How do we fit informatics into the undergraduate curriculum? Nursing as a case study

Background: Digital health is a driving force for embedding adequate informatics skills and competencies in the undergraduate nursing curriculum (ADHA, 2020; ANMF, 2015; Harerimana et al., 2021). Informatics skills would improve the quality of patient care and service delivery in a technology-rich environment (ADHA, 2020; ANMF, 2015). This abstract explores informatics competencies and approaches for developing nursing students’ digital literacy. Methodology: An holistic multiple case study approach guided this study. Participants in this first case were academic faculty from a selected metropolitan University in Australia. Five Zoom interviews were conducted, and data were analyzed using Qualitative Content Analysis. Findings: Informatics competencies included: ‘having good computer skills’, ‘know how to find literature’, ‘highest privacy and security standards’, ‘concept of digital health’, ‘importance of leadership in digital health’, ‘be open-minded with the introduction of the new technologies.’ Developing informatics competencies took place in the classroom, simulation labs and clinical environments. In those educational settings, students were introduced to workplace systems, health information and resource management platforms. The faculty used different approaches for students’ preparation to informatics, including: ‘every single course uses technology’, ‘creating our own in-house sort of electronic health record’, ‘We’ve got our sim labs, we’ve got our dummies, and ‘pre-brief orientation for students to complete before they are out on clinical placements.’ Conclusion: Informatics skills, students’ exposure to digital tools and digital health services require multiple educational approaches, both at school and in the clinical environment. Enhanced students’ digital literacy is fundamental to quality education and practice in a digitalised world