Integrating Digital Health Literacy into Undergraduate Nursing Education: A Case-based Intervention Study

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Digital Health Literacy
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Digital health literacy is crucial for modern nursing practice.
• Undergraduate nursing students require effective training in digital health competencies.
• Existing curricula may not adequately prepare students for digital healthcare environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a case-based learning intervention on undergraduate nursing students' digital health literacy.
• To assess changes in students' confidence, familiarity, satisfaction, and perceived challenges with digital health tools.
• To explore the effectiveness of integrating digital resources into clinical case studies.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with 54 Bachelor of Science in Nursing students.
• Random assignment to an intervention group (access to Lippincott Advisor) or a control group.
• Data collection via pre- and post-intervention surveys and qualitative thematic analysis.

Main Results:

• The intervention group showed significantly higher confidence (P < .001) and familiarity (P = .0043) with digital health tools.
• No significant differences were found in ease of use, satisfaction, or information-seeking ability.
• Qualitative data revealed barriers: navigation issues, content relevance, and technical problems.

Conclusions:

• Case-based learning with digital tools can enhance nursing students' digital health confidence and familiarity.
• Further structured, faculty-supported engagement is necessary for developing deeper digital fluency.
• This approach supports nursing education standards for preparing digitally competent clinicians.