Nursing Informaticians in Spain: Scoping Review and Expert-Validated Gap Analysis

Area of Science:

• Nursing Informatics
• Health Information Technology
• Digital Health Leadership

Background:

• The role of nursing informaticians is well-established internationally with defined competency frameworks and educational programs.
• In contrast, Spain lacks formal recognition and specialized university training for nursing informaticians, creating a digital health leadership gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the international landscape of the nursing informatician role.
• To comparatively assess the situation in Spain and identify implementation gaps through expert insights.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review of scientific and gray literature (2018-present) following PRISMA-ScR guidelines.
• Validation of findings through a gap analysis involving 10 digital literacy experts.

Main Results:

• Identified 6 core competencies for nursing informaticians: information management, cybersecurity, patient safety, system evaluation/development, digital tool leadership, technology implementation, and health digitalization education.
• International training includes postgraduate programs, certifications, and leadership initiatives.
• Experts validated competencies' relevance (5/5) and training applicability (4.8/5) for Spain, citing lack of recognition, scarce training, and organizational resistance as key barriers.

Conclusions:

• A significant disparity exists between the established international role of nursing informaticians and its absence in Spain.
• The primary barriers to implementing this role in Spain are the lack of formal recognition and specific training programs.
• Adopting validated competencies and tailored educational strategies is essential for Spain's digital health advancement and empowering nursing leadership in technology.