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Effect of computerized charting on nursing activity in intensive care
1Department of Cardiology, Minneapolis VA Medical Center, MN, USA.
Critical Care Medicine
|June 1, 1995
Summary
Introducing computerized medical records in intensive care units (ICUs) did not change the total time nurses spent manipulating data. While charting time decreased, data entry at computer terminals offset this gain, impacting nursing activity.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Informatics
- Healthcare Technology
- Clinical Information Systems
Background:
- Intensive care units (ICUs) rely heavily on efficient nursing workflows.
- The implementation of electronic health records (EHRs) is a significant technological shift in healthcare.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effect of computerized medical records on nursing activities within ICUs.
- To quantify changes in time allocation for nurses after system implementation.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study design involving direct observation of nursing activities.
- Data collection before and after the installation of a Clinical Information System in ICUs.
- Monitoring registered nurses providing intensive care services.
Main Results:
- Total time spent by nurses manipulating data remained constant at 24% post-implementation.
- Computerized charting reduced direct charting time from 17% to 10%, with 10% of time spent on data entry/review.
- Time spent in patient rooms (43%) and at central stations (36-37%) remained largely unchanged.
Conclusions:
- Computerized charting in ICUs does not inherently create additional time for non-data-manipulation tasks for nurses.
- The integration of technology requires careful workflow analysis to optimize nursing efficiency.