The Experience of Informatics Nurses in Taiwan

• Informatics nurses are indispensable specialists to assist organizations in implementing new nursing information technology.
• Practice standards and guidelines for informatics nurses should be established for the growth and development of this specialty.
• Proper education and on-the-job training could strengthen informatics nurses' competency and increase their work fulfillment in the hospital environment.

Despite recent progress in information technology, health care institutions are constantly confronted with the need to adapt to the resulting new processes of information management and use. Facilitating an effective technology implementation requires dedication from informatics nurses (INs) to bridge the gap between clinical care and technology. The purpose of this study was to explore the working experiences of INs, and alternatives to assist the growth and development of the specialty. This qualitative study recruited 8 participants, and data were collected in 2009 by use of interview guides related to work roles, responsibilities, competencies, and challenges. The emerged themes included (a) diversified roles and functions, (b) vague job description, (c) no decision-making authority, (d) indispensable management support, and (e) searching resources for work fulfillment. Findings indicate that for organizations where nursing informatics development is ongoing, the IN role should be clearly defined as a specialist with identified support resources and decision-making authority. Nursing informatics interest groups should further develop training and certification programs to validate the professional image of the role. Concepts of nursing informatics should be included seamlessly throughout the educational curricula and informatics competency-based courses designed to strengthen student's technology use and data management capabilities.