Paper
Sunday, November 13, 2005
Self Assessment of Information Technology Skills Upon Entry to a Graduate Nursing Program
Patricia A. Trangenstein, PhD, RN, BC and Betsy Weiner, PhD, RN, BC, FAAN. Frist Nursing Informatics Center, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Nashville, TN, USA
| Learning Objective #1: Identify entering graduate nursing students’ self identified technology skills |
| Learning Objective #2: Identify three ways to improve graduate nursing students’ computer skills |
Recent federal actions demonstrate a commitment to a vision of widespread adoption of interoperable electronic health records (EHRs) requiring technology competent nurses. The successful implementation of the proposed changes required for EHRs cannot be accomplished without extensive education and training in technology and informatics (President's Information Technology Advisory Committee (PITAC), 2004; Thompson and Brailer, 2004). A growing number of experts have documented the need for nurses to have appropriate informatics skills (Bakken, 2001; Carty & Rosenfield, 1998; Gassert, 1998; McNeil & Odom, 2000; Ronald & Skiba, 1987; Staggers, Gassert & Curran, 2001; American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), 1998, the American Nurses Association (ANA); the Pew Health Professions Commission, 1998; and the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education, 1997). Yet are students entering nursing programs with adequate technology skills on which to build? A study by McNeil et al. (2003) empirically demonstrated that information technology concepts, skills, and tools are not consistently being taught nor are nursing faculty adequately prepared to teach these concepts and skills.
Over the past three years, the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing has asked entering students to complete a self-assessment of their computer competence. Data from these self assessments indicate areas that need improvement, and whether entering students' skill levels are increasing, decreasing or remaining static. Furthermore, the data obtained will be compared to previously reported studies of nursing students ‘computer skills.
Many programs attempt to ensure computer competence with hands-on classes. This approach can be costly in terms of time and resources. An alternative approach developed by the VUSN Informatics staff uses “Tech Tools” to assist student in obtaining the necessary computer skills on their own and are supplemented by just in time (JIT) tech support available in person or by email or phone.