Nursing Informatics Practice Integration: A Baseline Assessment of Nurse Leader Informatics Competency

Abstract

Background: Evidence-based practice and informatics competencies are critical nursing skills. Informatics capabilities must exist at all levels of nursing practice to meet the demands of complex patient care, changing care delivery models, and alternative payment methods. Project Problem Statement: Despite the inclusion of informatics content in accredited nursing programs, many practicing nurse leaders have limited informatics skills. This lack of knowledge limits their ability to lead from a position of strength and may sideline them when critical technology decisions are made. Mitigation of this gap requires the assessment of nurse leader informatics knowledge and the delivery of role-specific informatics educational content. Project Purpose: The objective of this project was to assess the self-reported level of informatics competency of the nurse leaders working in a three-hospital, integrated, academic health system. The results of this study will foster collaboration and inform the development of informatics focused nursing leader education materials. Project Methods: Baseline nursing leader competencies were assessed using the Nursing Informatics Competency Assessment for the Nurse Leader tool. Descriptive statistics were generated from the response data. Correlations between the item level responses and respondent demographic data were determined using the Clopper-Pearson (exact) method. Results: Responses were received on all 26 items. The respondents rated themselves highest on ethical and legal concepts (Median score 4.0 on both questions) followed by strategic implementation management (Median 3.55), and requirements and system selection (Median 3.25). Respondents reported limited competencies in two factors – information systems concepts (Median 2.67) and executive planning (Median 2.13). Respondents who had received informatics education integrated within their nursing training consistently reported higher median responses. Conclusion: Contemporary nurse leaders must have the requisite informatics competencies to effectively use technology within the workplace, and to lead the evaluation and selection of clinical tools. Though significant gaps exist in the nurse leaders’ informatics knowledge, these gaps can be bridged through engaging, relevant educational offerings. These survey results set the stage for the development of tailored nurse leader education to fill the academic-practice gap.