Knowledge and Perception of Nursing Informatics among Staff Nurses at Rumailah Hospital, Doha, Qatar: A Cross-Sectional Study
Introduction: Global healthcare digitalisation requires nurses to embrace nursing informatics (NI). This study assessed NI knowledge and perceptions among staff nurses at Rumailah Hospital, Doha, Qatar. Methods: A descriptive cross‑sectional study was conducted using convenience sampling. A modified Nurses’ Attitudes towards Computerisation (NATC) questionnaire captured demographics, NI knowledge, and perceptions. Chi‑square tests (with Cramér’s V effect sizes) examined associations (alpha = 0.05). Data were collected in 2016‑2017. Results: Of 572 nurses (82.8% female, 75.4% aged 20‑30 years), 50% held a basic nursing certificate. Positive perceptions were high: 96.5% agreed NI improved care decisions; 100% agreed NI enhanced research implementation and consistent data recording. However, 38.3% noted NI was not used for student training. Significant associations with perception (p<0.001) were found for gender (χ²=28.73, V=0.23), academic qualification (χ²=102.31, V=0.30), years of experience (χ²=177.17, V=0.33), and ease of use understanding (χ²=30.18, V=0.23). Conclusion: Nurses demonstrated strong positive NI knowledge and perceptions. Despite the age of the dataset, findings highlight enduring needs: targeted education for less‑qualified and more experienced nurses, and integration of NI into student training. These insights remain relevant for digital health transformation in Global South contexts.