instruction
A competency is the capacity to use related knowledge, skills, and abilities that are essential to
successfully perform critical functions in the work setting. Competencies are the foundation of skill
standards that detail the level of knowledge, skills, and abilities required for success in the
workplace. Nursing Informatics competencies provide the measurement criteria for assessing the
capability of the nurse to function in the specific role.
Select one competency from each of the areas of knowledge, skills and attitudes in the table
below. You will have a total of 3 competencies (one knowledge, one skill and one attitude). Make
sure that you select a competency that is a self-assessed weakness, not one where you are
already strong. You will create an education plan for yourself to improve your competency in the
areas selected. This plan is individualized and will only pertain to your own knowledge
development. The plan should include the competency, resources to help you improve your
understanding, a timeframe for completion and how you would assess your knowledge growth in
the area.
For example, if I needed to improve my attitude about protecting confidentiality of protected
health information in electronic health records I could list web links from high quality resources
that help me to understand why this is important. My timeframe for completion might be 6 months.
I could assess my knowledge growth by evaluating my current area of practice for privacy issues I
learned from the resources (such as listing the high volume and frequently missed privacy
initiatives such as evaluating how long it takes for a screen to lock on the nursing unit computer)
and/or volunteering to serve on a committee that relates to this topic (such as a EMR Nursing
Committee).
Hints: Be clear about your points. I’ve included a table (sample table below) that you may use by
copying and pasting it into a new word document. If you choose to write it out, use headers for
the competencies, resources, timeframe and self-assessment.
Week #2 Assinment: Competencies
Directions
- Read the information about Nursing Informatics competencies in the reading material.
- Review the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) competencies for informatics
knowledge, skills, and attitudes in the table provided.
- Select one competency from each area of knowledge, skills and attitude (3 total) where you
feel the weakest. Provide a rationale as to why you selected this competency for yourself.
- Identify a minimum of 3 resources for each competency (3 for skills competency, 3 for
knowledge competency and 3 for attitude competency for a total of 9 resources) that can help
to improve your understanding of the competency. Each resource must clearly provide
support for learning the specific competency
- Provide a timeline for each competency (3 total). This is as simple as stating when you would
like to complete the learning. The timeline must make sense (e.g., stating one week to
achieve competency in a complex skill would not make sense).
- Explain how you will self assess your knowledge growth. You will need a minimum of one for
each competency (3 total). You might participate in something that shows your knowledge or
volunteer for a committee. This is highly individualized based on your assessment of where
you work, what you do and the opportunities available to you.
- Write a 2-3 page paper that includes the above information. You can do this as a table, write
it out as a text with the competency as a header or use a list format. All are acceptable
options as long as the format makes sense and abbreviations are not used.
Informatics | ||
Definition: Use information and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision making. | ||
Knowledge | Skills | Attitudes |
Explain why information and technology skills are essential for safe patient care | Seek education about how information is managed in care settings before providing care
Apply technology and information management tools to support safe processes of care |
Appreciate the necessity for all health professionals to seek lifelong, continuous learning of information technology skills |
Identify essential information that must be available in a common database to support patient care
Contrast benefits and limitations of different communication technologies and their impact on safety and quality |
Navigate the electronic health record
Document and plan patient care in an electronic health record Employ communication technologies to coordinate care for patients |
Value technologies that support clinical decision-making, error prevention, and care coordination
Protect confidentiality of protected health information in electronic health records |
Describe examples of how technology and information management are related to the quality and safety of patient care
Recognize the time, effort, and skill required for computers, databases and other technologies to become reliable and effective tools for patient care |
Respond appropriately to clinical decision-making supports and alerts
Use information management tools to monitor outcomes of care processes Use high quality electronic sources of healthcare information |
Value nurses’ involvement in design, selection, implementation, and evaluation of information technologies to support patient care |
Informatics Competencies