Evaluation of a Web Application for Nursing Records of Multiple Trauma Patients in an Emergency Department

Multiple traumatic injuries cause death among traumatized patients. Nurses at the emergency department (ED) must assess, provide nursing care, and record their interventions. Recording all patient information and nursing care procedures, however, is more challenging due to time constraints in emergency care.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of a web application for nursing records of multiple trauma patients in an ED and the user's satisfaction. A web application developed based on the guidelines of Advanced Trauma Life Support was implemented in a resuscitation room of a university hospital in Khon Kaen, Thailand, from January to March 2022. The quality of nursing records through the web application for 40 trauma patients was evaluated. Thirty-seven nurses were surveyed for their satisfaction. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Overall, the comprehensive nursing process record through web application had 80.3% completeness. Some items were not recorded or partially recorded, including vital sign monitoring and patients' vital signs and symptoms summary records before discharge. Nurses expressed their satisfaction with the web application at a high level, with an average score of 3.99 (standard deviation [SD]: 0.68). They were most satisfied with the components of the nursing process for multiple trauma patients (mean: 4.14 and SD: 0.71).

The use of a web application ensures the completeness of nursing records. Nurses are satisfied with implementing the web application in their clinic. A study of its effectiveness in reducing documentation time and improving patient outcomes is needed in the future.