Comparison of basic NI competencies using TANIC over two-year period in graduate entry level NI course

Abstract

The TIGER-based Assessment of Nursing Informatics Competencies (TANIC)© instrument represents an operationalized version of competencies first identified by the TIGER Initiative (Technology Informatics Guiding Education Reform, 2017) as knowledge and skills that every practicing nurse should possess to provide care in today’s technology-rich healthcare environment. It is a self –assessment tool comprised of competencies grouped into the following categories: basic computer skills, information literacy, and clinical information management. The developers of the tool thought it would be useful to have students enrolled in graduate nursing informatics courses self-assess their knowledge and skills in these areas with the idea that it would help to make them aware of these competencies and that self-assessment would provide information useful to guide self-development as well as guide course development. Subsequent to development, the TANIC was piloted and has since been used in a number of academic and practice settings nationally and internationally. Until January 2019 it was only available as a paper-based self-assessment used by students, as well as a number of organizations who use the tool as a basis for job description requirements, limiting its use for course development and evaluation purposes. Students now have the ability to complete an electronic version of TANIC through a link provided in the course to Qualtrics, a survey development software that allows for statistical analysis. For the purpose of this comparison over time manual-entry of data collected prior to January 2019 was entered into Qualtrics. Authors surmised that there might be an increase in informatics knowledge and skills with the passage of time. Insights and recommendations for future data collection will be presented in detail as well as implications for course changes and other uses. Initial instruments in the course did not collect demographic data.