A Study Identifying Information Technology Development Strategies for Nursing Professional Development Specialists Practicing in Healthcare Settings

The increased use of information systems (IS) in healthcare institutions, federal health information technology (IT) policy mandating the use of information systems in patient care, and the nursing informatics agenda force healthcare organizations to address the informatics competency of its workforce (Murphy, 2010). This study validates IT competencies for Nursing Professional Development (NPD) Specialists and determines self-directed, informal learning strategies for developing information technology competency. The NPD Specialist is responsible for the professional development of nursing caregivers in healthcare settings. This study validated 53 IT competencies for the NPD Specialist role in healthcare settings. The validated competencies include current healthcare technology, federal health IT policy, evidence-based practice, and other necessary topics within healthcare. This study regarded 41 competencies (of the 53 validated IT competencies) as high importance, or essential, to the NPD Specialists role in healthcare settings today. Strategies were also identified for developing the essential IT competencies. The NPD Specialists and leaders within healthcare organizations can use the validated essential IT competencies and development strategies from this study to build IT competency amongst its workforce (ANA, 2010)