No More Swimming in Circles: AI Literacy and Informatics Competencies in Nursing.

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Nursing Technology
• Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

Background:

• The HIMSS Nursing Innovation Advisory workgroup identified critical gaps in healthcare technology adoption.
• Challenges include limited artificial intelligence (AI) literacy and access to innovation resources for clinicians.
• These issues align with national nursing and HIMSS strategic priorities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and evaluation of tools aimed at enhancing AI readiness among nurses and informaticists.
• To identify barriers encountered when transitioning from informatics education to clinical practice.
• To assess the perceived usefulness of developed AI toolkit and innovation resources.

Main Methods:

• Development of an AI toolkit and innovation resources by the workgroup.
• Presentation of these resources at an interactive session during HIMSS 2025.
• Utilizing discussion and poll questions to gather feedback on barriers and resource utility from attendees.

Main Results:

• 52% of 67 respondents identified informatics competency as the primary gap between education and practice.
• Over 80% of attendees found the presented content "very helpful" or "somewhat helpful".
• The AI toolkit and resources were well-received, indicating their potential value.

Conclusions:

• Informatics curricula require updates to equip graduates with essential digital and data literacy skills.
• The developed AI toolkit shows promise in bridging the gap between academic preparation and practical application.
• Ethical integration of AI in healthcare necessitates continuous learning, innovation adoption, and advocacy for change.