Nursing informatics education in the United States: proposed undergraduate curriculum

Abstract

Nursing informatics education is undergoing dramatic change as nursing informatics skills and knowledge expand and roles in practice proliferate. In the United States, Federal government initiatives and the activities of national nursing organizations are moving nursing informatics forward in preparation for the new millennium. This paper presents a history of nursing informatics education in the US, as it has emerged from a focus on computer literacy to a new model of information processing, cognitive science and computer science. The paper suggests specific computing skills and informatics concepts which should be integrated into nursing informatics courses or undergraduate nursing programs. Initiatives and goals of the National Agenda for Informatics in Nursing Education and Practice are presented.