Discourse / Discours - Status of Informatics Integration in Baccalaureate Nursing Education: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to map out results of research studies and other projects on the integration of informatics into BScN education and to highlight implications of this work for education and research. The systematic review of the literature from 1990 to 2011 excluded articles reporting on non-BScN students or nurses already in practice. A total of 440 articles were found, 53 of which were eligible for inclusion in this review; 21 articles were added based on reference lists of key works. Integration of informatics into BScN education was found to vary in terms of focus, duration, and strategies used. The main issues identified were inconsistent integration of informatics content and lack of rigorous research studies on the process and outcomes of informatics education. More work is needed to specify the core informatics content needed in BScN education, followed by a systematic evaluation of the effect of this education.