Nursing informatics in nursing education

Full integration of nursing informatics education at all levels at academic institutions and in practice is critical to nursing as the profession faces the 21st century. Nursing informatics, which encompasses computer hardware, software, and network systems, supports the profession's goals of achieving computer literacy by the year 2000. Strategies for successful integration of nursing informatics into curricula are identified, and specific tactics that promote desired outcomes suggested. The benefits that nursing informatics brings to education, administration, research, and practice are stated and the role of professional nursing organizations in promoting nursing informatics' status as a recognized nursing specialty is noted, and the specialty's role in promoting the profession's future development described.