Shaping the future. The marriage of nursing theory and informatics.

The link between nursing theory and computerized nursing information systems is explored. In particular, the use of Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory in the development of an information processing model for use in a computerized nursing information system is described. This development is discussed with reference to the American Nurses' Association design criteria for computerized nursing information systems. There is some indication that the design criteria do not adequately address the relationships among nursing theory, nursing processes, and computerized nursing information systems.