Based on your healthcare experience either as a healthcare professional, student, patient, or family member, describe from a nursing perspective the impact of Electronic Health Records, Nursing/Clinical Documentation, or Patient Portals (MyChart, MyHealth, etc.) on one of these healthcare stakeholders (choose only one):
- Nurse
- Patient
- Family
- Community
Based on your learning this week, which information system do you think has most shaped the state of nursing practice today, and why? Support your opinions with credible research.
- Electronic Health Records
- Nursing/Clinical Documentation
- Patient Portals (MyChart, MyHealth, etc.)
- Telehealth
Please be sure to validate your opinions and ideas with citations and references in APA format.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
Electronic health records (EHRs), nursing/clinical documentation, and patient portals have revolutionized healthcare delivery and outcomes. These technologies have altered how healthcare providers deliver care and interact with patients. This paper will examine the impact of EHRs on a nursing perspective and analyze the information system that has shaped nursing practice most.
Impact of EHRs on Nursing Perspective:
EHRs are an important technological advancement that has influenced nursing care significantly. The use of Electronic health records (EHRs) has had a significant impact on nursing practice. EHRs have helped nurses to collect, store, and retrieve patient data.
EHRs have improved patient care by reducing diagnostic and treatment errors, improving communication between clinicians, and providing accurate and timely information. Nurses can access patients’ health records through EHRs, improve care coordination, and reduce unnecessary testing.
Furthermore, EHRs have also enhanced care quality and safety, improved patient outcomes, and reduced healthcare costs. The use of EHRs has reduced documentation and charting time, enabling nurses to spend more time with their patients. EHRs have also facilitated communication between healthcare providers, improving patient outcomes.
EHRs have some adverse effects on nursing care, such as reducing direct interaction between nurses and patients. Additionally, nurses need to undergo extensive training to use EHRs proficiently.
Conclusion:
EHRs have profoundly influenced nursing practice, with the potential to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. The benefits of EHRs outweigh the risks associated with the implementation of EHRs, such as the need for extensive training. Nurses need to embrace the use of EHRs, develop technology competencies, and continue improving nursing practice.
Information System that has Shaped Nursing Practice Most:
In my opinion, the use of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) has shaped nursing practice most. EHRs support better care coordination by enabling healthcare professionals to access patient records with ease, thus reducing diagnostic and treatment errors. EHRs also prevent duplication of tests and procedures, thereby saving patients money.
Furthermore, EHRs have improved communication between healthcare professionals, leading to better patient outcomes. The use of EHRs has enabled nurses to access and record patient data accurately, thus facilitating efficient communication between clinicians.
EHRs also provide real-time patient data and analytics, which offer insights for evidence-based decision-making, making them an essential tool for nursing practice. Therefore, EHRs have shaped nursing practice profoundly by improving patient outcomes, care quality, and safety.
References:
Bates, D. W., & Gawande, A. A. (2003). Improving safety with information technology. New England Journal of Medicine, 348(25), 2526-2534.
Hammer, A., Mihalas, G. I., & Hornecker, E. (2015). Emerging patient eHealth services: from health record banks to person-generated health and contextual data. International journal of environmental research and public health, 12(2), 1576-1593.
Lygidakis, C., Wallace, P., & Tersar, C. (2015). Patient access to electronic health records: current status and experiences from the field. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 15(1), 1-8.
Sittig, D. F., & Singh, H. (2011). Defining health information technology-related errors: new developments since to err is human. Archives of Internal Medicine, 171(15), 1281-1284.
