Module Components

• Overview
• Assignments

Topics

• Informatics History and Definitions
• Informatics Theory and Concepts
• Computer Literacy vs. Information Literacy
• Informatics Competencies for the BSN
• Bibliography

Nurs460 – Health Informatics for Registered Nurses

Module 1: Informatics- History, Theory, Concepts and Competencies

Overview

A major role of the professional nurse is to collect, document, and evaluate all types of patient information such as assessments, medical conditions, medications, laboratory results and much more. Informatics is a term used to describe the process of collecting, retrieving, storing, aggregating, and managing data and information. In the healthcare setting the nurse is required to use a variety of technologies and computerized systems to do these activities. In this module, we will introduce you to history, theory and concepts related to clinical, nursing and health care informatics. The role of nurses as knowledge workers and entry level informatics competency requirements will be addressed.

Objectives

At the conclusion of this module, the learner will be able to:

1. Review informatics history, definitions, theory and concepts as it relates to the healthcare environment and role of the professional nurse.
2. Discuss the role of nurses as knowledge workers.
3. Differentiate between computer literacy versus information literacy.
4. Compare and contrast the informatics competencies for each level of nursing education.

Required Readings

Alexander, S., Frith, K.H., & Hoy, Haley (2024). Applied clinical informatics for nurses (2nd Ed). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett. Read Chapters 1 & 2

Graves, J. R. & Corcoran, S. (1989). The study of nursing informatics. Image: Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 227-231.

Staggers N, Gassert CA, Curran C. (2002). A Delphi study to determine informatics competencies for nurses at four levels of practice. Nursing Research. Nov-Dec 51(6):383-390.

Recommended Readings

Matney, S.A., Maddox, L.J., & Staggers, N. (2014). Nurses as Knowledge Workers: Is There Evidence of Knowledge in Patient Handoffs? West J Nurs Res 2014 36: 171 originally published online 25 July 2013 DOI: 10.1177/0193945913497111

Ozbolt, J. G. & Saba, V. K. (2008). A brief history of nursing informatics in the United States of America. Nursing Outlook, 56(5), 199-205.