At HIMSS, May is National Nurses Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the impact nurses have on improving lives and shaping the future of healthcare. HIMSS is proud to spotlight members of the nursing informatics community whose expertise, innovation, and leadership are transforming care delivery beyond the bedside. From advancing digital health to influencing strategy and technology, these professionals exemplify the vital role nurses play in driving meaningful change. Join us in honoring their contributions and the lasting impact they make across healthcare.

Interested in getting involved? We welcome you to join the nursing informatics community and connect with peers who are shaping the future of digital health. To learn more, reach out to us at nursinginformatics@himss.org

This week, we look ahead to the future of nursing and the evolving role of informatics in a rapidly changing healthcare landscape. As digital health and AI continue to advance, nurses will play a critical role in shaping what comes next. Their vision, adaptability, and leadership will help define the future of care.

HIMSS: Where do you see the future of nursing and informatics heading over the next 5–10 years?

Christine Page: The partnership between nursing and informatics will continue to evolve as a strategic enabler of both clinical excellence and workforce sustainability. Technology will advance at an accelerating pace—particularly in areas like AI, predictive analytics, automation, and interoperability—but the real differentiator will be how effectively we manage change and drive adoption at the front line, ensuring these capabilities are meaningfully integrated into daily practice. Informatics must enable true transformation by embedding structured change management, strong governance, and clinician engagement from the start. Success is not measured by system deployment alone, but by meaningful adoption—how seamlessly tools are clinically embedded, how effectively they engage patients and families, and how they improve human-centered care delivery. Equally important is preserving and strengthening nursing wisdom. As data becomes more abundant, the role of nurses increasingly centers on interpreting information through a critical clinical lens—integrating evidence, experience, and patient context to make informed decisions. Informatics is essential in delivering the right information at the right time, in a way that enhances, rather than overwhelms clinical judgment. The future lies in scaling strong partnerships between technology and nursing expertise with informatics bridging that gap—so that innovations are thoughtfully implemented, widely adopted, and firmly grounded in the realities of clinical practice to improve outcomes, nursing efficiency, and the patient experience.

HIMSS: How can nurses prepare for a more digital, data-driven healthcare environment?

Christine Page: Building upon where nursing and informatics are heading, nurses have a meaningful opportunity to refine their technical capabilities while strengthening their clinical voice in shaping technology design within their practice and care environments. Advancing core competencies in data literacy is a key part of that evolution—building an understanding of how data is generated, interpreted, and applied in ways that enhance nursing wisdom and empower nurses to improve patient outcomes. Participation in optimization efforts, workflow design, and governance structures not only improves adoption but ensures that digital tools reflect the realities of clinical practice and truly support care delivery. Preparation also calls for adaptability and a commitment to continuous learning. As technologies such as AI, automation, and predictive analytics continue to evolve and expand, nurses are well-positioned to stay curious, open, and forward-thinking while maintaining a strong focus on safety, ethics, and patient-centered use. In a data-rich environment, the nurse’s role increasingly centers on applying data in context by bringing together clinical experience, patient needs, and relevant real-time information. Technology should augment that judgment, not replace it, and nurses play a critical role in maintaining that balance. Preparation is about empowerment, enabling nurses to confidently integrate data and technology while continuing to lead in delivering safe, high-quality, and compassionate care.

HIMSS: What role should nurses play in shaping the future of AI and healthcare technology?

Christine Page: Nurses play a vital role in shaping the future of AI and healthcare technology because they bring an essential clinical perspective needed to guide these tools toward safe, effective, and patient-centered care. As the largest group of healthcare providers at the frontline, nurses are uniquely positioned to identify where technology adds value—and where it may introduce unintended risk or burden. Their role extends beyond end users to active partners in design, deployment, and governance. Through participation in workflow design, validation of clinical decision support, and ongoing optimization, nurses ensure that AI and digital tools are not only technically sound but also practical and usable in day-to-day care. This is critical to building trust and supporting consistent use in clinical environments. Nurses also play an essential role in guiding the ethical and patient-centered use of AI. Their focus on holistic, compassionate care positions them to advocate for transparency, fairness, and responsible use of data—helping to advance equity and enhance the patient experience. In addition, nurses translate complex AI-driven insights into clear, actionable decisions. Their clinical expertise ensures that information is applied in a way that is timely, relevant, and meaningful. Nurses should be recognized as co-creators of the future of healthcare technology. Their leadership is essential to keeping innovation aligned with the realities of clinical practice and advancing improvements in care delivery, outcomes, and patient experience.

HIMSS: One word to describe the future of nursing:

Christine Page: Empowered

HIMSS: The biggest challenge for nurses in the next 5 years and how we can address it :

Christine Page: One of the biggest challenges will be managing the growing complexity of care in an increasingly digital environment. Addressing this requires intentional focus on systems thinking, usability, and thoughtful implementation ensuring nurses are supported, not burdened, by technology through careful design, strong nurse engagement, and a continued focus on keeping care human centered.