Information literacy is essential to maintaining and developing professional knowledge and competence (Unknown, 2004). Nurses in clinical practice want information that is going to help them provide safe, knowledgeable care. It must be fast, reliable, accurate and easily accessible (Unknown, 2004). The ability to get information, gain knowledge from that information and incorporate it into practice is important.
The development of information literacy and life long learning skills is critical in nursing (Nayda and Rankin, 2008). It enables nurses to adapt to a constantly changing environment and continue to provide safe, competent care in an increasingly complex and challenging health care system. The nursing profession must encourage the need for continued development of nursing knowledge and communicate the importance of incorporating new knowledge and information into everyday clinical practice. The Continuing Competence Program the NANB has initiated for all practicing nurses in NB is a good start to help nurses identify learning and information needs. This will help to foster an environment of life long learning and the importance of integrating learning into nursing practice on an ongoing basis.