DEVELOPING and
ENHANCING NURSING
INFORMATICS SKILLS
There have been many promises around the
benefits of using information technology (IT), but
these often do not materialize. More sophisticated
and powerful information systems are available
and these have the potential to affect the work of
nurses in clinical practice, education, research and
administration (including governance and policy
making). Nursing education and involvement with
information and communications technologies (ICT)
must change to keep pace with the increasing
opportunities the technology provides.
Participate in faculty development programs to achieve competency in informatics.
Designate an informatics champion in every school of nursing to: (a) help faculty distinguish between using
instructional technologies to teach vs. using informatics to guide, document, analyse, and inform nursing practice, and (b) translate state-of-the-art practices in technology and informatics that need to be integrated into the curriculum. Incorporate informatics into the curriculum.
Incorporate ANA-recognized standard nursing language and terminology into content.
TIPS ON DEVELOPING AND ENHANCING
NURSING INFORMATICS SKILLS:
Educate nursing students and practicing nurses in core informatics
content. This includes promoting the inclusion of core informatics skills and knowledge leading to competency in nursing undergraduate,
graduate, and continuing education programs.
Prepare nurses with specialized skills in informatics. Support is required for innovative nursing and health
informatics programs that teach
specialized informatics skills needed to develop information technology that supports the
national health goals of providing accessible, high quality, and cost effective care.
Tips on developing and enhancing nursing informatics
skills:
Enhance nursing practice and education through informatics projects. Funding for innovative, collaborative
telecommunication projects that would enhance the quality of clinical practice for populations at risk and contribute to the education of health care providers is critical.
Prepare nursing faculty in informatics. Support for increased nursing faculty preparation in informatics through the use of collaborative programs and technology is critical.
Increase collaborative efforts in nursing informatics. Efforts to facilitate the advancement of informatics in nursing
through collaboration among public and private organizations need to be supported.
Tips on developing and enhancing nursing informatics
skills:
The need to adopt a culture in nursing that
promotes acceptance and use of information
technology has been identified as an important
parallel initiative to establishing Nursing
Informatics competencies and educational
strategies. Strategies for achieving NI competencies
in the workplace include understanding theory and
practice behind adoption of innovations, training,
access to resources (e.g. CNA’s plans for a “Virtual
Lab/Library”), and opportunities for continuing
education
.ACHIEVING NURSING INFORMATICS
COMPETENCIES
NURSING SCHOOLS LEADING THE WAY WITH ICT
These schools are preparing highly skilled and competitive nurses by deploying ICT solutions in the classroom and helping nursing students purchase a PC
through the PC Acquisition Financing Program.
Schools Currently Participating Number of Nursing
in the PC Acquisition Financing Program Students Enrolled
University of Perpetual Help System 4,000
Wesleyan University-Philippines 2,700
Good Samaritan Colleges 600
University of Pangasinan-Phinma 2,100
University of Iloilo-Phinma 1,400
Cagayan de Oro College-Phinma 400
Araullo University-Phinma 4
Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
is Transforming Healthcare Education in the
Barriers occur in three areas:
• human resources - lack of time, lack of knowledge, faculty preparation
• technical resources including unsuitable software, limited access to appropriate computer hardware and software and the rapid rate of change within the technology industry makes it difficult to keep skills and educational materials current
• system resources including little or no support from administration, financial burden of maintaining and
upgrading computers and a lack of funding to develop and present programs, as well as declining financial support for continuing nursing education
BARRIERS TO ADVANCES OF NURSING
INFORMATICS IN NURSING EDUCATION:
A GLIMPSE OF OUR FUTURE HEALTH
CARE FACILITIES…
