Nursing Information Specialists

Over the past thirty or so years, various theorists, educators and groups have proposed essential competencies and literacy skills for nurses in practice, research , education and administration . Since the mid 1980’s, some theorists have stressed the need for nursing information specialists , now know as informations or informatists . Specialists develop higher end technological skill and expertise and are most often employed as system coordinators ,projected managers, agency educators and analysts in all areas of nursing practice .

“ The need to adopt a culture in nursing that promotes acceptance and use of information technology has been identified as an important paralled initiative to establishing . Nursing Informatics competencies and educational . strategies “ (Hebert, 1999.p.6). Strategies for achieving NI competencies in the workplace include inservice training, intranet ready modules, access to online resources ., and opportunities for continuing education . “Barriers to achieving NI competencies in the workplace include restricted access to training and training systems for nurses and nursing students, few leaders and educators with NI skill, and limited empirical support for the contributions ICT can or will realistically make to nursing and patient outcomes” (p.6).

This site is most useful for the latter – to help individual nurse to assess their level of knowledge and know – how in the realm of nursing informatics. Resources for further education to work to wards specialist status are also included in the “Resources “ section of this