Abstract

Nursing informatics is an emerging discipline that integrates nursing science with information and communication technologies to enhance patient care, streamline clinical workflows, and support data-driven decision-making. In India, where healthcare systems are increasingly being digitized under initiatives such as the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, the role of nursing informatics is becoming critical. This review explores the need for nursing informatics applications, focusing on their impact across hospital wards, primary healthcare centers, and community health settings. It examines key application areas, including patient management, staff duty scheduling, inventory control, referral systems, and post-discharge follow-up. The paper highlights how these systems improve patient outcomes, increase nursing efficiency, support public health planning, and align India with global digital health standards. It also addresses challenges such as resistance to change, training requirements, data privacy, and system interoperability. The findings underscore the importance of equipping nurses with informatics competencies to ensure their active participation in India’s healthcare transformation and to achieve equitable, efficient, and technology-driven care delivery.

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