Evaluation of Nurses' Use of an Electronic Health Care Record System

Abstract

Computerized information systems in health care institutions have traditionally supported administrative functions. More recently, electronic health care record systems supporting nurses' and physicians' patient directed activities have been developed and installed. In this article we present findings from an evaluation study of an electronic health care record system. In the study reported from here, introduction of a module for nursing inter-shift reports and modules for order-entry and reporting of results from two laboratories were prospectively evaluated. In this article, the authors discuss how the nurses used the health care record system, with special focus on nurses' inter-shift reports and their expressed satisfaction with the system. The study showed no substantial reduction in time spent for inter-shift reports but there were indications of improved quality. Although initially skeptical, the users expressed an overall satisfaction with the introduced electronic health care record system.