Information technology training in primary care: the nurses' voice

Information technology (IT) is now essential to the development and delivery of health services. Healthcare professionals, including nurses, need appropriate educational training to enable them to use IT adequately because care is shared within multiprofessional teams in both hospitals and the community. In particular, primary care nurses have had less access than other health professionals to IT training and fewer opportunities to benefit from IT. Furthermore, there is little evidence in the literature on the current situation of IT training needs and requirements for primary care nurses. The PRACTIS (PRimary care nurses Access to Communications Technology and Informatics Skills) UK-based project has addressed these issues through an empirical investigation to establish a picture of the current primary care situation. This was done using a questionnaire, followed by practicing nurse focus groups. Directions for further work in the IT training of primary care nurses are discussed, together with recommendations to investigate the effect that the organization of the work within primary care groups may have on nurses' use and access to communications technology and informatics skills.