Teaching Informatics Competencies within Nursing Education: A Scoping Review of Teaching Strategies

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Health Informatics
• Digital Health

Background:

• Digital transformation in healthcare necessitates nursing informatics knowledge for effective participation.
• The Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) updated informatics competencies in 2025, but integration into curricula is inconsistent.
• Understanding current teaching strategies is vital for aligning nursing education with digital healthcare demands.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and map teaching strategies for nursing informatics knowledge and competencies.
• To cover undergraduate, graduate, and professional nursing education levels.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review of 120 publications across six electronic databases (Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, ERIC, Embase, Medline).
• Search terms included variations of "informatics competencies," "nursing informatics," and "education."
• Thematic analysis was used to identify teaching strategies described in the included articles.

Main Results:

• Seven distinct teaching strategies for nursing informatics were identified.
• Strategies include: EHR integration in simulations, using competency frameworks, online resources, mobile technologies, informatics-competent educators, patient safety/data ethics integration, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Conclusions:

• There is an urgent need to align nursing education with technological advancements for safe, competent digital care.
• The identified strategies support nursing informatics competency development across all educational levels.
• Findings provide practical guidance for educators, curriculum planning, and professional development in digital healthcare settings.