The Nurse Informaticist Role in Contemporary Health Care: An Integrative Literature Review

Background: The nursing informatics field has advanced with specialized roles such as the nurse informaticist role, mostly used in health care settings. Given the growing digitalization of health care and the adoption of artificial intelligence, it is important to understand the roles of nursing informaticists within clinical practice. Objective: To synthesize evidence on the nurse informaticist role within contemporary health care settings. Methods: An integrative review was conducted in accordance with Whittemore and Knafl’s framework. The search strategy was developed around 2 main concepts: (1) nursing informatics; (2) professional competencies, skills, or guidelines. An initial search was conducted on August 23, 2024, and an updated search on September 18, 2025, in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. Results: A total of 14 records were retained and included for this review. The publication years ranged from 2015 to 2025; most of the studies (n = 11; 78.6%) were from the USA. The responsibilities associated with the nurse informaticist role varied across health care systems and organizations. Conclusion: Nurse informaticists are vital for strengthening health care operations and human elements, making them key leaders in shaping future care delivery. Despite their contributions and opportunities, evolving expectations, shifting priorities, and limited visibility pose ongoing challenges.