Case Study: Nursing Informatics
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Abstract
Nursing informatics is combining nursing, computer, and information sciences tailored to supporting patient care. This paper outlines the problem of usability in Electronic Health Records and the study of the Midwestern Academic Medical Centre. It describes how the implementation of the new Graphics User Interface increases the usability of EHR.
Keywords: Usability, Electronic Health Records, technology, Midwestern Academic Medical Centre, Graphics User Interface.
Case Study: Nursing Informatics
Nurses are the main stakeholders in practicing information technology in the health sector. Electronic health records and computerized provider order entry are some of the techniques which have developed gradually due to nursing informatics (Connor et al., 2017). In enhancing quality healthcare to patients, health practitioners use computer programs in storing and accessing victims’ information. In the provision of advanced treatment, health practitioners employ the use of digital resources and Electronic Health Records (EHR). It plays a critical role in helping health providers in reducing medical error and efficient diagnosis of patients. The paper presents Midwestern Academic Medical Centre’s situation regarding nursing informatics, its background, implemented intervention, and evaluation.
Case Presentation
Recently, there has been a problem concerning the usefulness of the EHR system and its possible usefulness in the Midwestern Academic Medical Centre. Poor usability was one of the cognitive challenges which were pointed out by health information technologies experts. The emphasis on structuring clinical notes arises from the adoption of the Electronic Health Records system in enhancing the re-use of data in the following tasks. Clinical records are of essential use as it is used in communicating, synthesizing, and summarizing patients’ information for decision making. As technology is widely used in the health sector, they need to ensure health providers are equipped with knowledge and skills of operating a computer to essence passage of information.
Background
According to Zadvinkis et al. (2018), nurses are the most significant users of technology in the health sector; thus, their adaptation of EHR is critical in the success of implementing the program. Poor usability of EHR among nurses in the Midwestern Academic Medical Centre has undermined the organizational objective of sustainable healthcare. Patients’ safety is exposed to threats in the facility due to issues with EHR usability, for instance, medical prescription errors. It influenced the organization’s trustworthiness as a quality healthcare service could not be practiced. The problem is evident in the organization because the systems, such as Graphic User Interface has not been updated to ensure it favors all physicians for quality service delivery. The decision in the organization has purely relied on specialists. Ratwani et al. (2018) researched EHR usability issues and errors of medication resulting from it on pediatric patients in three large institutions offering healthcare. The most common challenge of usability was system feedback with 82%, visual display recorded 9.7%, followed by data entry with 6.2%, and workflow support had the lowest percentage of 1.7% (Ratwani et al., 2018). Such a fact explains why the Medical Centre experience is resembling trend.
Figure1. Electronic health record (EHR) usability issues, by general category and pediatric academic health care site.
Poor collaboration between nurses and organization authorities led to inadequate service delivery, such as medical errors, which is a threat to patients. EHR acceptance of nurses is related to a variable such as social influences, training, job relevance, and facilitating conditions (Zadvinkis et al., 2018). Knowledge and skills of health practitioners also raised concerns about how they are familiar with the technology. The problem increased rapidly due to prolonged time taken by the Midwestern Academic Medical Centre to realize the need to update EHR to cope up with the issue of usability. Thus the organization faces long term challenges of improving healthcare as most health providers have the problem with usability. The problem can be reversed through the adoption of a new system that is efficient and with user satisfaction.
Solution
In solving the usability problem, a simple Graphics User Interface was implemented that was efficient, had minimal errors, and easy to learn. Improvement in nursing documentation and patient care is evident when an organization uses an EHR system that can be used by all stakeholders (Robin, 2016). The organization updated the EHR system that ensured more straightforward system navigation for nurses as it reflected how physical assessment is done. Teamwork was also implemented, which assist nurses in solving system problems and improve their satisfaction. Health providers’ pulling their efforts together was essential in enhancing computer usability. Collaboration also helped in improving safety as physicians value the conveyance of treatment to other nurses’ patients. Health practitioners were equipped with knowledge and skills in technology to reduce the shortage of skilled personnel. The implementation of standardized documentation was essential in reducing the problems arising from poor usability.
Evaluation
According to Gadd et al. (2016), managing health informatics change requires an organization to enhance the use of technology that improves better health. Therefore, implementation of the intervention was essential in restoring organization reputation. Health practitioners’ satisfaction was associated with teamwork as they rely on each other in solving EHR problems such as usability issues. Nurses were thankful for essential updates from nursing management concerning EHR that influenced their work. The management recorded the highest number of inflow patients due to health practices in the organization, a clear indication of implementation success. The staff was satisfied by workflow simplification, better care, documentation reminders, and also, some health providers admitted that the EHR system offers higher-quality care of patients. The implementation is seen positively as physicians’ revealed more straightforward system navigation due to EHR floor sheets. Inter-professional notes helped in enhancing better and integrate health services as nurses could understand the care plan. The implementation was seen to be successful as Patients acknowledged the quality healthcare practiced in the organization. The workflow in the organization improved due to the use of necessary schedule tests.
References
Zadvinkis, I., Smith, J., & Yen, P. (2018). Nurses’ experience with health information technology: Longitudinal qualitative study. JMIR Medical Informatics, 6(2), 1-31. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6043728/?report=reader.
Gadd, C., Williamson, J., Steen, E., Andriole, K., Delaney, C., Gumpper, K., LaVenture, M., Rosendale, D., Sittig, D., Thyvalikakath, T., Turner, P., & Fridsma, D. (2016). Eligibility requirements for advanced health informatics certification, 23(4), 851-854. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304627754_Eligibility_requirements_for_advanced_health_informatics_certification
Connor, S., Hubner, U., Shaw, T., Blake, R., & Ball, M. (2017). Time for tiger to roar! Technology informatics guiding education reform. Nurse Education Today, 58(1), 78-81. http://Time for TIGER to ROAR! Technology Informatics Guiding Education Reform.
Robin, H. (2016). Benefits of using an electronic health record. Nursing2020, 46(7), 21-22. https://journals.lww.com/nursing/fulltext/2016/07000/Benefits_of_using_an_electronic_health_record.6.aspx
Ratwani, R., Savage, E., Will, A., Fong, A., Karavite, D., & Mathu, N. et al. (2018). Identifying electronic health record usability and safety challenges in pediatric settings. Health Affairs, 37(11), 1752-1759. Retrieved 11 April 2020, from https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2018.0699.
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