The Impact of Computerized Provider Order Entry on Nursing Practice

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Nursing Practice
• Medication Safety

Background:

• Health information systems like Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) are recommended to reduce medication errors.
• Nurses play a crucial role in medication processes, yet the impact of CPOE on their practice is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore nurses' perceptions of how Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) affects their medication process and collaborative practice.

Main Methods:

• A grounded theory approach was utilized.
• Data collection involved interviews with ten nurses and direct observation of eight participants during their work shifts.
• Constant comparative analysis was applied to the collected data.

Main Results:

• Nurses reported using CPOE integrated with an electronic medication administration record (eMAR).
• The implementation of CPOE presented relational, contextual, cognitive, and workflow implications for nursing practice.
• Specific impacts included changes in communication, information access, cognitive load, and task sequencing.

Conclusions:

• The findings highlight the multifaceted impact of CPOE on nursing practice within the medication process.
• Understanding these implications is vital for optimizing CPOE design and implementation strategies.
• Recommendations are provided for informing workflow modeling, CPOE system design, and change management processes in healthcare settings.