Information and Knowledge Needs of Nurses in the 21st Century: In the year 2025, nursing practice enabled by technology has created a professional culture of reflection, critical inquiry, and inter-professional collaboration. Examples of current technology that could change in the future include:

• Nurses use technology at the point of care in all clinical settings (e.g., primary care, acute care, community, and long-term care) to inform their clinical decisions and effect the best possible outcomes for their clients.
• Information is gathered and retrieved via human–technology biometric interfaces including voice, visual, sensory, gustatory, and auditory interfaces, continuously monitoring physiologic parameters for potentially harmful imbalances.
• Longitudinal records are maintained for all citizens from their initial prenatal assessment to death; all life-long records are aggregated into the knowledge bases of expert systems. These systems are providing the basis of the artificial intelligence being embedded in emerging technologies.

Information and Knowledge Needs of Nurses in the 21st Century

• Smart technologies and invisible computing are ubiquitous in all sectors where care is delivered.
• Clients and families are empowered to review and contribute actively to their record of health and wellness.
• Invasive diagnostic techniques are obsolete, nanotechnology therapeutics are the norm, and robotics supplement or replace much of the traditional work of all health professions.
• Nurses provide expertise to citizens to help them effectively manage their health and wellness life plans, and navigate access to appropriate information and services.