Navigating the Digital Tides: A Reflection on Digital and Media Literacy in Nursing Education
Post-Secondary Nursing Education: Laying the Foundation for Digital Fluency
The rapid advancements in digital technologies and the pervasive influence of media demand that nurses, now more than ever, possess robust digital and media literacy skills. In post-secondary nursing programs, equipping students with these competencies isn't just an add-on; it's fundamental to patient safety, evidence-based practice, and professional development.
1. Information and Data Literacy
This competency, central to DigComp 2.2, emphasizes the ability to articulate information needs, search for data, and critically evaluate digital content (Vuorikari et al., 2022). Students are constantly bombarded with information, both credible and not. It is crucial they understand that online environments contain both misinformation and disinformation and must be able to discern between the two, preferring primary sources where feasible (Vuorikari et al., 2022). Students need to grasp that AI algorithms and personalization influence search results and social media streams, often restricting exposure to diverse viewpoints. The discussion of datafication by Nichols et al. requires students to understand how their personal, behavioral, and contextual data is collected, processed, and used by Learning Management Systems (LMS) and other online tools. Furthermore, they must recognize that sensors in digital technologies generate vast amounts of data used to train AI systems (Vuorikari et al., 2022).
2. Communication and Collaboration
Nurses collaborate constantly; therefore, post-secondary education must foster effective digital communication. The DigComp 2.2 framework highlights Netiquette as a core competence, emphasizing an awareness of behavioral norms in digital environments (Vuorikari et al., 2022). Students must adapt communication strategies for diverse audiences, considering cultural and generational differences. The ability to manage one's digital identity and protect one's online reputation is also crucial, as all public shares can potentially be used to train AI systems. This includes engaging online with confidence and reciprocity, knowing how to recognize and report hostile or derogatory messages (Vuorikari et al., 2022).
3. Digital Content Creation
Beyond consuming information, nurses often need to create digital content for patient education or presentations. DigComp 2.2 outlines the importance of developing and integrating digital content while underscoring the necessity of understanding copyright and licenses to ensure legal use and sharing of materials (Vuorikari et al., 2022). Ethical questions arising from incorporating AI-generated content into professional work must also be addressed (Vuorikari et al., 2022).
4. Safety
The digital environment presents unique risks to health and privacy. Students need to learn to protect devices and digital content, understanding threats such as identity theft, scams, and malware. This involves using strong passwords, updating software, and utilizing protection programs (Vuorikari et al., 2022). Protecting personal data and privacy is non-negotiable, requiring an understanding of regulations like the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the purpose of digital services’ "Privacy Policies" (Vuorikari et al., 2022). Finally, students must be aware of protecting health and well-being by recognizing signs of digital addiction, understanding cyberbullying, and critically evaluating the often false or dangerous health information prevalent online (Vuorikari et al., 2022).
5. Problem Solving
This transversal area is essential for future nurses. DigComp 2.2 suggests individuals must be able to identify technical problems, find solutions, and assess needs to identify appropriate technological responses for various clinical or educational situations (Vuorikari et al., 2022). This competence area also involves continuously identifying one's own digital competence gaps to keep learning and stay updated with digital evolution, and creatively using technology to innovate processes (Vuorikari et al., 2022).
Hospital and Clinical Settings: Applying Digital Competence at the Bedside and Beyond
For practicing nurses, ongoing professional education is vital to keep pace with technological changes and ensure high-quality patient care. The clinical environment, characterized by datafication and systemic risk (Curran), makes the application of digital competencies immediate and acute.
1. Information and Data Literacy
Nurses constantly interact with vast amounts of digital data, requiring them to critically evaluate information from EHRs, diagnostic results, and medication databases. They must be educated on the risk of automated biases, as the data on which AI depends may contain biases that algorithmic processing can worsen (Vuorikari et al., 2022). Nurses must also actively manage patient data in structured digital environments, recognizing that patient monitoring systems and smart devices generate significant personal data used to train AI systems (Vuorikari et al., 2022).
2. Communication and Collaboration
Effective digital communication is at the core of interprofessional practice. Nurses use digital tools for collaborative processes, shared task boards, and effective asynchronous communication for reporting and briefing (Vuorikari et al., 2022). Adhering to professional Netiquette is paramount, ensuring respectful and inclusive online interactions, particularly when communicating with patients and families through digital means (Vuorikari et al., 2022).
3. Digital Content Creation
Nurses frequently create patient educational materials or contribute to internal knowledge bases. This requires proficiency in developing and integrating digital content, including ensuring accessibility so that all patients, including those with disabilities, can access health information (Vuorikari et al., 2022). A thorough understanding of copyright and data privacy is essential when using or sharing patient-related content or professional resources (Vuorikari et al., 2022).
4. Safety
In a hospital, digital safety directly impacts patient outcomes. Nurses must diligently protect devices used in patient care, understanding risks like malware or data breaches (Vuorikari et al., 2022). Protecting patient data and privacy is non-negotiable, requiring strict adherence to institutional policies and regulations like GDPR (Vuorikari et al., 2022). In-service sessions must address the "weakest link" principle in cybersecurity, educating nurses that their vigilance regarding data security is fundamentally a patient safety imperative (Curran).
5. Problem Solving
Nurses must be adept at troubleshooting technical issues with electronic medical records or telehealth platforms, aligning with DigComp 2.2's focus on solving technical problems (Vuorikari et al., 2022). This also involves identifying new technological responses to improve patient care, such as adopting AI-driven tools. Nurses must be able to identify examples of AI systems, such as those for image recognition, and commit to continuous learning and upskilling in this evolving technological landscape (Vuorikari et al., 2022).
The Human-Centric Digital Nurse
The intersection of these frameworks highlights the need for a human-centric approach to digital competence. It moves beyond mere technical skill to emphasize the confident, critical, and responsible use of technology to enhance patient care and ethical practice. This includes embracing AI as a supportive tool while remaining critical of its biases and ethical implications; as Vuorikari et al. (2022) explain, humans select, clean, and encode data, design algorithms, and apply human values to AI outputs, underscoring that AI does not exist independently of human judgment. This perspective also means advocating for digital accessibility in all tools and content, ensuring equitable use and navigation for everyone, including people with disabilities (Vuorikari et al., 2022).
Conclusion
Ultimately, the integration of these digital and media literacy frameworks empowers current and future nurses to thrive in an increasingly digital world, ensuring they remain compassionate, skilled, and ethically sound professionals. Building these essential competencies is not an option but a professional imperative. It is one that underscores the urgent need for educators and leaders to adapt curricula and professional development initiatives.
In my experience as both a nurse and educator, I’ve learned that digital and media literacy are no longer optional skills. They are everyday necessities that influence patient safety, communication, and the overall quality of care. When I think about the frameworks outlined by Vuorikari and colleagues (DigComp 2.2) and the work done through MediaSmarts, I see them reflected constantly in my day-to-day practice.
In the classroom, I often encounter nursing students who are confident using technology socially but hesitant when applying it professionally. I once assigned students to analyze a trending TikTok video that promoted a “natural” treatment for anxiety. Most of them initially believed the information seemed harmless or even helpful. But after we broke it down using critical literacy strategies and examined the source, motivation, emotional appeal, and lack of scientific evidence, they recognized how easily misinformation spreads. This kind of exercise, inspired by Smith’s work on critical literacy, helps students realize that being digitally literate isn’t just about finding information, it’s about questioning it.
In my teaching, I also incorporate real examples from clinical work to show how datafication affects us in ways we may not immediately see. For instance, students are often surprised to learn that the clicks and quiz results inside their learning platforms are tracked, analyzed, and sometimes sold as part of educational data systems. Relating this to hospital practice, I explain that patient monitors and electronic health records collect similar data that feeds into larger databases. Understanding who controls this information and how it’s used connects directly to the ethical concerns raised by Nichols and Curran.
At the hospital, I’ve experienced firsthand how fragile digital systems can be. During a particularly busy weekend, the medication administration software crashed, forcing nurses to revert to paper charting for several hours. That experience changed how I approach technology education. I now teach both students and practicing nurses to think about “digital safety” not just as password strength or avoiding phishing emails but as a critical patient safety issue. I remind them that one overlooked software update or unsecured login can compromise patient data or even delay treatment.
The principles of DigComp 2.2, such as communication, collaboration, and content creation, also play out daily in my clinical teaching. When nurses create patient education videos or digital materials, I encourage them to think about accessibility. Can someone with low vision read the text? Is the language inclusive and culturally appropriate? These small design choices reflect a deeper understanding of equity, which is at the heart of both MediaSmarts and professional nursing ethics.
Over time, I’ve realized that integrating these digital competencies into education requires more than just updating curriculum documents, it requires modeling. When students see their instructors troubleshoot technology calmly, verify sources, and discuss ethical dilemmas openly, they begin to mirror those behaviours. The same is true in the hospital. When leaders talk about cybersecurity and patient privacy as part of clinical safety rounds, it reinforces the message that technology and compassion are not opposing forces, they are intertwined.
Ultimately, my experience has taught me that digital competence in nursing is about keeping the “human” at the core of technology. Nurses must be confident using digital tools, but also critical enough to recognize their limits and ethical implications. Whether teaching students how to evaluate online information or supporting hospital staff through a system upgrade, the goal remains the same. It is there to ensure that technology strengthens, rather than replaces, the human connection that defines our profession.
Vuorikari, R., Kluzer, S., & Punie, Y. (2022). DigComp 2.2: The Digital Competence Framework for Citizens—with new examples of knowledge, skills and attitudes. Publications Office of the European Union.References
Vuorikari, R., Kluzer, S., & Punie, Y. (2022). DigComp 2.2: The Digital Competence Framework for Citizens. Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg. doi:10.2760/115376
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