Electronic Medical Records Transition: Examining Hospital Nurses' Intention to Use Across Two Time Points

As primary end-users, nurses' intention or motivation to use the hospital electronic medical records can influence its adoption and effective usage. This study explores nurses' intention to use the Next Generation Electronic Medical Record, a novel electronic medical record implemented in Singapore, as compared to first-generation systems. Cross-sectional surveys were conducted at 2 time points in a tertiary hospital where nurses were surveyed using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology to capture their intention to use the first-generation and novel systems. Welch t test was used to compare means between time points. Multivariable regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of nurses' intention to use the novel system. At each time point, 1152 and 723 nurses responded, where most were registered nurses aged 31 to 40 years old. Positive predictors include performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence, while negative predictors include technological savviness and nursing designation. Effort expectancy, the perceived ease of use, was the strongest predictor. This study found that nurses' intentions remained positive across time points. Key predictors like effort expectancy could be targeted to promote effective use of the novel electronic medical record. Suggested strategies include continuous, robust training and involving end-users in the design and implementation process.