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CC BY 4.0 · Appl Clin Inform 2026; 17(01): 001-018
DOI: 10.1055/a-2780-7093
Review Article

Measurement Properties of Instruments Assessing Digital Competence in Nursing: A Systematic Review

Authors

  • Fabio D'Agostino

    1   Department of Medicine, UniCamillus, Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences, Rome, Italy

  • Ilaria Erba

    1   Department of Medicine, UniCamillus, Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences, Rome, Italy
    2   Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy

  • Elske Ammenwerth

    3   UMIT TIROL, Private University for Health Sciences and Health Technology, Hall in Tirol, Austria

  • Vered Robinzon

    4   Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel
    5   Department of Health Systems Management, School of Health Sciences, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel

  • Gad Segal

    4   Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel
    6   The Gray Faculty for Healthcare Science and Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

  • Nissim Harel

    7   Department of Software Engineering, Azrieli College of Engineering, Jerusalem, Israel

  • Elisabetta Corvo

    8   Principal Lecturer, School of Nursing, Midwifery, Allied and Public Health - Canterbury Christ Church University, United Kingdom
    9   Advisor, CNAI - Consociazione Nazionale infermieri/e - Italian Nursing Association, Italy

  • Refael Barkan

    10   Entrepreneurship and Internationalization HIT-Holon Institute of Technology, Holon, Israel

  • Hadas Lewy

    11   Department of Digital Medical Technologies, HIT, Holon Institute of Technology, Holon, Israel

  • Noemi Giannetta

    1   Department of Medicine, UniCamillus, Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences, Rome, Italy

Funding Information This research is part of the European project NURIC, funded by the European Union under the ERASMUS-EDU-2023-CB-VET programme (grant reference: 101128719). The funding organization had no role in the study's design, data collection, analysis, or data interpretation, nor did it contribute to the manuscript's writing or the decision to publish the findings.
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Abstract

Background

The digital transformation of healthcare is reshaping care delivery among healthcare professionals, requiring nurses to develop digital competencies. These competencies are essential but often underdeveloped due to limited training and resources. Global initiatives emphasize integrating these competencies into nursing education, necessitating valid instruments to assess them.

Objective

This systematic review aims to identify instruments measuring digital competence in nursing and to assess their measurement properties.

Methods

This review was registered in PROSPERO (identifier: CRD42024522349) and conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. A systematic search was performed in CINAHL, PubMed/MEDLINE, and Scopus on instruments assessing digital competencies in nursing and reporting measurement properties. Measurement properties and their methodological quality were assessed using the COSMIN criteria, and the overall quality of the evidence was graded using a modified GRADE approach.

Results

A total of 27 instruments were identified, relating to three interconnected constructs: nursing informatics, digital health, and information and communication technology. Based on their measurement properties, the instruments were categorized into three groups (A, B, C) following the COSMIN methodology to support recommendations for use. Six instruments were classified under category A (recommended for use): the DigiHealthCom and DigiComInf instruments, the Turkish version of TANIC, the short version of ITASH, the Digital Competence Questionnaire, and the 30-item Arabic version of SANICS. Twenty instruments were categorized under category B (potentially recommendable, but further validation is needed). One instrument was placed in category C (not recommended for use).

Conclusion

As digital competence becomes an increasing priority in education and public health, valid and reliable instruments are essential for assessing and monitoring these competencies. Such instruments support the identification of training needs, the evaluation of educational outcomes, and the integration of digital skills into nursing curricula and clinical practice, ultimately strengthening the digital readiness of the nursing workforce.

Keywords

digital competence - instruments - nursing informatics - psychometrics - systematic review

Protection of Human and Animal Subjects

No human subjects have been involved in the study.


Supplementary Material



Publication History

Received: 29 July 2025

Accepted: 02 January 2026

Article published online:
22 January 2026

© 2026. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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