Perioperative Nurses' Perceptions Pre-Implementation of an Electronic Medical Record System

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Nursing Practice
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems are increasingly adopted in hospitals, transforming healthcare delivery.
• Perioperative nurses operate in high-risk environments, necessitating tailored EMR implementation strategies.
• Understanding nurse perceptions is crucial for successful technology integration in surgical settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore perioperative nurses' perceptions of facilitators and barriers to EMR implementation.
• To develop context-specific recommendations for optimizing EMR adoption among perioperative nurses.
• To inform strategies for enhancing EMR usability and effectiveness in the operating room.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative exploratory descriptive research design.
• Focus group data collected from 27 perioperative nurses across three hospital sites.
• Thematic analysis of qualitative data, mapped to the Theoretical Domains Framework.

Main Results:

• Three key themes emerged: anticipation of change, personal impact assessment, and cautious optimism.
• Identified facilitators included perceived benefits and support, while barriers involved workflow disruption and training needs.
• The Theoretical Domains Framework highlighted key factors influencing EMR adoption in this specific nursing group.

Conclusions:

• Perioperative nurses' perceptions significantly influence EMR adoption success.
• Addressing identified barriers and leveraging facilitators can optimize EMR implementation strategies.
• Context-specific recommendations are vital for successful EMR integration in perioperative settings.