Nurses' Expectations of a Knowledge Management System in Nursing Practice: Qualitative Study.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Informatics
• Knowledge Management
• Evidence-Based Practice

Background:

• Implementing evidence-based practice (EBP) in nursing faces barriers like limited knowledge access and organizational culture.
• Knowledge Management Systems (KMSs) offer technological solutions to integrate EBP into nursing care.
• Frontline nurses' perspectives on KMS integration into daily practice are underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore nurses' requirements for a KMS supporting EBP at the point of care.
• To focus on usability, integration into electronic nursing records, and implementation factors.
• To identify challenges and benefits of KMS implementation from nurses' viewpoints.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative study was conducted in a Swiss hospital.
• Data collection involved observations, focus groups, and interviews with nurses and a physician.
• Thematic analysis was used to analyze the collected data.

Main Results:

• Nurses need intuitively structured, process-integrated KMSs linking evidence to interventions in electronic records.
• Key factors for successful implementation include organizational support, interprofessional collaboration, and clear responsibilities.
• Four main categories emerged: KMS content, knowledge management factors, technical conditions, and implementation.

Conclusions:

• A user-friendly KMS integrated into clinical workflows is crucial for accessing evidence-based knowledge.
• KMS can enhance nurses' decision-making, professional confidence, and application of best practices.
• Integrating evidence into electronic records via KMS can improve efficiency and consistency in nursing care.