On 15 June, we published the first edition of standards and requirements to ensure digital health competencies are developed in nursing and midwifery education programmes.

The Digital Health Competency Standards and Requirements for Undergraduate Nursing and Midwifery Education Programmes provide guidance for education bodies and practice partners on how to equip undergraduate nursing or midwifery students with the digital health competencies required to support and enable person-centred care.

Digital health is defined as the use of information and communication technologies to improve health and healthcare services and facilitate wellness.

Launching the standards, Carolyn Donohoe, Director of Education, Policy and Standards, said: “These standards and requirements aim to ensure that our nursing and midwifery education programmes stay up to date and adapt to evolving healthcare. It is anticipated that, given the speed with which digital technologies are being adopted and the range of clinical placements that students complete, students will be afforded opportunities to engage in a range of digital technologies to support the development of digital health competency. They aim to ensure that nursing and midwifery undergraduate education programmes teach digital health competencies in a flexible, innovative and practice-oriented way.

“NMBI looks forward to working with and supporting education bodies and their practice partners as digital health is incorporated into their education programme.”

The standards and requirements were developed following extensive consultation with nurses and midwives, including through a public consultation earlier this year, and in collaboration with an expert working group to align with national and international evidence-based practice.

You can read the standards and requirements here. The report on the consultation is available here.