Advancing the Digital Health Discourse for Nurse Leaders

Limited informatics competency uptake is a recognized nursing leadership challenge impacting digital practice settings. The health system's inability to reap the promised benefits of EHRs is a manifestation of inadequate development of informatics competencies by chief nurse executives (CNEs) and other clinicians. Through the application of Transformational Leadership Theory (TL), this discussion paper explains how informatics competencies enable CNEs to become transformational nursing leaders in digital health allowing them to meet their accountabilities to lead integrated, high-quality care delivery through evidence based practices (EBPs). It is proposed that successful CNE eHealth sponsors will be those armed with informatics competencies who can drive health organizations' investment in technology and innovation. Finally, some considerations are suggested in how nurse informaticists globally play a critical role in preparing our existing and future CNEs to fulfill their transformational leader roles in the digital age.