Unintended Consequences and Workarounds of Electronic Medical Record Implementation in Clinical Nursing Practice

Nurses have experienced unintended consequences and workarounds associated with health information technology implementation. However, examination of this occurrence is rare. This study aimed to examine the unintended consequences and workarounds produced by the implementation of electronic medical record systems in clinical nursing practice. A total of 143 nurses participated in a survey using statistically tested instruments. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a nonparametric test. The descriptive data were analyzed by meaning. The participants experienced unintended consequences and workarounds related to electronic medical record implementation at moderate or high levels based on the responses to questions scored on 5-point Likert scales. The unintended consequences were closely associated with workarounds. The degree of experience with unintended consequences and the use of workarounds differed significantly according to the level of education, job position, and years in nursing practice. The nursing examples of unintended consequences and workarounds were organized into four categories of unintended consequences. By presenting unintended consequences and workarounds together, this study enhances the understanding of the problems encountered in EMR implementation and the action of nurses. Nurses' needs should be considered as an important resource in developing, redesigning, or purchasing and implementing health information technology in healthcare settings.