Informatics Competencies for Nurse Leaders: A Scoping Review

Assessment of the relationship between executive Nurses' leadership Self-Efficacy and medical artificial intelligence readiness

AIMS

This study aims to assess the relationship between management nurses' leadership self-efficacy and medical artificial intelligence readiness.

METHODS

The research was conducted using a descriptive-correlational design. The sample of the study consisted of 196 management nurses working in public, private, and educational research hospitals in Gaziantep, Turkey. The data collection tools included the Personal Information Form, the Leadership Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Medical Artificial Intelligence Readiness Scale.

RESULTS

The majority of the participants in the research were female (71.4 %), married (80.1 %) and graduates of a bachelor's or higher degree in nursing (74.5 %), had 16 years or more of work experience in the profession (39.3 %), and worked during the day shift (75.5 %). Among the participating management nurses, those who were single had a significantly higher mean score in the cognition subscale and the total score of medical artificial intelligence readiness (p < 0.05). The management nurses working in shifts had significantly higher mean scores in the cognition and ability subscales, as well as the total score of medical artificial intelligence readiness (p < 0.05). The management nurses who received leadership/management-related training after their undergraduate education had a significantly higher mean score in the cognition subscale (p < 0.05). Furthermore, there was a significant relationship (p < 0.05) between leadership self-efficacy, medical artificial intelligence readiness, and their subscales, concerning following and finding artificial intelligence applications useful, as well as informing team members about artificial intelligence applications.

CONCLUSIONS

In the research, it was determined that the leadership self-efficacy of the manager nurses was at a good level and that their artificial intelligence readiness was at a medium level in terms of cognition, skill, foresight and ethics while presenting their professional knowledge. A positive and significant relationship was found between leadership self-efficacy and medical artificial intelligence readiness.

Predictors of Leadership Competencies Among Nurse Executives in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Background

Awareness and development of nurse executives' leadership competencies has been considered a key strategy for the success of healthcare organizations. However, only a few studies about nurse executives' leadership competencies are available in the literature, and no study has been conducted about the topic within Saudi Arabian context. The aim of this study was to assess the leadership competencies of nurse executives and the predictors of these competencies.

Methods

This quantitative study used a descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational design. The study recruited a total convenience sample of 136 nurse executives who voluntarily consented to participate. The respondents self-rated the online survey, "Leadership Competency Assessment Tool: Self-Assessment." Data collection was conducted between September 2022 and November 2022. Test of correlation and multiple regression analyses were conducted.

Results

The overall mean score of nurse executives' leadership competencies was 3.38 out of 5.0, which was below the level of having excellent leadership competencies. Four dimensions had mean scores below the level of having excellent leadership competencies, namely, communication and relationship building (3.48), knowledge of the healthcare environment (3.29), leadership (3.45), and business skills (3.15), while nurse executives had excellent leadership competencies only in the professionalism dimension (3.51). Age (p=0.04), highest educational attainment (p=0.01), current role (p<0.01) and length of experience (p=0.02) as nurse executive, monthly salary (p=0.03), nationality (p=0.04), and having seminars/trainings in leadership and management (p=0.01) were considered predictors of the leadership competencies of nurse executives.

Conclusion

Nurse executives reported a low level of leadership competencies, thus implying necessary actions for improvement. There were personal factors that influenced the level of nurse executives' leadership competencies. To achieve quality outcomes and maintain a high level of nursing care in hospital organizations, these findings must be considered in planning strategies related to the improvement of the leadership competencies of nurse executives.

Generic competence among health sciences students in higher education - A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Highly competent health care experts are needed for the development of the social and health care sectors. More knowledge is needed on the levels of generic competencies that health sciences experts possess, particularly in the context of complex decision-making.

OBJECTIVES

To describe self-evaluated generic competence of health sciences students and its associated factors.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional observational study design.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 291 health science students in five universities in Finland participated in this study during the spring of 2022.

METHODS

The data was collected by using the HealthGenericCom instrument with 88 items and 8 sum dimensions using a five-point Likert scale (1-poor to 5-excellent): 1) competence in leadership, administration, and finance; 2) people-centred guiding competence; 3) competence of health promotion; 4) competence of evidence-based practice; 5) digital competence; 6) competence in work well-being and self-management; 7) competence in collaboration and problem-solving, and 8) competence in societal interaction. The K-means cluster algorithm was used to classify generic competence profiles to identify the profiles of health sciences students.

RESULTS

Four generic health sciences competence profiles (A = 18 %, B = 23 %, C = 33 %, D = 26 %) were identified. Profile A demonstrated the lowest level of most generic competencies in health sciences. Digital competence was shown to be at the lowest level among the participants, whereas competence in collaboration, problem-solving, and health promotion was evaluated as the highest competence level. The students evaluated their competence as being higher when they were older, were currently engaged in master's degree programmes, had completed work-based practical training in social and health care, and had varied work experiences or held leading positions.

CONCLUSIONS

Students need to improve their generic competencies in health sciences, with a particular focus on developing their digital competence. More focus should be given to work-based practical training.

Providing compassionate care in a virtual context: Qualitative exploration of Canadian primary care nurses' experiences

Objective

Virtual care presents a promising opportunity to create new communication channels and increase access to healthcare. However, concerns have been raised around the potential for unintended emotional distances created through virtual care environments that could strain patient-provider relationships. While compassionate care is an enabler of emotional connectivity and a core tenant of nursing, little is known about whether or how nurses have adapted their compassion skills into virtual interactions. These concerns are particularly relevant in primary care, where there is a focus on relational continuity (i.e. relationship-based, longitudinal care) and a broad uptake of virtual care. The aim of this study was to explore the meaning of compassionate virtual care and to uncover how nurses operationalized compassionate care through virtual interactions in primary care.

Methods

We used a qualitative interpretive descriptive lens to conduct semistructured interviews with primary care nurses (Ontario, Canada) who had provided virtual care (i.e. video visits, remote patient monitoring, or asynchronous messaging). We used a thematic approach to analyze the data.

Results

We interviewed 18 nurse practitioners and two registered nurses. Participants described how: (1) compassionate care was central to nursing practice, (2) compassionate care was evolving through virtual nurse-patient interaction, and (3) nurses balanced practice with patients' expectations while providing virtual compassionate care.

Conclusions

There is an opportunity to better align nurses' understanding and operationalization of compassionate care in virtual primary care contexts. Exploring how compassionate care is operationalized in primary care settings is a necessary first step to building compassionate competencies across the nursing profession to support the continued virtual evolution of health service delivery.

Developing Health Management Competency for Digital Health Transformation: Protocol for a Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND

Globally, the health care system is experiencing a period of rapid and radical change. In response, innovative service models have been adopted for the delivery of high-quality care that require a health workforce with skills to support transformation and new ways of working.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this research protocol is to describe research that will contribute to developing the capability of health service managers in the digital health era and enabling digital transformation within the Australian health care environment. It also explains the process of preparing and finalizing the research design and methodologies by seeking answers to the following three research questions: (1) To what extent can the existing health service management and digital health competency frameworks guide the development of competence for health service managers in understanding and managing in the digital health space? (2) What are the competencies that are necessary for health service managers to acquire in order to effectively work with and manage in the digital health context? (3) What are the key factors that enable and inhibit health service managers to develop and demonstrate digital health competence in the workplace?

METHODS

The study has adopted a qualitative approach, guided by the empirically validated management competency identification process, using four steps: (1) health management and digital health competency mapping, (2) scoping review of literature and policy analysis, (3) focus group discussions with health service managers, and (4) semistructured interviews with digital health leaders. The first 2 steps were to confirm the need for updating the current health service management curriculum to address changing competency requirements of health service managers in the digital health context.

RESULTS

Two initial steps have been completed confirming the significance of the study and study design. Step 1, competency mapping, found that nearly half of the digital competencies were only partially or not addressed at all by the health management competency framework. The scoping review articulated the competencies health service managers need to effectively demonstrate digital health competence in the workplace. The findings effectively support the importance of the current research and also the appropriateness of the proposed steps 3 and 4 in answering the research questions and achieving the research aim.

CONCLUSIONS

This study will provide insights into the health service management workforce performance and development needs for digital health and inform credentialing and professional development requirements. This will guide health service managers in leading and managing the adoption and implementation of digital health as a contemporary tool for health care delivery. The study will develop an in-depth understanding of Australian health service managers' experiences and views. This research process could be applied in other contexts, noting that the results need contextualization to individual country jurisdictions and environments.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/51884.

A stepwise methodological approach to develop and validate the digital and technological self-efficacy scale for healthcare workers among nurses and nursing students

AIMS

To develop and validate the Digital and Technological Self-Efficacy Scale (Digitech-S) for healthcare workers among nurses and nursing students.

BACKGROUND

Digital and technological solutions (DTS) significantly impact working life in healthcare and educational settings. DTS-related self-efficacy might be defined the individual's confidence in proficiently performing digital and technological tasks, even when faced with challenges. Its assessment might guide educators in orienting focused interventions to enhance the self-efficacy of nurses and nursing students. Thus far, the assessment of DTS-related self-efficacy is currently undermined by the lack of valid and reliable measurements.

DESIGN

A stepwise methodological approach was employed in two main phases. Phase one focused on tasks guided by literature for generating items reflecting DTS. Phase two encompassed three steps: A content validity step, a first cross-sectional data collection for Mokken scaling analysis (MSA) performed to reduce the number of items toward a unidimensional structure and with a hierarchical approach, and a confirmatory factor analysis including the group (nurses vs. nursing students) as a covariate (MIMIC) to cross-validate the unidimensional structure and assess the measurement invariance using a second cross-sectional data collection round. A Multi-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis (MG-CFA) was also conducted to test for configural, metric, scalar, and strict invariance across the two groups.

RESULTS

Phase one resulted in 36 items derived from a literature review, which was reduced to 33 after the content validity process. 660 responders (nurses = 388; nursing students = 272) were included in the sample analyzed with MSA, and 13 items were hierarchically selected for the subsequent data collection (Rho reliability = 0.95; Hs = 0.67; Hi ranging from 0.55 to 0.72). MIMIC models were performed on 421 responders (nurses = 268; nursing students = 153), and three items that caused non-invariance between nurses and nursing students were identified and removed from the final version (Cronbach's alpha = 0.928). The MG-CFA demonstrated configural and metric invariance, suggesting a consistent factor structure and factor loadings across both groups, but scalar and strict invariance were not fully achieved.

CONCLUSIONS

The Digitech-S is a 10-item scale showing a unidimensional and stable structure, which could be used for educational and research purposes.

Validation and prioritisation of health informatics competencies for Australian nursing and midwifery leaders: A modified Delphi study

BACKGROUND

Health informatics competency standards for nurses are required to ensure the use and management of health information technologies contributes to the delivery and management of safe, quality care delivery. Historically, these competencies have been identified for nurses as a general group and specifically for undergraduate nursing students but not to the same extent for nurse leaders.

AIM

The aim of this study was to validate and prioritise health informatics competencies for Australian nurse leaders.

METHOD

This study utilised a modified Delphi technique to validate and prioritise 26 health informatics competencies for the Australian setting. The competencies were previously developed for Canadian nurses through literature review and consulation with experts. This modified Delphi study included invitations to 20 Australian Chief Nursing Information Officers who were then asked to extend the invitation to nurse leaders in their corresponding organisations.

RESULTS

Eleven Chief Nursing Information Officers and seven Nurse Leaders completed the study including 3 rounds of informatics competencies consensus surveys. As a result, 22 revised competency statements were agreed to by the study participants. The top priority competency (Nursing and Midwifery leaders support clinicians to adopt and use information and communication technologies that support safe, quality care delivery) was also the highest ranked in the Canadian team's initial work. This reflects a common objective of nurses' need to ensure technology is fit for purpose, not only for nurses and midwives, but for patient safety and quality of care.

CONCLUSION

Knowledge is required in the digital health landscape in order for nursing leaders to increase their capability in decision-making in the current and future digital healthcare environments. Differences in the competencies validated and prioritised by Australian nurse leaders and previous work by Canadian nurse leaders support the need to examine context-specific factors for nurse leaders to utilise these competencies.

Nurse Managers' Opinions of Information System Support for Performance Management: A Correlational Study

BACKGROUND

 Current information systems do not effectively support nurse managers' duties, such as reporting, resource management, and assessing clinical performance. Few performance management information systems are available and features in many are scattered.

OBJECTIVES

 The purpose of the study was to determine nurse managers' opinions of information system support for performance management.

METHODS

 An online questionnaire was used to collect data from nurse managers (n = 419). Pearson's correlation coefficients and linear regression were used to examine the relationships between variables, which were nurse managers' ability to manage resources, to report and evaluate productivity, and to assess nursing performance and clinical procedures.

RESULTS

 More than half of the managers used performance management systems daily. Managers (60%) felt that they can use information systems to follow the use of physical resources, and in general (63%), they felt that it is easy to perform searches with the systems used for following up activity. Nurse managers' ability to manage resources, to report productivity, and to assess nursing care performance were correlated significantly with each other.

CONCLUSION

 Currently, managers have to collect data from various systems for management purposes, as system integration does not support performance data collection. The availability of continuous in-service training had a positive effect on information system use.

Hospital nurse leaders' experiences with digital technologies: A qualitative descriptive study

AIM

To describe hospital nurse leaders' experiences with digital technologies.

DESIGN

A qualitative descriptive study.

METHODS

Semi-structured focus group interviews in one university-affiliated hospital in Finland. Data were collected from October to November 2021 and analysed using content analysis an e-leadership framework.

RESULTS

A total of 20 frontline nurse leaders and middle-managers participated. Leaders had different kinds of experiences that concerned their traits, cognition, affect and behaviour with digital technologies. Leaders experienced that they needed to be open-minded towards digitalization, which sometimes eased their work by making it more efficient. Occasionally, they also got frustrated with digitalization, which caused them stress. Leading digital technologies required collaboration with several different stakeholders, and leaders were especially responsible for ensuring nurses' digital competence. Also, leaders own digital capability was highlighted, although some leaders experienced that their digital capability was low.

CONCLUSION

The e-leadership framework is useful for describing the conduct of leadership roles in the context of digital services. Digitalization has transformed leadership, yet nurse leaders' education and training do not seem to have been sufficiently modified to these rapid changes. In addition, more attention should be given to how nurse leaders can be distressed by digitalization.

IMPACT

This study provides insight into leadership in the context of digitalized specialized medical care based on nurse leaders' direct statements. Furthermore, the results highlight nurse leaders' educational needs concerning digitalization. Adequately educating nurse leaders to become e-leaders is crucial to successful digitalization in the nursing domain.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

The study focused on nurse leaders' experiences.

Building health service management workforce capacity in the era of health informatics and digital health - A scoping review

INTRODUCTION

Health informatics and digital health, two rapidly growing disciplines, are becoming increasingly important to the sustainability of health service provision, highlighted especially through the COVID-19 pandemic. To maximise the benefits of the adoption and growth of health informatics and digital health, health service managers play a critical role in leading and managing the implementation and transformation of the system, both strategically and operationally, whilst still needing to manage 'business as usual'.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the paper are to present and discuss the findings from a scoping review identifying: 1) competencies required for health service managers leading the implementation and transformation of informatics and digital technology in the health sector; and 2) factors that are critical to building the management workforce capacity in the era of health informatics and digital health.

METHODS

A scoping review of the literature was conducted in 2020 focussing on identifying empirical articles published in the English language since the year 2000 using a number of keywords such as 'health informatics', 'digital health', 'electronic health', 'competencies', 'capability', 'proficiency', 'qualification', 'certification', 'health manager', 'health executive' and 'health administrator'. The literature search was guided by a PRISMA approach searching within eight databases: Scopus, ProQuest, Web of Science, ACM Digital Library, CINAHL, PubMed, Google Scholar and ProQuest Dissertations.

RESULTS

After duplicates were removed, 941 publications were included for title screening as the result of an initial review. Title screening selected 185 articles to be included for abstract screening by two reviewers confirming 19 papers relevant to the focus of the current paper which were included in data extraction and content analysis. The analysis identified the additional competency of 'information and data management' be included as a core competency for health service managers. The analysis also confirmed additional elements for the following four core management competencies that are important to health service managers working in the digital health context, including: 1) leadership; 2) operational and resource management; 3) personal, interpersonal and professional qualities, and 4) understanding the industry and environment. Factors that are critical to developing the system and organization capacity in the use of health informatics and digital health technology, and leading and managing the adoption in the healthcare organizations were identified in three categories: 1) policy/system; 2) organizational structure and processes; and 3) people factors.

CONCLUSIONS

This paper has taken an important step in confirming the competency requirements for health services managers that are relevant to leading and managing in the health informatics and digital health space, consequently indicating the directions for developing a competent workforce in meeting the existing and emerging healthcare delivery challenges, both now and in the future.

Nurse Information Security Policy Compliance, Information Competence, and Information Security Attitudes Predict Information Security Behavior

Nurses' attitudes toward information security can influence the hospital's information resources management and development. This study investigated the relationships between nurses' information security policy compliance, information competence, and information security attitudes, which are factors that influence information security behavior. Data were collected during September 2020. The participants were 200 clinical nurses from a general hospital in Korea. The self-reported questionnaire included questions on nurses' general characteristics, information security policy compliance, information competence, and information security attitudes. Information security policy compliance (r = 0.554, P < .001) and information competence (r = 0.614, P < .001) were positively associated with information security attitudes. Predictors of nurses' information security attitudes were information competence (β = .439), information security policy compliance (β = .343), prior information security-related education (β = .113), and job position (nurse manager; β = .101). Implications for practice include the need for strategies to develop information security policy compliance and information competence to improve information security behavior, including different approaches tailored to nurses' job positions and previous information security education.

A Systematic Approach in Developing Management Workforce Readiness for Digital Health Transformation in Healthcare

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has sped up digital health transformation across the health sectors to enable innovative health service delivery. Such transformation relies on competent managers with the capacity to lead and manage. However, the health system has not adopted a holistic approach in addressing the health management workforce development needs, with many hurdles to overcome. The objectives of this paper are to present the findings of a three-step approach in understanding the current hurdles in developing a health management workforce that can enable and maximize the benefits of digital health transformation, and to explore ways of overcoming such hurdles.

METHODS

A three-step, systematic approach was undertaken, including an Australian digital health policy documentary analysis, an Australian health service management postgraduate program analysis, and a scoping review of international literatures.

RESULTS

The main findings of the three-step approach confirmed the strategies required in developing a digitally enabled health management workforce and efforts in enabling managers in leading and managing in the digital health space.

CONCLUSIONS

With the ever-changing landscape of digital health, leading and managing in times of system transformation requires a holistic approach to develop the necessary health management workforce capabilities and system-wide capacity. The proposed framework, for overall health management workforce development in the digital health era, suggests that national collaboration is necessary to articulate a more coordinated, consistent, and coherent set of policy guidelines and the system, policy, educational, and professional organizational enablers that drive a digital health focused approach across all the healthcare sectors, in a coordinated and contextual manner.

Primary healthcare managers' perceptions of management competencies at different management levels in digital health services: secondary analysis

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to describe primary health-care managers' perceptions of management competencies at different management levels in digital health services using the management competency assessment program as a framework.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

A secondary analysis study involving 21 semi-structured individual interviews was conducted among Finnish primary health-care managers at different management levels (frontline, middle and senior). The deductive framework method was used to analyze the data.

FINDINGS

Similarities and differences were found in management competencies between different levels of management. Competencies related to the use of digitalization were highlighted by managers at all management levels. Managers at all management levels were involved in developing digital solutions and supporting employees in using digital solutions in their work. Frontline and middle managers emphasized more issues related to day-to-day management and communication with employees, whereas senior managers highlighted the management of large entities.

RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS

In the secondary analysis, data were used for purposes other than originally intended. Therefore, the data are subject to limitations of the methodology applied and should be transferred to other contexts with caution.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Identifying the management competencies needed to manage digital health services is important to target managers' training according to needs in the future.

SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The results could be used to develop the management of digital health services, as well as improve digital health services and their deployment.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

Previous literature mostly examined managers' informatics competencies and paid little attention to other management competencies. This study discusses more broadly the management competencies that digital health services require from managers at different levels of management.

Leadership in the Context of Digital Health Services: A Concept Analysis

AIM

To define and clarify the concept of leadership in the context of digital health services using Walker's and Avant's concept analysis model.

BACKGROUND

Conceptualizing leadership in the context of digital health services is needed to deliver higher quality services and advance research.

METHOD

Searches were conducted of MEDLINE (Ovid), Scopus, CINAHL (EBSCO), and ProQuest (ABI/INFORM). Empirical articles were included if they reported attributes, antecedents, or consequences of leadership in the study context. A total of 4,037 references were identified; 23 were included.

RESULTS

Leadership attributes concerned leaders' behavior, roles, and qualities. Antecedents concerned informatics skills and competence, information and tools, understanding care systems and their complexity, and education. Consequences related to organization, professionals, and patient and care.

CONCLUSION

Based on our results, the term 'e-leadership' should be more widely utilized in nursing practice and research.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

Nurse leaders need to be strong leaders; they need to be visionary and use strategic thinking to develop existing and new digital solutions. By becoming e-leaders, nurse leaders may increase the successful development and implementation of eHealth, and benefit clinicians and patients.

Design and evaluation of a Women in American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) leadership program

The objective is to report on the design and evaluation of the inaugural Women in AMIA Leadership Program. A year-long leadership curriculum was developed. Survey responses were summarized with descriptive statistics and quotes selected. Twenty-four scholars participated in the program. There was a significant increase in perceived achievement of learning objectives after the program (P < .0001). The largest improvement was in leadership confidence and presence in work interactions (modal answer Neutral in presurvey from 21 responses rose to Agree in postsurvey from 24 responses). Most (92% of 13) scholars clarified leadership vision and goals and (83% of 18) would be Very Likely to recommend the program to others. The goals of the program-developing women's leader identity, increasing networks, and accumulating experience for future programs-were achieved. The second leadership program is on its way in the United States and Australia. This study may benefit organizations seeking to develop leadership programs for women in informatics and digital health.

Attitudes of nursing faculty members toward technology and e-learning in Lebanon

BACKGROUND

Our transition to an "information society" means that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has become integral to our lives. ICT has also become an essential aspect of medical institutions and healthcare settings. Healthcare professionals, especially nurses are required to use ICT in their daily work. In Lebanon, however, due to political factors, many universities have not introduced technology or any form of ICT in their curricula. Institutions of higher education do use technology in various ways, however, successful incorporation of ICT in education requires acceptance by instructors who are expected to use ICT in teaching practices. Although international findings reveal that ICT should be used in nursing education, some faculty members experience difficulty integrating it.

METHOD

A mixed methodological research approach was used to investigate the attitudes of nursing teaching staff toward the use of ICT in nursing education.

RESULTS

Our findings revealed three categories of faculty with differing attitudes to the use of ICT in teaching and learning: pioneers, faculty members who have developed positive attitudes toward ICT usage; followers, faculty members with neutral attitudes; and resisters, faculty members with negative attitudes.

CONCLUSIONS

Identification of the nursing faculty members' attitude toward ICT and the challenges faced by them contributes to the integration of ICT into nursing curricula and further development of educational practices.

Digital and informatics competencies: Requirements for nursing leaders in Canada

The use of health information technologies continues to grow, especially with the increase in virtual care in response to COVID-19. As the largest health professional group in Canada, nurses are key stakeholders and their active engagement is essential for the meaningful adoption and use of digital health technologies to support patient care. Nurse leaders in particular are uniquely positioned to inform key technology decisions; therefore, enhancing their informatics capacity is paramount to the success of digital health initiatives and investments. The purpose of this commentary is to reflect on current projects relevant to the development of informatics competencies for nurse leaders in the Canadian context and offer our perspectives on ways to enhance current and future nurse leaders' readiness for participation in digital health initiatives. Addressing the digital health knowledge and abilities of nurse leaders will improve their capacity to champion and lead transformative health system changes through digital innovation.

Leadership in Digital Health Services: Protocol for a Concept Analysis

Background

Due to the rapid digitalization of health care, leadership is becoming more complex. Leadership in digital health services is a term that has been used in the literature with various meanings. Conceptualization of leadership in digital health services is needed to deliver higher quality digital health services, update existing leadership practices, and advance research.

Objective

The aim of this study is to outline a concept analysis that aims to clarify and define the concept of leadership in digital health services.

Methods

The concept analysis will be performed using the Walker and Avant model, which involves eight steps: concept selection, determination of aims, identification of uses, determination of defining attributes, construction of a model case, construction of additional cases, identification of antecedents and consequences, and definition of empirical referents. A scoping literature search will be performed following the search protocol for scoping reviews by the Joanna Briggs Institute to identify all relevant literature on leadership in digital health services. Searches will be conducted in 6 scientific databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus, ProQuest, Web of Science, and the Finnish database Medic), and unpublished studies and gray literature will be searched using Google Scholar, EBSCO Open Dissertations, and MedNar.

Results

An initial limited search of MEDLINE was undertaken on October 19, 2020, resulting in 883 records. The results of the concept analysis will be submitted for publication by July 2021.

Conclusions

A robust conceptualization of leadership in digital health services is needed to support research, leadership, and education. The concept analysis model of Walker and Avant will be used to meet this need. As leadership in digital health services appears to be an interprofessional and intersectoral collaboration, defining this concept may also facilitate collaboration between professionals and sectors. The concept analysis to be conducted will also expand our understanding of leadership in digital health services.

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

PRR1-10.2196/25495

Nurse Leader Competencies: Today and Tomorrow

The coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in turbulent times challenging nurse leaders to adopt, adapt, and develop new leadership competencies to navigate current and future challenges. In never-imagined approaches, nurse leaders have responded to a different type of crisis management. In this new era, nursing leadership will need competencies to reshape the future of nursing and nurses' role in caring for patients, families, and promotion of healthy communities along with a focus on reducing health disparities. The pandemic has drawn critical focus on the health and well-being needs of nurses. The American Organization for Nursing Leadership and the Association for Leadership Science in Nursing have offered insights of nursing leadership competencies critical for practice and education in shaping the future.

A Digitally Competent Health Workforce: Scoping Review of Educational Frameworks

Background

Digital health technologies can be key to improving health outcomes, provided health care workers are adequately trained to use these technologies. There have been efforts to identify digital competencies for different health care worker groups; however, an overview of these efforts has yet to be consolidated and analyzed.

Objective

The review aims to identify and study existing digital health competency frameworks for health care workers and provide recommendations for future digital health training initiatives and framework development.

Methods

A literature search was performed to collate digital health competency frameworks published from 2000. A total of 6 databases including gray literature sources such as OpenGrey, ResearchGate, Google Scholar, Google, and websites of relevant associations were searched in November 2019. Screening and data extraction were performed in parallel by the reviewers. The included evidence is narratively described in terms of characteristics, evolution, and structural composition of frameworks. A thematic analysis was also performed to identify common themes across the included frameworks.

Results

In total, 30 frameworks were included in this review, a majority of which aimed at nurses, originated from high-income countries, were published since 2016, and were developed via literature reviews, followed by expert consultations. The thematic analysis uncovered 28 digital health competency domains across the included frameworks. The most prevalent domains pertained to basic information technology literacy, health information management, digital communication, ethical, legal, or regulatory requirements, and data privacy and security. The Health Information Technology Competencies framework was found to be the most comprehensive framework, as it presented 21 out of the 28 identified domains, had the highest number of competencies, and targeted a wide variety of health care workers.

Conclusions

Digital health training initiatives should focus on competencies relevant to a particular health care worker group, role, level of seniority, and setting. The findings from this review can inform and guide digital health training initiatives. The most prevalent competency domains identified represent essential interprofessional competencies to be incorporated into health care workers’ training. Digital health frameworks should be regularly updated with novel digital health technologies, be applicable to low- and middle-income countries, and include overlooked health care worker groups such as allied health professionals.

The Role of Nurse Managers in the Adoption of Health Information Technology: Findings From a Qualitative Study

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the role of nurse managers in supporting point-of-care nurses' health information technology (IT) use and identify strategies employed by nurse managers to improve adoption, while also gathering point-of-care nurses' perceptions of these strategies.

BACKGROUND

Nurse managers are essential in facilitating point-of-care nurses' use of health IT; however, the underlying phenomenon for this facilitation remains unreported.

METHODS

A qualitative descriptive study was conducted with 10 nurse managers and 14 point-of-care nurses recruited from a mental health hospital environment in Ontario, Canada. Inductive and deductive content analyses were used to analyze the semistructured interviews.

RESULTS

Nurse managers adopt the role of advocate, educator, and connector, using the following strategies: communicating system updates, demonstrating use of health IT, linking staff to resources, facilitating education, and providing IT oversight.

CONCLUSIONS

Nurse managers use a variety of strategies to support nurses' use of health IT. Future research should focus on the effectiveness of these strategies.