Nursing and Informatics for the 21st Century: A Conversation with Connie Delaney, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI

Abstract

JOAN: Connie, the textbook you coedited, Nursing and Informatics for the 21st Century, refers to informatics as "the broad and evolving knowledge base concerned with all aspects of information literacy, not just computer competence." Nursing informatics is defined as "a combination of computer science, information science, and nursing science, designed to assist in the processing of nursing data, information, and knowledge, with the goals of supporting the practice of nursing and the delivery of nursing care." Are these the definitions you use? CONNIE: Yes, informatics includes the core that combines information science and computer science; this core is coupled with a discipline (for example, nursing). It is important that all disciplines have their discipline-specific informatics, whether it's pharmacy, medicine, nursing, or public health. Taken together, there's also a common health informatics core that we all share.JOAN: What is the need for informatics in nursing education right now? CONNIE:The educational need right now is for every nursing graduate, from curricula from all nursing programs, to graduate with computer and informatics competencies. They are then prepared for practice, teaching, and research in this world that is so strongly defined by technology and informatics. Whether they provide primary care to patients, conduct research, educate nurses and others, or assume executive positions in health care, they will be a part of designing and using technology and informatics. Nursing has a clearly defined advanced practice specialty in nursing informatics. A certification exam has been in place for several years, and there are a number of master's and PhD programs in the U.S. that prepare people to be specialists in nursing informatics. Moreover, every nursing specialty needs to incorporate informatics. Informatics competencies are required for all nurses, whether generalists or specialists, to function in the 21st Century. JOAN:Nurses who have been working in advanced practice roles for many years didn't get this preparation as part of their advanced practice education. Are courses available to help them attain informatics competency? Or is on-the-job training in electronic health records preparation enough?