Abstract
Background: Informatics has rapidly developed over the last decade as an ntegral part of health care. Knowledge in informatics can improve both the safety and quality of care given to patients. While there is a significant body of literature related to informatics, many nursing schools have been slow to adopt informatics education into curriculum.Purpose: The purpose of this integrative review was to: (1) Describe the most current strategies used to implement informatics into the nursing curricula. (2) Describe facilitators and barriers to implementation of informatics into nursing curricula.Methods: The integrative review of the literature was conducted using the Whittemore and Knafl five stage methodology. The electronic databases CINAHL, Medline, ERIC and PsychINFO were searched using the terms “(nursing informatics AND curriculum AND education)”. Eighty five articles were found.Results: Twelve studies were included in this review. Strategies to implement informatics include: (a) using a Learning Management System to support classroom-based courses, and (b) having students complete an electronic health record during a simulation experience. Factors that will facilitate adoption included: (a) focus on providing training on what and how to incorporate informatics and (b) hiring Master’s prepared informatics nurses to champion the integration of informatics. Barriers to adoption included: (a) lack of faculty competence in the use of technology and (b) lack of faculty awareness of informatics curricular guidelines.Conclusions: Nursing schools must find ways to incorporate informatics into curricula to ensure that future graduates are prepared to function in a highly technological healthcare environment.