Factors associated with nurses' informatics competency

Informatics competency has become an essential requirement for nurses to fulfill their professional roles. This study examined the factors affecting informatics competency to help develop strategies to improve nurses' informatics practice. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in two tertiary teaching hospitals in Seoul, Korea. A questionnaire was designed to collect data on nurses' informatics competency, basic computer skills, attitudes toward computerization, and general characteristics. The response rate was 96.4% (350/363). Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the characteristics affecting informatics competency. More than two-thirds of the nurses (69.2%) considered their overall informatics competency to be below average. They scored the highest on the informatics topics of security and confidentiality, and the lowest on telehealth. More than half (58.9%) rated their computer skills to be below average. Nurses had favorable attitudes toward computerization. Significant factors associated with informatics competency were basic computer skills and formal informatics education. The study findings suggest that the enhancement of basic computer skills and incorporation of informatics into formal nursing curricula are needed to improve the nurses' competency in managing and using healthcare information.