Information and Knowledge Needs of Nurses in the 21st Century

In the year 2025, nursing practice enabled by technology has created a professional culture of reflection, critical inquiry, and inter-professional collaboration. Examples of current technology that could change in the future include:

• Nurses use technology at the point of care in all clinical settings (e.g., primary care, acute care, community, and long-term care) to inform their clinical decisions and effect the best possible outcomes for their clients.
• Information is gathered and retrieved via human–technology biometric interfaces including voice, visual, sensory, gustatory, and auditory interfaces, continuously monitoring physiologic parameters for potentially harmful imbalances.
• Longitudinal records are maintained for all citizens from their initial prenatal assessment to death; all life-long records are aggregated into the knowledge bases of expert systems. These systems are providing the basis of the artificial intelligence being embedded in emerging technologies.
• Smart technologies and invisible computing are ubiquitous in all sectors where care is delivered.
• Clients and families are empowered to review and contribute actively to their record of health and wellness.
• Invasive diagnostic techniques are obsolete, nanotechnology therapeutics are the norm, and robotics supplement or replace much of the traditional work of all health professions.
• Nurses provide expertise to citizens to help them effectively manage their health and wellness life plans, and navigate access to appropriate information and services.

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