Nurses' Experience With Health Information Technology: Longitudinal Qualitative Study.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Informatics
• Health Information Technology (HIT) Adoption
• Qualitative Research Methods

Background:

• Nurses are primary users of health information technology (HIT), making their adaptation crucial for successful implementation.
• Longitudinal studies on nurses' perceptions of HIT are limited, hindering a full understanding of their adaptation process over time.
• Previous research indicates variability in the pace and success of HIT acceptance and adaptation among nurses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To longitudinally explore nurses' experiences and perceptions during the implementation of health information technology (HIT).
• To understand the evolving nature of nurses' adaptation to electronic health records and bar code medication administration systems over time.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal qualitative phenomenological approach was employed.
• Data were collected at three time points: 3, 9, and 18 months post-implementation.
• The study involved a purposive sample of clinical nurses from a medical-surgical unit in an academic center.

Main Results:

• Nurses identified personal and organizational factors that facilitated their adaptation to HIT.
• Theme interconnectivity varied based on nurses' concerns and satisfaction levels across the three time points.
• Equipment and workflow were consistently significant themes, with peak dissatisfaction noted around 9 months post-implementation, followed by more balanced perceptions at 18 months.

Conclusions:

• Organizations should prioritize investment in essential equipment, such as wireless barcode scanners.
• Refining policies to align with actual nursing practice and enhancing systems for patient safety are recommended.
• Further research is needed to validate these adaptation patterns in diverse nursing populations.