Promoting practical clinical management learning: the current situation about Information and Communications Technology capability development in student nurses.
OBJECTIVE
This paper is about work-based learning in information management for student nurses. It seeks, through a literature review, to make a case for and promote Information and Communications Technology capability development in student nurses within their clinical environment.


BACKGROUND
The profession of nursing, like many other jobs, is facing the increasing usage of information technology in day-to-day operations. Admission and discharges of patients have been held on computer databases since at least the 1980s. With the new Labour Government in 1997, increasing focus was placed on the effectiveness of the National Health Service and using computers as one way to assist in achieving greater effectiveness. Nurse education therefore needed to reflect this need and support trainee nurses to acquire skills in Information and Communications Technology. This paper is part of an ongoing professional doctorate inquiry into Information and Communications Technology capability development in student nurses.


RESULTS
A literature search was conducted on teaching information and technology skills via Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. Most of the available studies were neither based on the UK nor were they about student nurses. As there is a dearth of published work in this specific area, relevant, related and tangential literature was reviewed.


RESULTS
It is argued that current practice and published work on Information and Communications Technology capability development by student nurses hardly exists. The literature confirmed that success in this area requires sound change management, an understanding of National Health Service culture, and effective people leadership skills. Nurse educators and managers need to pay more attention to understand how organizations work, particularly organizations where student nurses carry out their work.


CONCLUSIONS
As the search revealed a significant gap in the literature in this area, a practical conceptual framework to fully analyse, develop and implement sustained Information and Communications Technology capability in student nurses is proposed.
Willmer
Marian
M
Nursing and Health Informatics, University of Brighton, Institute of Nursing and Midwifery (INAM), Westlain House, Village Way, Falmer, East Sussex BN1 9PH, UK. m.willmer@brighton.ac.uk
D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D004506:Education, Nursing; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008490:Medical Informatics; D015279:Organizational Culture; D013222:State Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration; D013338:Students, Nursing; D006113:United Kingdom; D017132:Workplace