Online digital health and informatics education for undergraduate nursing students in China: impacts and recommendations.

BACKGROUND: Digital health plays a vital role in healthcare services. Governments in many countries, including China, are increasingly advocating for the appropriate use of digital technologies to address significant health system challenges. It is crucial to incorporate digital health education into the curriculum for future nurses to adapt to the changes in the digital medical system. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of an online Digital Health and Informatics Course in China on the knowledge and comprehension of key digital health and informatics topics, self-assessment of nursing informatics competencies, and satisfaction among undergraduate nursing students. The findings of this study provide recommendations for the design and implementation of future digital health education. METHODS: This study employed a one-group, quasi-experimental mixed-methods design with pre- and post-assessments. The participants received digital health and informatics education through six three-hour online sessions in six interactive days, with online self-learning materials in between. An online quiz and focus group discussions pre- and post the course were designed to evaluate the knowledge and comprehension of key digital health and informatics topics. Also, a validated Chinese version of the Self-assessment of Nursing Informatics Competencies Scale was conducted pre- and post-course to assess self-assessment of nursing informatics competencies. Additionally, all students were invited to participate in an online survey with a performance-focused course evaluation form as well as focus group discussions to gather their feedback on the learning experience and their evaluations of the course. RESULTS: A total of 24 undergraduate nursing students were enrolled in the course. All students completed all sessions of this course, resulting in an attendance rate of 100%. Additionally, all students completed both pre- and post-assessments. In terms of the knowledge and comprehension of key digital health and informatics topics, scores of the quiz on knowledge assessment improved from the pre-test [mean pretest score: 78.33 (SD 6.005)] to the post-test [mean post-test score: 83.17 (SD 4.86)] upon completion of the course (P < 0.001). Also, students acknowledged that the course enhanced their knowledge and comprehension of informatics and digital health, the benefits of (nursing) informatics in clinical practice, and the role of health care professionals in informatics and digital health. In terms of self-assessment of nursing informatics competencies, scores on nursing informatics attitudes demonstrated significant improvement (P < 0.001). Furthermore, students reported high satisfaction with various aspects of this course, including the opportunity to explore broad horizons in informatics for future careers, engaging in group discussions, and analyzing case studies on the use of informatics and digital health in clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS: This Online Digital Health and Informatics education effectively improved undergraduate nursing students' knowledge and comprehension of the key digital health and informatics topics, nursing informatics attitudes in the self-assessment of nursing informatics competency with high levels of satisfaction. In order to ensure that future education in digital health and informatics for nursing students is in line with the technological advancements in clinical settings, it is necessary to foster collaboration between medical school training and clinical practice. This collaboration should involve the use of clinical examples to illustrate advanced digital health applications and the inclusion of practical exercises on the use of digital health technology in clinical settings.

Nursing Informatics Competencies of Graduate Nurse Educator Students: Descriptive Study.

The advancement of technology and Artificial Intelligence applied health information systems demand high informatics competencies from nurses. To prepare nursing students to meet this demand, informatics courses are designed to increase informatics competencies. We offered an online informatics course to graduate students in a Nurse Educator program and assessed their informatics competency, including subdomains. Survey data were collected between Fall 2020 and Fall 2022 using an online Self-Assessment of Informatics Competency Scale for Health Professionals. We analyzed 109 responses and found that students were competent in overall informatics competency and the subdomains of "basic computer skills" and "applied computer skills (clinical informatics)." They were proficient in the 'role' subdomain. However, students reported less competency in managing data and incorporating standard terminology into practice. These findings provide detailed insights of the current nursing students' informatics competencies and can guide informatics faculty in improving their courses.

Multidisciplinary-Based Design of a Nursing Informatics Curriculum.

This paper explores the development of a multidisciplinary nursing informatics curriculum. The aim is to integrate multiple disciplines to meet the educational objectives of undergraduate nursing students. The curriculum design included a thorough needs assessment, curriculum development, and evaluation. Of the 29 undergraduate nursing students enrolled in the course, 21 completed the course evaluation with a response rate of 72.4%. The comprehensive assessment of the course (part 1) scored 93.7 out of 100, while the quality of the teacher's teaching (part 2) scored 93.4 out of 100. In addition, in response to the subjective questions, students expressed satisfaction with the course design and teaching methods, and emphasized the usefulness of the course for their future nursing practice.

Nursing Education and Artificial Intelligence.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is shifting the nursing education paradigm to competency-based education. Competency-based nursing education focuses on the nursing students' demonstration of knowledge. This shift in nursing education will rely on performance measures and data to determine success. Data and artificial intelligence can provide the nursing student with a targeted evaluation from the nursing faculty. Building on prior applications of "precision" and the use of data to drive precision medicine or precision nursing, nursing informatics is well-positioned for this paradigm shift to support data and artificial intelligence in nursing education. Little is understood about the concept of "precision nursing education" and its implications. We completed a concept analysis and defined the concept of "precision nursing education" as the use of data and artificial intelligence to measure student nurses' performance with competency-based nursing education.

Integrating Health Informatics into Pre-Registration Nursing Education: Insights from a Participatory Workshop.

The implementation of health informatics in pre-registration health professional degrees faces persistent challenges, including curriculum overload, educator workforce capability gaps, and financial constraints. Despite these barriers, reports of successful implementation of health informatics pre-registration nursing programs exist. A virtual workshop was held during thein 15th International Nursing Informatics Conference in 2021 with the aim to explore successful implementation strategies for incorporating health informatics into the nursing curriculum to meet the accreditation standards. This paper reports recommendations from the workshop emphasising the importance academic-clinical partnerships to develop innovative approaches to enhance theof capacity of academic teams and access to contemporary point of care digital technologies that reflect applications of health informatics in interdisciplinary clinical settings.

Academic-Practice Partnerships, EHR in Nursing Curriculum, and the Value Equation.

Workforce well-being and associated factors such as burnout, depression and documentation burden, have been identified as the highest concerns to be addressed. In academia, the new essentials of nursing practice including domain 8 for informatics and healthcare technology have become a focus for curricular revisions/enhancements. Our study focused on technology skills by using the technology of an academic EHR to measure baselines and progression of EHR use, sense of confidence, documentation competency, and post-graduation employer-based performance assessment. We provide results of an ongoing 1.5-year study and overarching strategy for university-wide deployment and financing.

Evaluating and Incorporating Generative AI in Nursing Informatics and Data Science Graduate Courses.

The disruptive effect and lasting implications of generative artificial intelligence ("Gen AI") tools for higher education are yet unknown. ChatGPT 3.5 was released in November 2022 and soon had over 100 million users. This public software release triggered a global Gen AI race among technology industry giants. Educators in higher education were unprepared for this seismic shift. For the Fall 2023 term, we revised two graduate courses in nursing informatics and data science using generative AI to anticipate broad student awareness of these tools. The aim of this report is to present two different examples of course component evaluation using publicly available Gen AI tools to inform course component revisions. This effort was undertaken to "proof" assignments against inappropriate use of Gen AI, revise assignments to incorporate use of Gen AI tools, and inform course policies about appropriate use of Gen AI for course work.

Clinical Informatics in Pre-Registration Nurse Education.

This case study explores the pivotal role Clinical Informaticians in Nursing and Midwifery in Wales can have within pre-registration education. It underscores the necessity for nurses and midwives to adapt to digital transformations in healthcare delivery and discusses the potential digital career paths within the often-misunderstood domain of digital nursing. The initiative aimed to enhance awareness at both national and local levels, collaborating with educational institutions to incorporate digital education into pre-registration nursing programs. In partnership with the University of South Wales, sessions were tailored to the existing curriculum to highlight digital career opportunities and foster digital understanding among future nurses. The session design was aligned with course guidelines to emphasize the role of digital technology in quality improvement and leadership. Evaluations using interactive tools facilitated continuous improvement and provided insights, shaping the future of digital integration in nursing education.

Incorporation of Generative AI in an Introductory Nursing Informatics Course.

This case study describes how one educator approached the incorporation of generative AI into a graduate-level introductory nursing informatics course. Policy for acceptable use of generative AI was set separately for each assignment and disclosure of use was included in grading rubrics. Classroom discussions were used to explore issues surrounding generative AI such as trust and ethical concerns. One assignment required the use of a generative AI output to serve as the first draft of patient education material that was then to be improved by the student. In an accompanying reflection, students described their key takeaways from the experience of completing the assignment. The approach for this course was successful in achieving the goal of familiarizing students with the uses, benefits, risks, and ethical implications of using generative AI in the classroom and in healthcare. Opportunities are identified for improvement of assignment instructions.

Advancing Data Science Competencies for Nursing PhD Students.

Given the evolving importance of data science approaches in nursing research, we developed a 3-credit, 15-week course that is integrated into the second year PhD curriculum at Columbia University School of Nursing. As a complement to didactic content, the students address a research question of their choice using a big data source, Jupyter Notebook, and R programming language. The course evolved over time with generative AI tools being added in 2023. Student self-evaluations of their data science competencies improved from baseline. This case study adds to the evolving body of literature on data science and AI competences in nursing.

Supporting Digital Health Integration in a National Curriculum: The New Zealand Experience.

The World Health Organisation considers that digital health can play a vital role in strengthening health systems, including increasing equity in access to health services; however, to realise the benefits of digital health this subject needs to be included in nursing education. In New Zealand the recent establishment of the centralised Te Pukenga Institute of Skills and Technology allows for the creation of a common unified curriculum for entry to nursing programmes among the community-based tertiary education providers. Expertise to advise on the digital health component of the curriculum was sought from the New Zealand nursing and midwifery informatics group and this group's contribution is reported here. Delays in implementing the new curriculum means that by the end of 2023 no students had yet graduated, and evaluating their success, combined with research into the students' preparedness for working in a digital health environment is recommended.

Nursing Undergraduates' Perceptions of Nursing Informatics Courses.

The aim of this paper is to explore how nursing undergraduates perceive a nursing informatics (NI) course. Between 7 and 14 September 2023, a survey was conducted with 51 nursing undergraduates who enrolled in 2021. A structured and open-ended questionnaire was used to explore their perceptions of the course. A total of 90.2% (46/51) of the students completed the survey. Of the respondents, 69.6% (32/46) were unaware of NI, while 30.4% (14/46) were aware of it. Furthermore, 93.5% (43/46) of the respondents supported the introduction of a nursing informatics course. The results of this study will guide the development of NI curricula.

Evaluation of a Nursing Informatics Course by Nurses: A Continuing Education.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a nursing informatics continuing education course and nurses' perceptions of it. This study investigates the evaluation and satisfaction of 103 nurses who attended the course on 10-11 June 2023. The survey was divided into two parts: the first part focused on the evaluation of teaching and the second part focused on the evaluation of the course. The first part contained 7 structured questions and 1 open-ended question, while the second part contained 11 structured questions. The results show a high level of satisfaction, with the teaching receiving a score of 9.9 out of 10. 95% of the participants were "very satisfied" and 5% were "satisfied".

Perspectives of Multidisciplinary Faculty on the Design of Nursing Informatics Curriculum.

This study aimed to understand the experiences and challenges of interdisciplinary collaboration in nursing informatics curriculum design. The study was conducted from 9-20 August 2023 with 14 multidisciplinary faculty members. Surveys and interviews focused on perceptions of interdisciplinary communication, importance of collaboration, challenges encountered, and training needs to identify barriers to effective curriculum development. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. The results revealed significant challenges, including differences in terminology and thought processes between disciplines, role ambiguity, and cultural/methodological differences. The results of the study highlight the importance of collaboration, which is critical to the development of an effective and cohesive nursing informatics curriculum.

Perspectives on the implementation of health informatics curricula frameworks.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the necessity of equipping health professionals with knowledge and skills to effectively use digital technology for healthcare delivery. However, questions persist about the best approach to effectively educate future health professionals for this. A workshop at the 15th Nursing Informatics International Congress explored this issue. OBJECTIVE: To report findings from an international participatory workshop exploring pre-registration informatics implementation experiences. METHODS: A virtual workshop was held using whole and small group interactive methods aiming to 1) showcase international examples of incorporating health informatics into pre-registration education; 2) highlight essential elements and considerations for integrating health informatics into curricula; 3) identify integration models of health informatics; 4) identify core learning objectives, resources, and faculty capabilities for teaching informatics; and 5) propose curriculum evaluation strategies. The facilitators' recorded data and written notes were content analysed. RESULTS: Fourteen participants represented seven countries and a range of educational experiences. Four themes emerged: 1) Design: scaffolding digital health and technology capabilities; 2) Development: interprofessional experience of and engagement with digital health technology capabilities; 3) implementation strategies; and 4) Evaluation: multifaceted, multi-stakeholder evaluation of curricula. These themes were used to propose an implementation framework. DISCUSSION: Workshop findings emphasise global challenges in integrating health informatics into curricula. While course development approaches may appear linear, the learner-centred implementation framework based on workshop findings, advocates for a more cyclical approach. Iterative evaluation involving stakeholders, such as health services, will ensure that health professional education is progressive and innovative. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed implementation framework serves as a roadmap for successful health informatics implementation into health professional curricula. Prioritising engagement with health services and digital health industry is essential to ensure the relevance of implemented informatics curricula for the future workforce, acknowledging the variability in placement experiences and their influence on informatics exposure, experience, and learning.

On the Effective Dissemination and Use of Learning Objectives Catalogs for Health Information Curricula Development.

Catalogs of competency-based learning objectives (CLO) were introduced and promoted as a prerequisite for high-quality, systematic curriculum development. While this is common in medicine, the consistent use of CLO is not yet well established in epidemiology, biometry, medical informatics, biomedical informatics, and nursing informatics especially in Germany. This paper aims to identify underlying obstacles and give recommendations in order to promote the dissemination of CLO for curricular development in health data and information sciences. To determine these obstacles and recommendations a public online expert workshop was organized. This paper summarizes the findings.

Utilizing an Informatics Engagement Strategy as an Approach to Sustain and Retain the Nursing Workforce.

The purpose of this paper is to describe a nursing informatics engagement strategy at an academic teaching hospital in Canada aimed at sustaining and retaining the nursing workforce by (1) enhancing nursing engagement and leadership in informatics decision making; (2) improving nurses' experiences using the electronic health record (EHR) by creating a process of rapid handling of technology issues; (3) leveraging data about nurses' EHR system use to identify opportunities to further streamline documentation; and (4) enhancing and optimizing informatics education/training and communication strategies. The nursing informatics strategy aims to improve engagement among nursing staff, as well as decrease the burden of using the EHR as a way of addressing possible causes of burnout.

Nursing Faculty Informatics Competencies.

It is essential that nurses can use technology and accurately record and interpret clinical data to deliver efficient and effective patient care. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of nursing faculty informatics competencies and to learn about barriers faculty find in teaching informatics. Using a cross-sectional design, faculty were surveyed about their knowledge and comfort in teaching informatics using the Self-Assessment of Informatics Competency Scale for Health Professionals instrument. The aggregate mean (SD) score of the Self-Assessment of Informatics Competency Scale for Health Professionals basic knowledge and skills competency subscale and role subscale were was 3.36 (0.437) and 3.35 (0.711), respectively, which showed overall proficiency with these competencies. The aggregate mean (SD) for the applied computer skills competency was 2.25 (0.842), which showed less proficiency in higher-level informatics skills. Reported barriers to integrating informatics into courses were technology issues (17.2%), lack of knowledge (15.5%), and a lack of resources (12.1%). Some faculty reported that the concept of informatics was confusing (3.5%) and students were not engaged in the concepts (3.5%). Faculty with informatics competence can help students advance the use of technology and informatics at the bedside to improve patient care.

Dr. Saba's innovative contributions to nursing informatics.

Dr. Virginia Saba, Ed.D., RN was known as a pioneer in nursing and nursing informatics. Yet, Dr. Saba was also a profound innovator seeking to drive change through her passion and knowledge about the science of informatics. Dr. Saba saw that her expertise needed to be shared with the nursing profession and healthcare industry. As a result, she was often one of the first to create new educational opportunities and pathways for nurses to become more educated, informed, and empowered for the betterment of patient care and visibility of the nursing profession. Her innovative leadership and solution development helped to collectively create an infrastructure of formal education, training, research, and entrepreneurial solutions necessary in today's digital environment. The nursing profession is fortunate to have had such a dedicated individual who sought to bring forward positive change in ways that have sustained and grown over the last several decades of time.

Atividade educativa on-line sobre aleitamento materno para conhecimento de agentes comunitários de saúde: estudo quase-experimental / Online educational activity on breastfeeding to improve the knowledge of community health workers: a quasi-experimental study / Actividad educativa on-line sobre lactancia materna para mejorar los conocimientos de los agentes de salud comunitarios: estudio cuasi experimental

Objetivo: avaliar a efetividade de atividade educativa on line sobre aleitamento materno (AM) para conhecimento cognitivo de agentes comunitários de saúde (ACS). Métodos: estudo quase-experimental, realizado com agentes comunitários de saúde. Aplicou-se, previamente, teste do conhecimento sobre aleitamento materno. Em seguida, os participantes foram submetidos à atividade educativa on-line teórica e prática. Posteriormente, foi aplicado o pós-teste. Resultados: a amostra foi constituída por 53 profissionais. A atividade se mostrou efetiva, pois foi capaz de melhorar o conhecimento cognitivo dos profissionais sobre o aleitamento materno. Houve estatística significativa nas variáveis sobre fisiologia (p<0,001) e benefícios da amamentação (p<0,003), posição para amamentar (p<0,002), intervalos entre as mamadas (p<0,001), intercorrências mamárias (p<0,001) e conservação do leite (p<0,005). Conclusão: a estratégia educativa on-line obteve efetividade na melhora do conhecimento cognitivo dos ACS sobre AM em todos os aspectos abordados. Destacam-se evidências estatísticas referentes à diferença entre o conhecimento cognitivo prévio e o conhecimento posterior à atividade educativa on-line nas variáveis sobre fisiologia e benefícios da amamentação, técnica de amamentação, intervalos entre as mamadas, intercorrências mamárias e conservação do leite.(AU)

Objective: to evaluate the efficacy of an online educational activity on breastfeeding (BF) for the cognitive knowledge of community health agents (CHAs). Methods: quasi-experimental study, carried out with community health agents. Previously, a knowledge test on breastfeeding was applied. Then, the participants were submitted to the theoretical and practical online educational activity. Subsequently, the post-test was applied. Results: the sample consisted of 53 professionals. The activity proved to be effective, as it was able to improve the professionals' cognitive knowledge about breastfeeding. There were significant statistics in the variables on physiology (p<0.001) and benefits of breastfeeding (p<0.003), breastfeeding position (p<0.002), intervals between feedings (p<0.001), breast complications (p<0.001) and conservation of milk (p<0.005). Conclusion: the online educational strategy was effective in improving the CHAs' cognitive knowledge about BF in all aspects addressed. Statistical evidence is highlighted regarding the difference between prior cognitive knowledge and knowledge after the online educational activity in the variables on physiology and benefits of breastfeeding, breastfeeding technique, intervals between feedings, breast complications and milk conservation.(AU)

Objetivo: evaluar la eficacia de una actividad educativa online sobre lactancia materna para el conocimiento cognitivo de los agentes de salud comunitarios. Métodos: estudio cuasi experimental, realizado con agentes de salud comunitarios. Previamente, se aplicó una prueba de conocimientos sobre lactancia materna, tras lo cual, los participantes fueron sometidos a una actividad educativa teórica y práctica en línea y, posteriormente, se aplicó una pos prueba. Resultados: la muestra estaba formada por 53 profesionales. La actividad demostró ser eficaz porque consiguió mejorar los conocimientos cognitivos de los profesionales sobre la lactancia materna. Hubo estadísticas significativas en las variables sobre fisiología (p<0,001) y beneficios de la lactancia (p<0,003), posición para amamantar (p<0,002), intervalos entre tomas (p<0,001), complicaciones mamarias (p<0,001) y conservación de la leche (p<0,005). Conclusiones: la estrategia educativa online fue eficaz para mejorar los conocimientos cognitivos de los TSC sobre LM en todos los aspectos abordados. Destacamos la evidencia estadística respecto a la diferencia entre los conocimientos cognitivos antes y después de la actividad educativa online en las variables sobre fisiología y beneficios de la lactancia materna, técnica de lactancia, intervalos entre tomas, complicaciones mamarias y conservación de la leche.(AU)