Measuring nursing informatics competencies of practicing nurses in Korea: Nursing Informatics Competencies...

Informatics competencies are a necessity for contemporary nurses. However, few researchers have investigated informatics competencies for practicing nurses. A full set of Informatics competencies, an instrument to measure these competencies, and potential influencing factors have yet to be identified for practicing nurses. The Nursing Informatics Competencies Questionnaire was designed, tested for psychometrics, and used to measure beginning and experienced levels of practice. A pilot study using 54 nurses ensured item comprehension and clarity. Internal consistency and face and content validity were established. A cross-sectional survey was then conducted on 230 nurses in Seoul, Korea, to determine construct validity, describe a complete set of informatics competencies, and explore possible influencing factors on existing informatics competencies. Principal components analysis, descriptive statistics, and multiple regression were used for data analysis. Principal components analysis gives support for the Nursing Informatics Competencies Questionnaire construct validity. Survey results indicate that involvement in a managerial position and self-directed informatics-related education may be more influential for improving informatics competencies, whereas general clinical experience and workplace settings are not. This study provides a foundation for understanding how informatics competencies might be integrated throughout nurses' work lives and how to develop appropriate strategies to support nurses in their informatics practice in clinical settings.