INFORMATICS AND HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGY COMPETENCY AMONG NURSES IN A LOW-RESOURCED COUNTRY: A MIXED-METHODS RESEARCH

The integration of information and communication technology in healthcare potentially improve access to healthcare services, support clinical decision-making, and enhance healthcare processes, leading to positive patient outcomes, especially in low-resource settings. The aim of this study was to identify the perceptions and characteristics of nurses regarding informatics and healthcare technology competency in the Kyrgyz Republic.

An exploratory sequential mixed-methods design was used. A total of 346 nurses and nursing managers participated in this study (focus group interviews, n = 54; survey, n = 292); nine focus group interviews and a survey were conducted to collect data on nurses' perceptions of informatics and healthcare technology competency and related issues.

Five qualitative themes were identified: working with digital systems in comprehensive and multifaceted ways in daily practice, accessing health databases, optimizing nursing workflow and data use, redefining professional roles in a digital shift, and adapting to new systems and changing practices. Quantitatively, across 38 items assessing informatics and healthcare technology competency, perceived importance exceeded self-reported performance (overall means 1.25 vs 1.06; p < .001). In the importance-performance analysis, nurses in the Kyrgyz Republic placed informatics knowledge in the high-importance/high-performance quadrant (1.30 vs 1.14), basic computer skills in high-importance/low-performance (1.34 vs 1.09), and informatics skills in low-importance/low-performance (1.17 vs 1.04).

The findings indicate that nurses in the Kyrgyz Republic recognized the importance of informatics and healthcare technology competency and showed understanding aligned with the changing healthcare environment. Within low-resource settings, nurses adapted their practice by reconfiguring workflows to maintain efficiency and continuity of care; however, performance across competency domains lagged behind perceived importance. Strengthening this competency through gradual, comprehensive training and context-sensitive infrastructure development-tailored to each country and practice setting-may support the transition from basic technology use to applied informatics and ultimately contribute to improved population health outcomes in low-resource regions.