NURSING INFORMATICS COMPETENCY AND EFFECTIVE CLINICAL DECISION-MAKING AMONG NURSES IN SAUDI ARABIA

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction: Clinical Decision-Making (CDM) is among the essential skills in the nursing profession that affect the outcomes of provided care. Nurses utilize various resources to achieve optimal care outcomes, including nursing informatics tools and skills, where nurses’ competencies play a vital role. Aim: To examine the relationship between nursing informatics competency and the levels of clinical decision-making skills among nurses in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A descriptive correlational design with convenience sampling methods was used to conduct the current study. A self-report questionnaire that consists of questions about demographic characteristics, the Nursing Informatics Competency Assessment Tool (NICAT), and the Clinical Decision-Making in Nursing Scale (CDMNS). Data were collected between May and July 2024 using online Google Forms from registered nurses at three governmental hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Results: 160 registered nurses participated in the study. The results show that nurses in Saudi Arabia were “proficient” in their nursing informatics competencies with total scale average (M=110.5, SD ±24.3), and have a perceived “medium” level in their effective clinical decision-making with total average score (148.6, SD ±32.0). Moreover, there was a statistically significant strong linear relationship between nursing informatics competency and perceived levels of clinical decision-making (r=.734, p<.001). However, nursing informatics competency was the sole statistically significant predictor (β=0.7, p<.001) of their perceived level of clinical decision-making. Conclusion and Implications: The study presented the critical role of nursing informatics competency in clinical decision-making among nurses. The results highlight to the healthcare stakeholders and nursing management the importance of investing in targeted informatics training and the integration of nursing informatics clinical decision support tools into the clinical nursing practice. Moreover, the findings encourage researchers to explore additional factors influencing clinical decision-making through longitudinal and qualitative research methods to gain a deeper understanding of this complex process.