_Nursing

The Information Literacy Competency Standards for Nursing, submitted to ACRL in spring 2013, were developed by a Health Sciences Interest Group, the Information Literacy Standards for Nursing Task Force, after two years of research into the information literacy needs of nursing students. These standards are designed for use by nursing faculty, librarians, and practicing nurses across all educational levels—associate through doctoral—and support both academic and continuing education.

The standards provide a framework for developing information literacy skills essential to evidence-based nursing and translational research. They aim to:

• Guide nursing students in acquiring competencies for evidence-based practice.

• Encourage a shared language between nursing faculty and librarians.

• Support curriculum development and lifelong learning.

• Align with accreditation expectations.

Adaptable to different institutions, the standards emphasize key skills such as identifying information needs, locating and evaluating information, and applying it ethically for best practices in patient care. They are based on the ACRL's general higher education standards and informed by those for science, engineering, and technology fields. The development process faced challenges due to varying educational levels and the need to unify perspectives from both the Medical Library Association and ACRL. Ultimately, the document seeks to bridge gaps between library and nursing education communities.

Information Literacy Competency Standards for Nursing

• Standard One: "The information literate nurse determines the nature and extent of the information needed."
• Standard Two: "The information literate nurse accesses needed information effectively and efficiently."
• Standard Three: "The information literate nurse critically evaluates the procured information and its sources, and as a result, decides whether or not to modify the initial query and/or seek additional sources and whether to develop a new research process."
• Standard Four: "The information literate nurse, individually or as a member of a group, uses information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose."
• Standard Five: "The information literate nurse understands many of the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information and accesses and uses information ethically and legally." 

Reference:

"Information Literacy Competency Standards for Nursing", American Library Association, October 31, 2013. http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/nursing.