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Background:
The recent IOM Report (2003) Health
Professions Education: A Bridge to Quality identified
five competencies that all health care professionals must
have to practice in the current health care environment.
These competencies include: patient-centered care, multidisciplinary
care, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and
informatics.
The NLN’s Task Group on Informatics Competencies
(2005-2007) was charged with conducting a comprehensive
review of the literature on informatics competencies for
various levels of education and found that although the
competencies were clearly identified, there was limited
adoption by nursing schools to incorporate the competencies.
The Task Group also developed and implemented a survey to
determine the extent to which current nursing curricula
prepare students with necessary informatics competencies
and found that while most schools of nursing focused on
computer and information literacy, there was limited involvement
in the attainment of informatics knowledge and skills. It
was apparent there was considerable confusion as to what
nursing informatics entails and the necessary knowledge
that nurses must have to practice in an information rich
environment.
Purpose of the Task Group:
The purpose of this task group is to formulate
a comprehensive plan for faculty development related to
the integration of informatics into the nursing curriculum.
Specific Tasks to be Completed:
- Identify exemplars and examine how
innovative schools of nursing have integrated informatics
into the curriculum and prepared their graduates to practice
in the current practice environment.
- Develop curriculum guidelines related to incorporating
informatics as a core competency in the nursing curriculum
across all educational levels.
- Develop a web resource site that provides information
and links to teaching strategies, assignments, exercises,
active learning experiences, case studies and software
that is available and targeted to specific informatics
learning outcomes.
- Draft a comprehensive plan for a faculty development
series that would prepare faculty to incorporate best
practices for integration of informatics competencies
into the curriculum.
- Establish and monitor an electronic “eCommunity”
on strategies and best practices to integrate informatics
competencies into the nursing curriculum.
| Task
Group Members |
Name |
Affiliation |
| Diane J. Skiba, PhD, FAAN,
FACMI (Chair) |
University of Colorado |
| Patricia M. Allen, MSN, APRN, BC |
Indiana University |
| Juliana Brixey, PhD, MPH, RN |
University of Kansas |
| Valerie J. Gooder, PhD, RN |
Weber State University |
| Helen Heiskell, MSN, RN |
Kaplan University |
| Kathy L. Martin, PhD, RN, CNE |
East Tennessee State University |
| Carol Okupniak, MSN, RN |
Temple University Episcopal School
of Nursing |
| Brent W. Thompson,
DNSc, RN, ETIMAC Liaison |
| Mary Anne Rizzolo,
EdD, RN, FAAN - National League for Nursing, Staff Liaison |
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