and life sciences businesses fulfill the technical requirements to securely handle enormous amounts of sensitive data.

The resulting insights can keep facilities running at their best and guide leadership toward long-term improvements. Healthcare informaticists may uncover findings that serve to prevent the spread of disease in a population, promote treatment adherence, coordinate care among multiple specialists and ensure an organization’s compliance with all relevant privacy regulations and policies. However, each of the many roles that keep a healthcare organization functioning, from doctors to administrators, may benefit most from different types of quantitative information and varied approaches to organization, analysis and visualization.

Clinical Informatics is a specialty that integrates nursing, medical, clinical science, computer science and information science to manage and communicate data, information, knowledge and wisdom in our patient care and informatics practice. This specialized informatics practice is essential to the delivery of high quality, and cost-effective health care in a fast-paced environment where technology is ubiquitous.

Nursing informatics strives to facilitate the unique job responsibilities of nurses through optimized health IT methods and software tools. Specialists known as nurse informaticists may apply their skills to:

• Develop data structures and software tools for nurses to use
• Keep electronic health records aligned with best practices for data management, processing and organization
• Implement analytics to monitor and facilitate nursing processes
• Enable healthcare and IT professionals to communicate with each other more effectively
• Develop and enforce privacy policies in accordance with ethics and regulations
• Educate providers in how to make the best use of electronic health records and clinical decision support systems

Nurses who build the skills to solve problems through technology and quantitative analysis can succeed in nursing informatics careers. These professionals commonly hold job titles such as:

• Chief Medical Information Officer
• Chief Nursing Information Officer
• Chief Technology Information Officer
• Clinical Informatics Analyst
• Clinical Informatics Nurse
• Clinical Informatics Specialist
• Clinical Informatics Systems Analyst
• Digital Diabetes Research Officer
• Nursing Informatics Officer
• Nursing Informatics Specialist
• Nursing Information Systems Coordinator
• Registered Nurse Clinical Information Systems Educator

Benefits of Nursing Informatics

The findings garnered from health IT systems, electronic health records and software tools can not only assist in nurses’ daily tasks but fuel transformation throughout a healthcare organization. Informatics professionals investigate data to find powerful means of helping providers fulfill their duties and collaborate across multiple disciplines. Adelphi University’s Department Chair of Graduate Nursing Studies Edmund J.Y. Pajarillo suggested that shifts over the next decade may have widespread effects on the nursing profession.

“Technology is causing sweeping changes so that the traditional roles of nurses might become outdated,” Pajarillo said.

By embracing the possibilities of informatics , nurses and other healthcare professionals can position themselves ahead of the curve. Some of the most promising effects from the advent of informatics-driven strategies in nursing include:

Superior Results for Patients

Accurate and thorough electronic health records are essential to high-quality treatment . Informaticians ensure that organizations have the platforms and processes in place to document each patient’s condition and history in depth while complying with privacy regulations. Digital connections place extensive biometrics and pharmacy records at nurses’ fingertips so they can plan interventions and share the relevant findings with various departments.

Nursing staff use informatics solutions to identify patients who are at higher risk for serious conditions and take preventative steps early. Automated alerts minimize the chance for medical errors by warning providers about potential dangers such as a patient’s allergy or a hazardous drug interaction.

Efficient Clinical Processes

For years, healthcare organizations have pursued a shift away from a fee-for-service model into providing value-based care. Informatics aids in these efforts to offer systematic, evidence-based treatment that prevents unnecessary or overly expensive procedures. By examining analytics, leaders are able to set and enforce best practices while meeting the individual needs of each patient.

Clinical decision support systems are a powerful means of harnessing data from electronic records and ubiquitous medical devices to standardize care and eliminate waste. Information science professionals implement these software programs to analyze patient data and offer useful information like clinical guidelines. A decision support system may help make diagnoses as well as trigger timely prompts and reminders over the course of treatment.

Coordinated Care

Delivering the best possible results for patients often calls for collaboration among healthcare professionals who may work in different departments, facilities or organizations. Care coordination and communication makes it possible for everyone involved in diagnosis and treatment to organize their efforts and share information.

According to the New England Journal of Medicine , the key elements involved in care coordination are :

• Access to a variety of healthcare services and providers
• Clear communications and effective planning among the providers
• A holistic approach to a patient’s medical needs
• Information shared with patients in terms they can understand

Digital infrastructure is crucial to making the most of these efforts. When nurses, specialists and other providers easily access details about a patient’s needs, they can make more informed decisions and prioritize safety. With extensive security measures and privacy practices in place, professionals can share the necessary health records to ensure they offer the best treatment and avoid redundant procedures.

Advances in Telehealth

Dr. A. Hasan Sapci, an assistant professor of health informatics at Adelphi, thinks the recent progress toward widespread adoption of telemedicine devices and practices is just beginning. He argues that the growing use of digital sensors to monitor the conditions of patients is a sign of a major shift in how healthcare providers track diseases, encourage treatment adherence and prevent dangerous situations.

“Digital monitoring applications are now breaking into the mainstream,” Sapci said.

Adelphi’s College of Nursing and Public Health accordingly emphasizes the growing importance of telehealth in the informatics curriculum . Sapci established the Smart Home for Home Healthcare Lab, which provides hands-on experience using the latest technology to monitor patients outside of a traditional hospital or medical practice. Students experiment with remote sensors, telepresence appointments and applications to gain insights into an individual’s health from a distance.

How Do You Become a Nursing Informatics Specialist?

Nursing informatics careers require specialized expertise in both nursing and information science. Professionals in this field generally have previous nursing experience, and, according to data from Lightcast , job postings for registered nurses are among the top five occupations to request familiarity with healthcare informatics. However, healthcare informaticists with backgrounds in data analysis, information science, computer science or other related fields may also be able to pursue careers in developing technical solutions to help nurses.

To excel as a nursing informaticist, you need an advanced understanding of how data and systematic processes can achieve immediate improvements and lead an organization toward its long-term goals. Graduate education in the field equips nurses and supporting IT staff with the knowledge they need to become effective quantitative problem solvers. The Department of Labor found that 41 percent of specialists in nursing informatics hold a master’s degree.

You can prepare for the quantitative problem solving and healthcare challenges involved in these roles by following a nursing informatics education pathway like the following:

Meeting Nursing Informatics Requirements

• Earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and become licensed as a registered nurse .
• Pursue a Master of Science in Healthcare Informatics .
• Gain first-hand experience in the nursing informatics field by completing a practicum.
• Take an exam and meet all other requirements for board certification in Informatics Nursing from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

A healthcare informatics master’s program provides students from a variety of backgrounds with specialized skills in implementing electronic systems for medical records, analyzing data to improve care and capturing the potential of remote monitoring systems. By becoming an expert in the data that nurses use every day, you can tackle complex challenges and enhance the well-being of countless patients.

About Adelphi’s Online MS in Healthcare Informatics

The online Master of Science in Healthcare Informatics from Adelphi University’s College of Nursing and Public Health prepares students for careers in implementing cutting-edge medical technologies to meet the needs of patients and healthcare professionals. This degree program is an excellent fit for practicing nurses and doctors, health IT professionals as well as career changers. No matter your experience level or background, Adelphi provides multiple layers of support, especially for those who may have been out of school for a while. In addition, Adelphi offers an online Advanced Certificate in Healthcare Informatics which provides working professionals the opportunity to earn an advanced certificate in as little as 15 months.

Our expert faculty offer personalized instruction in convenient online courses that are informed by years of professional experience. The healthcare informatics curriculum is designed to help working professionals transform healthcare management and delivery. Hands-on exercises and a comprehensive education in health information technology, will develop your proficiency in working with electronic medical records and the systems that are critical to improving patient care.

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To learn more about Adelphi University’s online programs and download a brochure , fill out the fields below or call us at 888.252.4110 to talk with one of our enrollment counselors.

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Nursing Informatics: What It Is and How to Get Started

Nursing informatics is a fast-growing field that blends patient care and technology. Find out more about the role, salary, educational requirements, and more.

Data has become an important part of many industries, including health care . Nursing informatics is part of that development. It's a nursing specialty that combines patient care with data and technology to improve the quality of care and outcomes.

As the majority of hospitals—and many provider offices—move to an electronic health records (EHR) system or an electronic medical records (EMR) system, nursing informatics professionals have an opportunity to make a big impact on the health care industry. As such, they're in demand. The American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) anticipates the addition of 70,000 nursing informatics roles in the next few years [ 1 ]. What's more, these roles often pay higher than average salaries in the nursing field.

In this article, we'll go over what it looks like to work in nursing informatics, the education and experience needed to get started in these roles, and the types of jobs you can explore. 

What is nursing informatics?

Nursing informatics is the practice of using data and technology to improve patient experiences and outcomes, among other goals. Nursing informatics specialists (sometimes called nurse informaticists or informatics nurses) work with EHR and EMR systems in a variety of ways: maintaining, optimizing, collecting, and analyzing.

This role often requires individuals who have a nursing background, an interest in working with technology, an ability to manage information, and certain workplace skills , such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication.

Why is nursing informatics important?

Technology continues to shift the health care industry. As of 2021, 96 percent of hospitals in the United States had adopted an electronic health records (EHR) system [ 2 ]. Working with electronic medical records has now become an expectation for many nursing professions.

Nursing informatics combines the fields of information technology, data analysis, and health care to provide evidence-based approaches to nursing and health care in general. It's important for a few reasons:

It ensures the proper maintenance and optimization of electronic health care systems

It allows specialists to collect and analyze relevant patient data

With that data, specialists can build important reports that they share with other clinicians to improve patient care

Patient care can be subjective in many ways, but nursing informatics aims to use data-driven approaches to nursing that will improve patient care in a meaningful way and enhance the clinical experience for both providers and patients.  

What does a nursing informatics specialist do?

Nursing informatics specialists regularly work with EHR and EMR systems in several different ways. The 2020 HIMSS Nursing Informatics Workforce Survey found that the top three responsibilities of nursing informatics are systems implementation (44 percent), utilization/optimization (41 percent), and systems development (34 percent) [ 3 ]. Let's break these down further.

1. Information management

As a nursing informatics specialist, you will implement data-related processes, which you then monitor and manage. For example, you might decide how to enter data into an organization's EHR system properly.

You may also be responsible for finding ways to optimize current processes using a clinic's EHR system, and troubleshoot any issues that come up when nurses and other providers use the system.

2. Communication and training

A nursing informatics analyst communicates processes to different teams, and often educates clinical staff members on the importance of these processes. Given their knowledge of health care and technology, they're uniquely situated to make sure other providers understand different processes and how to go about them.

3. Data validation and reporting

Like putting together the pieces of a puzzle, an essential part of a nursing informatics role is assessing the validity of available data and making something of it. The profession often requires someone with a clinical background since they need to interpret the data being collected in a useful, meaningful way.

Once interpreted, nursing informatics specialists often communicate those findings to other providers and clinicians.

What does it take to work in nursing informatics?

Working in nursing informatics typically requires at least a bachelor's degree in nursing , a license as a registered nurse (RN), and additional training in informatics to gain the necessary technical skills that the role requires.

In nursing informatics, experience is crucial. Given the clinical data that nursing informatics specialist work with—and have to interpret—some amount of nursing experience or experience in a health care setting is typically necessary.

Let's review three of the educational types that many nurses pursue when they're interested in working as a nursing informatics specialist.

Informatics training

Many universities and professional organizations offer courses or certificate programs so you can learn more about nursing informatics or health informatics and develop the technical skills required to work in the profession.

Nursing informatics coursework can include:

Information technology management

User-training strategies

Information systems in health care

Leadership and management techniques

Information technology project management 

Certification

Employers increasingly expect certification given the highly technical nature of nursing informatics. In the US, the American Nursing Credentialing Center's Informatics Nursing Certification (RN-BC) is the exam necessary to become certified as an entry-level nursing informatics specialist.

To take the AANC exam, you need an active RN license, at least two years of nursing experience, and 30 hours of continuing education in nursing informatics. You'll also need to meet practice hour requirements.

Master's degree

A nursing informatics specialist tends to be an entry-level role in the field, but with a graduate degree, you may find that you can pursue more senior-level opportunities. Earning your master's degree in health informatics or Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) are two of the more common pathways to advance your knowledge of nursing informatics.

Holding a master's degree as a nursing informatics professional continues to increase. The 2020 HIMSS Nursing Informatics Workforce Survey found that 66 percent of respondents had a master's degree [ 3 ].

Learn more: Your Guide to Nursing Degrees and Certifications

Nursing informatics: salary + job titles

Nursing informatics specialists earn an average base pay of $121,713 a year, as reported by Glassdoor in April 2023. Your years of experience, certification, level of education, and the employer could all potentially increase your annual earnings. 

Learn more: Health Informatics Salaries: A Guide

Job titles for nursing informatics

After working as a nursing informatics specialist, you may find several pathways available to pursue, including:

Nursing informatics educator: In this role, you create systems along with other nursing informatics specialists, but you also lead trainings and create training materials and methods for other nurses and professionals to use. You may work in academia or in a health care facility. Experience and a graduate degree, as well as certification, are requirements. 

Nursing informatics consultant: Once you have worked in nursing informatics for several years, you may be ready to move into an upper-level position like this one. In this role, you might train staff on information systems, manage projects, and even help to develop software systems and other solutions for industries like ambulatory care centers, hospitals, nursing homes, government health facilities, and more.  

Nurse executive: This role involves a shift from purely informatics to also including health care administration, which is another widely growing field in health care management and information technology. Nurse executives also work with patients indirectly, improving patient care in similar ways to a nursing informatics job role. To become a nurse executive, you’ll just need to earn the appropriate nurse executive certification. The core educational requirements are still the same. 

Chief nursing informatics officer (CNIO): You can move into this position after working as an entry-level nursing informatics specialist, gaining certification, and earning an advanced degree. In this role, you oversee and manage other informatics professionals. Since this is considered a senior-level position, professional experience is a must. 

Improve your nursing informatics leadership skills

If you've been working in nursing informatics and want to strengthen your leadership and training skills, consider enrolling in the University of Minnesota's Nursing Informatics Training and Education , offered on Coursera. The course covers how to choose the best resources and major leadership skills, among other topics.  

Article sources

Cision News Center. " Nursing Informatics in High Demand , https://www.prweb.com/releases/informatics/nursing/prweb9971541.htm." Accessed April 26, 2023.

HealthIT.gov. " National Trends in Hospital and Physician Adoption of Electronic Health Records , https://www.healthit.gov/data/quickstats/national-trends-hospital-and-physician-adoption-electronic-health-records." Accessed April 26, 2023.

HIMSS. “ HIMSS 2020 Nursing Informatics Workforce Survey Executive Summary , https://www.himss.org/sites/hde/files/media/file/2020/11/19/nursinginformaticsworkforcesurveyexectivesummary-2-final.pdf.” Accessed May 11, 2022.  

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This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

What’s Nursing Informatics? Everything to Know About This Cutting-Edge Field

What Is a Nursing Informaticist?

Healthcare institutions, especially hospitals, deal with massive amounts of data. This includes health records, patient information, and other information vital to both care and medical research.

Nurse informaticists — also known as nursing informatics specialists or clinical informatics specialists — can have a range of responsibilities. This includes anything from implementing new systems that better organize and protect clinical data to connecting doctors, nurses, and other healthcare staff with the latest technologies.

The data in this report is based on the numbers from a 2022 Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) survey of 1,118 nursing informaticists. Source: Nursing Informatics Workforce Survey. HIMSS . March 2023. PDF here .

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Role and Responsibilities

The top responsibilities of a nurse informaticist, according to the HIMSS survey, include:

• Systems implementation
• System optimization/utilization
• Project management
• Systems development
• Quality initiatives/reporting
• Informatics education

These responsibilities can come in the form of:

• Training, nursing practice support/redesign
• Applying data to support clinical care
• System design
• Information retrieval
• Data interpretation and visualization
• System analysis
• Fostering innovation
• Change Control
• Applying technology for health equity and access to care
• Enhancing digital platforms
• Artificial intelligence in nursing care

A nurse informaticist typically does not provide as much direct patient care as a traditional nurse, and in some cases, does not provide direct care at all.

About 6 in 10 nurse informaticists did not perform clinical care at all in 2022. Among those who did interact with patients, 65% responded that they either assisted or provided direct patient care. Another 20% did not provide direct care but assisted with administrative tasks, such as scribing.

Where Do Nurse Informaticists Work?

Most nurse informaticists (62%) work in hospitals or health systems. Other primary workplaces include the government/military, vendors or payers, nursing facilities, and academic settings.

Popular Online RN-to-BSN Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

How Do I Become a Nurse Informaticist?

There are several important first steps: attaining a bachelor’s degree in nursing, getting a nursing license, and gaining clinical experience.

The vast majority of nurse informaticists had a bachelor’s in nursing or higher. Nearly 70% of informaticists had more than six years of clinical experience.

• In 2022, 40% of nurse informaticists reported having a bachelor’s degree in nursing, a number that’s down from the previous eight years.
• There was a slight increase in the percentage of nurse informaticists with a master’s degree in nursing informatics and a decrease in the percentage with a master’s in nursing.
• There was also a slight increase in the percentage of nurse informaticists with a doctor of nursing practice in 2022 than previous years.

Source: HIMSS

Nurse Informaticists’ Salaries

Overall salary.

Nurse informaticists’ salaries are increasing.

• In 2022, 60% of nurse informaticists reported an annual salary of over $100,000.
• This is up from 49% reporting six-figure salaries in 2020, 45% in 2017, and 33% in 2014.
• Around 50% of nurse informaticists make between $76,000-$125,000.

Note: Percentages may not be exact. Source: HIMSS

Salary by Education Level

Higher levels of education strongly correlated with higher salaries.

• 25% of nurse informaticists with a Ph.D., nurse practitioner degree, or doctorate made a salary of more than $176,000.
• This was much higher than the 8-12% of all other degree holders.
• The majority of nurse informaticists with a bachelor’s in nursing made over $100,000.

Salary by Time in Field

Nurse informaticists with more experience in the field also earned higher salaries.

• Over 60% of those with 0-5 years of experience in the field made between $76,000-$150,000.
• Around 30% of those who have worked in the field for 0-5 years made over $100,000.
• Just under 20% of those with 16+ years of experience in the field made $201,000 or more.
• Over 40% of those with 11-15 years of experience made $126,000 or more.

3 in 4 Report High Career Satisfaction

In 2022, around 75% of nurse informaticists answered that they were highly satisfied with their career in informatics. This was the lowest figure since 2014, when about 80% of respondents reported they were highly satisfied.

Lack of Career Advancement Opportunities Reported As Top Challenge

Nearly half of nurse informaticists reported the lack of career advancement opportunities as one of the reasons preventing a successful career in the field.

• Overall, 48% of nurse informaticists had a lack of career advancement listed in their top three professional barriers.
• Another 38% had poor work/life balance as a top-three barrier.

Nearly 80% Work Remotely at Least One Day of the Week

The majority of nurse informaticists work remotely at some point during their work week.

• In 2022, nearly 80% of nurse informaticists reported working remotely at some point during the work week.
• Of those who worked remotely, 81% reported doing so at least twice a week.
• Over 30% are completely remote.

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Interested in working as an informaticist, researcher, or data analyst? Then earning an MSN with an emphasis on healthcare informatics might be the right option for you.

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Home > Online Programs > RN to BSN > Why Is Healthcare Informatics Important for Nurses?

Why Is Healthcare Informatics Important for Nurses?

• Published On: January 4, 2023

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, patient care has adapted to the online world. Nurses must find a balance between in-person and remote consultations. Some patients cannot meet with a nurse in person but still need care. Telehealth nursing and informatics allow the healthcare industry to fulfill these patients’ needs.

According to the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA), “the application of nursing informatics knowledge is empowering all healthcare practitioners in achieving patient centered care.” In other words, nurses must understand technological advancements that compile patient data into one device.

For nurses to better serve patients, they first need to comprehend the definition of nursing informatics. AMIA states, “Nursing Informatics is the ‘science and practice (that) integrates nursing, its information and knowledge, with information and communication technologies to promote the health of people, families and communities worldwide.'” Nurses can learn these informatics foundations in programs like the online Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA).

Healthcare informatics allows nurses to access data and knowledge using technological tools. In this way, nurses can more quickly and easily learn the history and evolution of the healthcare industry. Additionally, healthcare informatics allows nurses to share patient health history and symptoms with other healthcare facilities worldwide, fostering a collaborative effort to find answers regarding treatments and other health concerns.

Proper Handling of Electronic Health Records

“Working with data and technology now needs to become ‘business as usual’ for nurses in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic,” states Nursing Times contributor Gemma Mitchell. Now more than ever, nurses must be diligent with the patient information they receive via technology.

Nurses must accurately update health information to reflect the patient’s status. Health records contain highly sensitive information, and nurses must ensure this information does not get transferred to other patients or external parties. Therefore, nurses need to handle all health records with care and respect.

Next Step: Specializing in Informatics

To specialize in informatics, healthcare professionals must strive to reimagine long-held concepts. As the world shifts to a technology-based society, the healthcare industry must shape its foundations around innovation and interconnection. According to Health Tech Magazine , these are the top three goals the field must strive for:

• Improving interoperability . Healthcare providers should implement adaptable formats that allow them to anticipate issues and provide assurance in these situations.
• Considering patient experiences . Healthcare professionals must acknowledge patient experiences from the past to improve the future.
• Streamlining provider workflow . While telehealth is part of the future, nurses should emphasize in-person interactions with patients rather than online.

These steps ensure a balance between the in-person and digital spaces and create a bond between nurses and patients. Embracing technology in healthcare allows more time for patients and completing handwritten paperwork, notes Nursing Times. In addition, patient information becomes more accessible. Overall, a digital approach makes the life of a nurse easier.

Equipping Nurses With Baseline Knowledge

The Health Policy, Legal Aspects, and Informatics in Nursing course in UTA’s online RN to BSN program equips nurses with baseline knowledge about informatics in healthcare. It also provides professional nurses with enhanced abilities to meet the needs of diverse patient populations. The program’s approach considers the various aspects of patient care throughout the digital world and takes the meaning of nursing to a new level.

Nurses who want to specialize in informatics and enjoy analyzing data will find this program a perfect fit. It’s also an excellent option for pursuing a healthcare career outside direct patient care .

Graduates of UTA’s program can incorporate the skills and knowledge learned into their patient interactions. With an informatics foundation, nurses can ensure no patient gets left behind. The Health Policy, Legal Aspects, and Informatics in Nursing course combines the passion for innovation and technology with the practice of high-quality healthcare. The online RN to BSN program cultivates a new generation of nurses who strive to better the future of nursing.

Learn more about The University of Texas at Arlington’s RN to BSN online program .

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Nursing informatics

Nursing informatics is a field that has become increasingly important in health care. It is the use of information technology and data analysis to improve patient care, outcomes, and safety. Nurses play a crucial role in this field, as they are responsible for collecting and analyzing data and using technology to improve patient care.

One of the main goals of nursing informatics is to improve patient safety. This can be achieved through the use of electronic health records (EHRs), which allow nurses to access patient information quickly and easily. EHRs also help to reduce errors in medication administration, as nurses can use the system to check for drug interactions and allergies before administering medication.

Another benefit of nursing informatics is the ability to track patient outcomes. Nurses can use data analytics to monitor patient progress and identify trends and patterns in their health. This information can be used to develop treatment plans that are tailored to each patient’s individual needs.

Nursing informatics also helps to improve communication between healthcare providers. Nurses can use technology to share patient information, collaborate on treatment plans, and communicate with other members of the care team. This improves the quality of care and reduces the risk of errors or miscommunications.

One of the challenges of nursing informatics is the need for ongoing education and training. Nurses must be able to use new technologies and systems effectively in order to provide high-quality care. This requires ongoing education and training to keep up with the latest advances in technology and data analysis.

In conclusion, nursing informatics is a crucial field in health care. It helps to improve patient safety, outcomes, and communication between healthcare providers. Nurses play a vital role in this field, as they are responsible for collecting and analyzing data and using technology to improve patient care. Ongoing education and training are essential for nurses to stay up-to-date with the latest advances in technology and data analysis. By continuing to invest in nursing informatics, we can improve the quality of care and outcomes for patients.

You can find more Essay Topics in our weekly digest based on the real market data and research from A*Help.

What is nursing informatics?

Nursing informatics is a specialty area of nursing that combines nursing science, computer science, and information science to manage and communicate health data and information.

What is the role of nursing informatics in healthcare?

Nursing informatics plays a critical role in healthcare by improving patient care, increasing efficiency, reducing costs, and enhancing communication between healthcare providers. It also helps in providing evidence-based care, decision-making, and improving patient outcomes.

What are the benefits of nursing informatics?

Benefits of nursing informatics include improved patient safety, better quality of care, increased efficiency, reduced errors, improved communication and collaboration between healthcare providers, improved patient outcomes, and reduced healthcare costs.

What are the challenges of implementing nursing informatics?

A: Challenges of implementing nursing informatics include resistance to change, lack of interoperability and standardization, cost and resource constraints, lack of training and education, and data security concerns.

What are some examples of nursing informatics applications?

Examples of nursing informatics applications include electronic health records (EHRs), clinical decision support systems, telehealth and remote monitoring technologies, medication management systems, and patient portals.

What is the role of nursing informatics in healthcare research?

Nursing informatics plays a role in healthcare research by providing tools and technologies for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting health data. It helps in generating evidence-based practices, improving patient outcomes, and advancing the field of nursing.

How can nurses prepare for a career in nursing informatics?

Nurses can prepare for a career in nursing informatics by obtaining certification through organizations such as the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), pursuing advanced education in nursing informatics, and gaining experience in healthcare technology and data management.

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• v.45(1); 2022

Nursing informatics skills relevance and competence for final year nursing students

Jennifer chipps.

1 Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, School of Nursing, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa

Loretta le Roux

Jakobina agabus, million bimerew, associated data.

Data are available on request from the corresponding author, J.C.

The increasing use of technology in nursing practice requires nursing students to be competent in nursing informatics with an attitude of acceptance of technology in the healthcare environment.

The objectives of the study were to determine final year nursing students’ perceptions and skills in nursing informatics and their attitudes towards computerisation in nursing practice.

The study population were 198 final year nursing students from a selected university in the Western Cape, South Africa. All-inclusive sampling was used. A descriptive survey was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire which included two validated scales, namely the validated Nursing Informatics Competency Assessment Tool (NICAT) and the Nurses’ Attitudes towards Computerisation scale. Means and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of the ratings of the perceived relevance of nursing informatics skills in nursing practice, perceived levels of competence in nursing informatics skills and attitudes towards computers were calculated.

A total of 91 undergraduate respondents completed the survey. Computer literacy skills were rated overall as most relevant (4.23, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 4.06–4.40) and the skills perceived most competent (4.16, 95% CI: 3.81–4.22). The respondents had an overall positive score for attitudes towards computerisation in healthcare (67.34, s.d. = 10.40, 95% CI: 65.18–69.51).

The study concluded that computer literacy skills, informatics literacy skills and information management skills were relevant to nursing practice, despite varying levels of competence in these skills among nurses.

Contribution

What key insights into the research results and its future function are revealed? How do these insights link to the focus and scope of the journal? It should be a concise statement of the primary contribution of the manuscript; and how it fits within the scope of the journal.

Introduction

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has a major influence on the health sector, with innovative digital changes to treatment, diagnosis and monitoring of patients (Araújo 2020 ). Especially in this context, nursing informatics has been identified as an enabler to facilitate the delivery of nursing care, education and administration (Akpabio & Ella 2015 ; Green et al. 2016 ; Hussey & Kennedy 2016 ; Shin, Cummings & Ford 2018 ). Nursing Informatics Science is the management and processing of health and nursing data, and information through the application of computers and Information Communication Technology (ICT) (Hübner et al. 2018 ). The use of nursing informatics can contribute to patient safety, quality of healthcare, can reduce healthcare costs (Jouparinejad et al. 2020 ), fosters patient trust and leads to improved nursing outcomes.

Even though the relevance of nursing informatics in nursing practice has been widely documented through global research, the integration of nursing informatics in nursing education and the perceived relevance to nursing practice for nursing students have not been widely studied. Studies have shown that although newly graduated nurses are aware of the need to use information systems and skills in practice, they were not sufficiently computer-literate and had insufficient understanding of healthcare information technology to meet nursing practice requirements (Gürdaş Topkaya & Kaya 2015 ; Vasuki 2016 ). In addition, although nursing students learn to engage with technology during their educational programme, studies reported variable skills when it comes to technology use, and evidence that they may not necessarily regard it as relevant to clinical practice (Harerimana et al. 2020 ; Levett-Jones et al. 2009 ).

As nursing students are in the practice environment during clinical placements, there is an expectancy that they should be proficient in ICT (Lee & Clarke 2015 ). The digital era requires nurses who are competent to use data, information and technologies effectively for the improvement of nursing care (Hübner et al. 2018 ). However, nursing informatics incompetence of nurses can result in less than optimal patient care (Jouparinejad et al. 2020 ), which can result in sub-optimal healthcare outcomes, such as decreased patient safety and errors in clinical practice (Konttila et al. 2019 ; Rajalahti, Heinonen & Saranto 2014 ). Similarly, nurses’ attitude towards the use and acceptance of technology in nursing practice may affect their competency in nursing informatics and their adoption of healthcare technology (Heidarizadeh et al. 2017 ; Kaminski 2010 ; Mutula 2015 ). Studies have shown that older nurses, their educational level, the number of years worked in nursing, their computer experience (Kipturgo et al. 2014 ), and fear of technology, may lead to negative attitudes towards technology use (Fagerström et al. 2017 ; Gürdaş Topkaya & Kaya 2015 ; Heidarizadeh et al. 2017 ). However, these attitudes could be positively influenced with increased experience in computer use and understanding the importance of information technology in healthcare (Fagerström et al. 2017 ; Heidarizadeh et al. 2017 ).

To improve nursing informatics competence, it is important that nursing curricula link the use of information technologies for educational purposes and the use in clinical practice (Forman, Armor & Miller 2020 ). In the study setting, the formal inclusion of nursing informatics in nursing education was deemed to be inadequate, with a concomitant limited usage of informatics tools in the clinical settings (Willemse, Jooste & Bozalek 2019 ). It was hypothesised that a lack of formal nursing informatics training may result in students with negative attitudes towards informatics because of low informatics competency and a poor understanding of its relevance for nursing practice (Harerimana et al. 2020 ; Willemse et al. 2019 ). In addition, the lack of various health information technologies in practice, limits their exposure to informatics in practice (South African National Department of Health 2019 ). This study aimed to investigate undergraduate nursing students’ perceptions of the relevance and their competence of nursing informatics and their attitudes towards informatics use in nursing practice.

A descriptive survey, using a self-administered questionnaire, was conducted to investigate the perceived relevance, competence and attitudes towards nursing informatics skills of final year undergraduate nursing students. The study was conducted in a selected school of nursing at a university in the province of the Western Cape in South Africa. The school offers a 4-year undergraduate nursing degree and various postgraduate programmes. Although the nursing students are exposed to a variety of educational technologies such as online learning and high-fidelity simulation during their training, no formal informatics training for nursing practice is offered in the programme.

Study population and study sample

The targeted population for this study were the 198 final year undergraduate nursing students enrolled in a 4-year undergraduate nursing programme. All-inclusive sampling was used with questionnaires distributed to all 198 students. Final year students were chosen as these students were at the end of their student training and were entering formal nursing practice on graduation.

A self-administered questionnaire based on the validated Nursing Informatics Competency Assessment Tool (NICAT) (Rahman 2015 ) and the Nurses’ Attitudes towards Computerisation (NATC) (Stronge & Brodt 1985 ) was used with permission from the authors. The NICAT has 30 items reflecting nursing informatics skills in three domains (computer literacy, informatics literacy and informatics management) (Rahman 2015 ). Each item is rated for perceived relevance (relevant [1] to extremely relevant [5]) and perceived competence (competent [1] to expert [5]) (Rahman 2015 ). The NATC scale included 20 attitudinal statements (six positive and 14 negative statements) rated from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (2) (Stronge & Brodt 1985 ). The questionnaire was in English language, as English is the academic medium in the university, and except for minor contextual word changes, no changes were made to the scales. The questionnaire was pretested on five nursing students to identify the consistency, acceptability and ambiguity in the questions. No changes were made to the questions other than the minor language corrections made on some questions. The NICAT subscales of relevance (α = 0.973) and competence (α = 0.937) had good internal consistency, with moderate consistency for the NATC positive statements (α = 0.718) and negative statements (α = 0.851).

Data collection

Data collection was carried out by a trained research assistant during the months of October 2017 and November 2017. To ensure the availability of all students and enough time to complete the questionnaire, the research assistant met the fourth-year nursing students after a class session on a date and time provided by the class lecturers. The self-administered anonymous questionnaires, along with the information sheet and consent, were handed out to all students. An explanation of the study aim was provided, and it was reiterated that the completion of the questionnaires was voluntary and anonymous. The questionnaire took 20 min to complete and was submitted in a box as they exited the classroom.

Data analysis

Data analysis was conducted with SPSS ® version 27. Average scores with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for perceived relevance and perceived competence were calculated for all the informatics items in the NICAT and for the three domains of computer literacy, informatics literacy and informatics management. Pearson’s correlation analysis was done to assess correlation among the domains and attitudes. An average score with 95% CI was also calculated for the negative and positive attitudinal statements and an overall attitudes score (out of 100) was calculated after negative rated items were reversed.

Ethical considerations

Ethics approval was obtained from the University of the Western Cape Humanities and Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee with Ethics reference number: HS17/1/27, and permission to conduct the study was obtained from the university registrar, the head of the nursing school and the relevant lecturer.

A total of 91 (45.9%) of the final year nursing respondents completed the survey. Nearly three-quarters of the respondents were female (65, 71.4%). The ages of respondents ranged between 19 and 49 years with over three-quarters (72, 79.1%) aged between 21 and 30 years (average age 25.8 [±5.6] years). Out of the 91 respondents, only 26 (28.6%) respondents reported that they had attended formal computer training and only four (4.4%) reported that they had attended informatics training.

Overall nursing informatics skills

Nursing informatics skills were measured in terms of perceived relevance and perceived competence in three areas: Computer literacy skills, Informatics literacy skills and Informatics management skills ( Figure 1 ).

Average scores for nursing informatics skills.

Computer Literacy was rated as most relevant (4.2, 95% CI: 4.1–4.4), followed by Informatics Management (4.0, 95% CI: 3.8–4.2), with Informatics Literacy rated as least relevant (3.9, 95% CI: 3.7–4.1), though the ratings were not significantly different, Computer Literacy competence (4.2, 95% CI: 4.04.3) was rated significantly higher than Informatics Management (3.2, 95% CI: 3.0–3.4) and Informatics Literacy which was rated the lowest (3.0, 95% CI: 2.8–3.2). For both Informatics Management and Informatics Literacy, competence was significantly rated lower than relevance ( Figure 1 ). No significant differences were observed in any of these areas for either relevance or competence for gender or previous training.

Strong significant correlations were found between computer literacy and informatics literacy relevance ( r = 0.587, p < 0.001), computer literacy and informatics management relevance ( r = 0.587, p < 0.001) and informatics literacy and informatics management relevance ( r = 0.873, p < 0.001). Only one strong significant correlation was found for competence between informatics literacy and informatics management ( r = 0.742, p < 0.001). Weak correlations were found between relevance and competence among the three areas ( p < 0.05), with weak correlation between computer literacy relevance and informatics literacy competence being not significant (NS) (0.167).

Computer literacy skills

Computer literacy skills were rated overall as most relevant (4.23, 95% CI: 4.06–4.40) and the skills perceived most competent (4.16, 95% CI: 3.81–4.22) ( Figure 1 ). The highest rated computer literacy skills in terms of relevance and competence were related to using Microsoft office and word processing ( Table 1 ).

Computer literacy skills.

Source : Nursing Informatics Competency Assessment Tool, Rahman, A., 2015, Development of a nursing informatics competency assessment tool (NICAT) , Walden University

CI, confidence intervals.

Informatics literacy

Informatics literacy skills were rated overall as the least relevant (3.91, 95% CI: 4.06–4.40, NS) and the respondents perceived themselves to be significantly less competent in the informatics skills (2.97, 95% CI: 2.77–3.12) ( Figure 1 ). The highest rated informatics literacy skills in terms of relevance and competence were related to using the Internet ( Table 2 ). Using medication administration and dispensing systems were rated as least relevant and the skills in which they had the lowest perceived competence ( Table 2 ).

Informatics literacy skills.

Information management skills

Information management skills were rated overall as relevant (4.01, 95% CI: 3.8–4.21) and respondents perceived themselves to be less competent in information management skills than computer literacy skills, but more competent than informatics literacy skills (3.19, 95% CI: 3.00–3.39) ( Figure 1 ). The highest rated information management skills in terms of relevance and competence were related to confidential data management ( Table 3 ).

Information management skills.

Attitudes towards computerisation

The total attitude scores for respondents were 67.34 (s.d. = 10.40, 95% CI: 65.18–69.51) out of a maximum possible score of 100. The range of attitude scores for this sample was 40–94. Generally, the nurses had a positive attitude towards computerisation with the highest scores for reducing workload and increasing efficiency ( Table 4 ). No significant correlations were found between attitudes and any of the three areas for relevance or competence.

Attitudes towards computerisation.

Source : NATC Stronge, J.H. & Brodt, A., 1985, ‘Assessment of nurses’ attitudes toward computerization’, Computers in Nursing 3(4), 154–158

This study investigated the perceived relevance and competence of computer literacy, informatics literacy and informatics management in final year nursing students. In addition, attitudes to computerisation were also investigated.

Computer literacy

Overall, computer literacy skills were rated the highest for relevance and competence by the respondents with the highest rated computer literacy skill being using Microsoft Office and Word processing and the lowest relevance and competence ratings for skills to navigate computer operating systems. The high ratings for computer literacy skills, and specifically the high ratings for the use of Word processing, were likely because of the use of Word processing and computers for educational tasks during their training and the use of social media and email to communicate socially and educationally. This is also confirmed in other studies where students are reported to commonly make use of smart phone technologies and computers at home, communicate daily via email, the Internet and social media platforms, complete assignments through the use of computers, and many have received computer training as part of nurse training (Elewa & El Guindy 2017 ). Telecommunication tools such as email, facsimiles (fax), WhatsApp groups and Zoom meetings are also used commonly in hospitals, making it possible that exposure of respondents to these skills in the clinical environment may also have enhanced their perceived relevance of these skills (Vasuki 2016 ). The use of telecommunication tools in the clinical setting allows clinicians to communicate regarding patient care (Rincon & Henneman 2018 ), allows better patient monitoring for adverse events, and facilitates compliance with best practices (Koivunen & Saranto 2018 ). Although computer training and Word processing may be included in undergraduate training, the findings indicate that there may be a need for more in-depth education and support in the use of contemporary computer technologies, other than Word processing, within the healthcare environment (Mills et al. 2015 ).

Informatics literacy skills for use in nursing practice were rated overall as the least relevant and the respondents perceived themselves to be significantly less competent in informatics literacy skills. The modern healthcare environment requires nurses who are capable of successfully implementing clinical information systems, tools and devices (Khezri & Abdekhoda 2019 ), which further emphasises the importance of nurse education in keeping pace with informatics-related changes and the implications of this for students in practice (Kinnunen et al. 2017 ). The lowest ratings were for smart devices for medication management. These types of systems are not generally available in most clinical practice settings where the study participants were placed for clinical practice, thus explaining the low ratings of relevance and perceived competence. In the new 4IR, smart devices for medication are just one of many new innovations. The relevance and competence of learning to use new innovative devices, should be a specific focus for nursing educators as learning to use new devices should be integrated into the daily work of nurses to give them enough time, opportunities and resources to adapt to new technologies or to learn how to use new technologies competently (Konttila et al. 2019 ).

Although informatics literacy skills were rated the lowest, the highest rated informatics literacy skills were related to using the Internet. The respondents’ involvement in the accessing of research findings, both in the educational and the clinical environment, the documenting of searches as a curriculum requirement in their educational programme, and the exposure to a variety of virtual tools and online environments such as eLearning within their educational programme, could have yielded a greater familiarity with the use of the Internet and Internet-related software and could have been a potential reason why their perceived relevance ratings for this skill were higher. Even so, it is significant to note that previous studies have reported that even though nursing students were frequent Internet users and using the Internet for almost all their study purposes, they had poor literacy skills with regard to the finding of credible and reliable information and were unable to evaluate high-quality from low-quality health resources on the Internet (Rathnayake & Senevirathna 2019 ), thus highlighting the complexity of informatics literacy skills.

Information management skills in nursing practice were rated overall as relevant, although respondents perceived themselves to be less competent in information management than in computer literacy, but more than informatics literacy. The highest rated information management skill was the confidential data management and using nursing data for improved practice and decision-making in nursing practice. The high ratings in these two skills may relate to the dominance of these skills in nursing curricula. The teaching of confidentiality of patient data is integral in most nursing curricula and the use of data for improved practice and decision-making may be related to the focus on research skills in nurse training to access to evidence-based information. Sound decision-making for improved nursing practice is a prerequisite for evidence-based practice, and is dependent on the skill to retrieve information (Rajalahti et al. 2014 ) and accessing research findings, both in the education and workplace (Mills et al. 2015 ). This study highlights the importance for nurses to be able to access data to ensure that nursing practice is informed by best practices based on evidence from research (Mokhtar et al. 2012 )

A concern was that respondents rated using electronic health records as less relevant and reported lower ratings of perceived competence. In the current climate, the era of paper-based systems for documenting patient care is drawing to an end, and the use of the electronic health record for all documentation practice will become mandated (Bowling 2016 ). As early as in 2014, expertise in electronic documentation has been highlighted as an important challenge in healthcare (Rajalahti et al. 2014 ) and still remains so today in this study setting. This finding may also reflect the status of electronic record-keeping in South Africa, where most of the clinical facilities still use paper records and electronic record data are used for patient registration and only health facility level data routinely collected using District Information Systems (Maïga et al. 2019 ). A study on the use of electronic health information systems in South Africa showed that the most common role was the support of services such as radiology and pathology and evaluation and administrative purposes with few systems that support patient clinical care (Wright, O’Mahony & Cilliers 2017 ). In addition, within the healthcare facilities where the respondents were placed for clinical practice, uploading of patient information into the electronic health record systems is an administrative duty and patient medical records are still kept in filing cupboards (Modise, Jantjies & Mavetera 2019 ). Thus, even though South Africa has started to prioritise ICT to improve health services provision, the public health system lacks a functional health information system because of fragmentation and a lack of coordination, manual systems, complete or partial lack of automation and mixing of paper-based and computerised systems (South African National Department of Health 2019 ). In a similar setting it was suggested that a lack of availability of these clinical electronic systems, may have had an impact on perceived relevance and competence (Bhebe & De La Harpe 2014 ). This challenge may be addressed by providing nursing students with opportunities to practise and develop electronic documentation skills that they will use in practice using simulation and learning management systems (Bowling 2016 ). The respondents in this study have been exposed to both simulation experiences, as well as to teaching and learning opportunities via a learning management system, in their nursing programme; however, integrating clinical electronic documentation skills with classroom experiences should also be explored.

Informatics literacy and management skills are generally regarded as higher-level nursing informatics competence skills (Choi & De Martinis 2013 ) and nurses will not be able to effectively use health information technologies in nursing practice, if nursing informatics education is insufficient (Jouparinejad et al. 2020 ). Skills taught in classes can thus not be transferred well to the workplace, resulting in a lack of nursing informatics knowledge among graduating nurses if there are shortcomings in their education (Rajalahti et al. 2014 ).

Overall, the respondents had positive attitudes towards computerisation, especially positive attitudes around reduced paperwork for nurses and ensuring efficiency in nursing care. This finding was similar to other studies were nurses were reported to have positive attitudes towards computers (Gurdas, Topkaya and Kaya, 2015 ) and where computer education and experience were significant factors contributing to these positive attitudes (Vijayalakshmi & Math, 2013 ). This finding is also consistent with a study in Jordan which showed that oncology nurses’ attitudes toward computerisation, particularly electronic health records were positive reflecting their awareness of the benefits of computers, and its relevance in nursing practice (Banihani and Al Qadire 2021 ). The negative attitudes towards computerisation in healthcare could be related to the low exposure to health informatics with poor exposure in clinical settings and a lack of formal informatics education in the respondents’ curriculum.

Recommendations

Nursing education and practice.

The introduction of formal nursing informatics training and the integration of nursing informatics skills as strands in clinical training will help prepare nursing students for the 4IR and the application and use in practice (Kaur & Rawat 2015 ). Especially, specific attention needs to be given to issues such as electronic health records and the use of new innovative devices in nursing practice. Equipping nursing students with the required knowledge and skills to use new and emerging digital tools will support their nursing practice within the clinical environment as a student, and result in competent nurse graduates entering the workplace (Collins et al. 2017 ).

Nursing research

With the advent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the 4IR, this study should be repeated with a bigger sample of both nursing students and practising nurses. The data should be anchored in a set of nursing informatics competencies relevant to this context and time and further studies on the perceived relevance and competence of practicing nurses on the nursing informatics will help to identify core nursing informatics competencies for professional nursing practice (Collins et al. 2017 ).

Limitations

The study was limited to one school of nursing and thus cannot be generalised beyond the specific school. Some questions may have been difficult for respondents to complete and an adaptation of the questions to current practice may be beneficial.

This study investigated final year nursing students’ perceptions on the relevance of nursing informatics skills along with their perceived competence in these skills and their attitudes towards computerisation. Although the educational preparation of the respondents in this study appears to successfully develop computer literacy skills, such as using a computer and accessing and using data, the development of nursing informatics literacy and management skills is inadequate.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the support of Ms Rita Abiodun.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article.

Authors’ contributions

J.C., L.l.R., J.A. and M.B. contributed to the manuscript. J.C. and L.l.R. supervised the student J.A. J.A. and J.C. conceptualised the study. All authors participated in the drafting of the original manuscript. J.A. did the data analysis. J.C., M.B., and L.l.R. contributed to the reviewing and editing of the document.

Funding information

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

Data availability

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any affiliated agency of the authors.

How to cite this article: Chipps, J., Le Roux, L., Agabus, J. & Bimerew, M., 2022, ‘Nursing informatics skills relevance and competence for final year nursing students’, Curationis 45(1), a2277. https://doi.org/10.4102/curationis.v45i1.2277

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Why nurses need to understand nursing informatics

• PMID: 25172566
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aorn.2014.06.012
• Electronic Health Records
• Monitoring, Physiologic / instrumentation
• Nursing Informatics*
• Nursing Staff*
• Professional Competence