Cognitive Workload of Computerized Nursing Process in Intensive Care Units

The aim of this work was to measure the cognitive workload to complete printed nursing process versus computerized nursing process from International Classification Practice of Nursing in intensive care units. It is a quantitative, before-and-after quasi-experimental design, with a sample of 30 participants. Workload was assessed using National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task-Load Index. Six cognitive categories were measured. The "temporal demand" was the largest contributor to the cognitive workload, and the role of the nursing process in the "performance" category has excelled that of computerized nursing process. It was concluded that computerized nursing process contributes to lower cognitive workload of nurses for being a support system for decision making based on the International Classification Practice of Nursing. The computerized nursing process as a logical structure of the data, information, diagnoses, interventions and results become a reliable option for health improvement of healthcare, because it can enhance nurse safe decision making, with the intent to reduce damage and adverse events to patients in intensive care.