Abstract
Objectives
The aim of this study was to explore nursing faculty experiences in integrating digital tools to support undergraduate students’ learning and development of nursing informatics competencies.
Methods
This focused ethnography study used a combination of semi-structured interviews, document reviews, and field visits. Convenience and snowball sampling were applied to recruit participants. Data were analyzed concurrently with data collection, using thematic analysis.
Results
Twenty-one faculty members from nine undergraduate nursing programs in Western Canada participated. Themes discussed include: 1) meaning of the term nursing informatics, 2) faculty perceived nursing informatics competence, 3) developing students’ nursing informatics competencies, 4) facilitators, and 5) challenges.
Conclusions
Nursing faculty are relatively engaged in developing students’ informatics competencies. However, challenges must be addressed and faculty need more support to improve their own informatics capacity. Implications for Practice and Research: This study has implications for faculty, nursing program administrators, and nursing organizations.
Funding source: Canadian Nurses Foundation
Funding source: Western North-Western Regional Canadian Association of School of Nursing
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Research funding: This work was supported by the Western North-Western Regional Canadian Association of School of Nursing for the Graduate Award, and the Dr. Kathryn J Hannah Nursing Informatics Scholarship through the Canadian Nurses Foundation. The funding organizations played no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or decision to submit the report for publication.
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Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.
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Competing interests: Authors state no conflict of interest.
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Informed consent: Informed consent was obtained from all individuals included in this study.
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Ethical approval: The University of Alberta Ethics Review Board granted ethics approval for this project. The project number approval was Pro00091981.
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