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

The HIMSS Nursing Innovation Advisory workgroup, formed in 2023, set out to address critical challenges in health care technology, including a lack of artificial intelligence literacy and accessible innovation resources for clinicians, aligning with national nursing and HIMSS strategic visions. This paper describes the development and evaluation of tools designed to improve AI readiness among nurses and informaticists, with a focus on identifying barriers in transitioning from informatics education to practice. An AI toolkit and innovation resources were developed by the workgroup and presented at an interactive Fishbowl session during HIMSS 2025. This is a descriptive report of an educational activity conducted at a professional conference where authors and presenters utilized discussion and poll questions to gauge perceived barriers in transitioning from informatics education to clinical practice and the usefulness of the tools. Out of 67 responses, 52% identified informatics competency as the primary gap in transitioning from education to practice. The session was well-received, with over 80% of attendees finding the content "very helpful" or "somewhat helpful," highlighting the value of the resources. These findings emphasize the need to update informatics curricula to better prepare graduates with essential digital and data literacy skills. The positive reception of the AI toolkit highlights its potential to bridge the gap between academic preparation and practical application, fostering the ethical integration of AI in health care. Continued learning, early adoption of innovations, advocating for change, and ensuring ethical AI practices are crucial next steps for clinicians and health care leaders.