Developing Theoretical Underpinnings for Nursing Workaround Research Using a Mixed Method Approach

The use of health information technology (HIT) in acute care had an unexpected impact on nursing workflow. It often took a nurse extra steps or extra time to complete a process once documentation and medication administration was automated. In response to HIT problems, nurses developed workarounds. Research on workarounds has been hindered by a lack of variable definitions and research models. This paper presents results of a mixed methods study that proposes definitions for workarounds, associated variables and a multi-level model.