Recommendations for Improving EHR Transitions: Nursing Perspectives From Three Healthcare Systems

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Information Systems
• Nursing Informatics

Background:

• Electronic health record (EHR) transitions are frequent and disruptive.
• These transitions negatively impact patient care and healthcare worker well-being.
• Nurses, as primary EHR users, are significantly affected, making their insights crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To gather actionable recommendations for supporting nurses during EHR transitions.
• To learn from nurses' experiences in healthcare systems that have undergone EHR-to-EHR transitions.

Main Methods:

• Conducted semistructured interviews with 15 nurses and nurse informaticists.
• Participants were from 3 US healthcare systems that completed EHR transitions.
• Employed rapid qualitative analysis to identify experiences and improvement recommendations.

Main Results:

• Identified 10 recommendations across training, workflow, and EHR governance.
• Successful transitions require institution-specific guidance beyond vendor support.
• Nurses play key roles in developing and disseminating transition guidance.

Conclusions:

• EHR transitions pose significant challenges and can negatively impact nursing staff.
• Incorporating nurses' input is essential for optimizing the transition process.
• Proactive strategies in training, workflow design, and governance are vital.