Nursing Informatics is both a foundational skill set for all levels of nurses and a nursing specialty.  At the fundamental level, nursing informatics focuses on the use of all forms of information technology in nursing practice to support decision making and safe patient care delivery.  At the specialty level, nurse informaticists use their expert clinical skills to design, implement, and manage information systems related to patient care delivery. As you begin your nursing program, you will need to master key informatics concepts and skills that have been identified for entry into practice.

The importance of Nursing Informatics has been identified as a driving force in updating nursing curriculum for the future. Foundational informatics concepts and skills are now required by the organizations that accredit schools of nursing.   Other professional nursing and patient-safety related organizations have also identified the importance of informatics study to prepare all entry-level nurses in today’s healthcare environment.  You will also see informatics-related test questions on the NCLEX test that you must pass to become a registered nurse. 

NIVATE Online is a complete online nursing informatics curriculum solution that is designed by nurses, for nurses. The platform seamlessly integrates informatics content and skill development into existing courses. The NIVATE Online faculty guides your study and works collaboratively with your course faculty to measure your informatics learning outcomes.

Dr. Pam Taylor and Dr. Leigh Ann McInnis are the principle faculty for NIVATE Online. Both are nurses with extensive clinical, academic, informatics and technology-related experience.  To learn more, visit the ABOUT US link. 

Our modular informatics content is known as Interactive Competency Builders (ICBs)©.  Each ICB targets key learning outcomes and will build upon your basic digital literacy skills. Your faculty has chosen ICB topics related to specific courses in your program of study.  You may have one or several ICBs within a course.  Your course faculty determines when assigned ICBs are due, how ICBs are calculated into course grades and policies for late or incomplete ICBs.

An ICB includes learning outcomes, multimedia content, resources, a test, and evaluation.  Learning outcomes are designed to progressively move your concept understanding and skill development to higher levels of practice.  The multimedia content is an interactive lecture to present the content and provide you with opportunities to practice some skills.  Resources are critical to support your learning and provide you with study material.  All ICB tests are designed to measure your mastery of the content and consist of 25 questions.

Learning outcomes serve as the structure to organize both lecture content and tests for each ICB. Each ICB has its own specific learning outcomes. A handout with the ICB’s learning outcomes is available in the resource section of each ICB.  Use these outcomes to guide your study of the ICB content and prepare for the test.

Tests are organized by learning outcome and will include 5-8 randomized questions per outcome.  You will have 35 minutes to complete the test (unless you have test accommodations).  Once complete, you will have access to feedback about the questions you missed.  You will have two opportunities to take an ICB test.  If you are satisfied with your score on the first attempt, you do not have to take the test again.  Your highest score will be reported to your faculty for posting in your school’s gradebook system.  Be sure and review the handout Preparing for the Test before taking any test!  This handout is available on the resource page of each ICB.

The evaluations serve two functions. First, they allow schools of nursing to show how they are addressing requirements related to informatics content. Second, evaluations offer an opportunity for you to provide NIVATE and your course faculty with valuable information that can be used to improve content. The evaluation is a separate component of an ICB and should be completed after you finish your test.

Your NIVATE Online faculty will handle all questions or requests for assistance related to ICBs and informatics content.  Please contact NIVATE Online team via the GET HELP and ASK A Question links on the Current Students page. When using these links, remember you are communicating with future colleagues, so use your best professional netiquette!

All ICBs are housed in an online Learning Management System (LMS).  There is a link on the Current Students page of the website entitled Go to Class – this will take you to the LMS.  Be sure and review the How to Navigate handout that will walk you through accessing your assigned ICBs.  There is a routine system downtime on Friday evenings, so don’t attempt to access the ICBs during this time.

Your instructor will provide you with your username/password that will be required to access the LMS.  You may change your password using the Settings & Preferences link within the LMS.  Write down your username/password in a safe place since they will remain the same for your entire program of study unless you must repeat a course.

The Current Students page on this website is where you will always begin to access your assigned ICBs.  The first step will be to make sure that your computer is ready for online study.  You should check your computer each academic term to be sure it is up to date. Click on the Current Students link to begin …