Adoption of New Technology Systems
The electronic health record system has transformed the healthcare sector significantly with simple automation on clinical documentation being realized. At the same time.It has enhanced the delivery of care to the patients, the interaction of nurses and patients diversified by the use of technology as well as the development of research activities concerning the system and its future. The system has reduced the medication errors while also enhancing the application of evidenced-based practices (Wager, Lee, and Glaser, 2017). The change brought about by the system is excellent yet its implementation remain poor dragging the efficiency of the system backward. For successful implementation, there is need to involve the players in the implementation of the system. The nursing team forms significant players in the implementation of the system as they are not only the major partners in the daily care of the patients but also the majority of the healthcare professionals.
Resistance to the adoption of the system by nurses can be attributed to the instances where they feel that system impair their delivery of care to patients or merely interrupting the usual workflow. This calls for facilitation by a leader to ensure that there is a smooth transition from the old system to embrace the new system. The reaction and feeling by various staffs on adoption of new technology can be traced from the model by Everett Rogers. This article explores the five qualities namely relative advantage, compatibility with existing values and practices, simplicity, trialability and observable results in leading nurses to adopt the electronic health records system.
Relative advantage.
The newly adopted innovation must show an improvement when compared to the old system to lure the individuals to its adoption (Rogers, 2003). With the nursing role being bulky and stressful, any additional intervention that burdens the nursing team can easily face resistance. For better facilitation, there is a need for proper and continuous training on the use of the system and overcoming the challenges that may hide the advantages of the system over the old system. Forums of discussing the benefits such as easy documentation, scanning of barcodes in the electronic medication administration to reduce medication errors as well as sharing of information need to be developed to presents the pros of the system. With these in place, the healthcare team won’t hesitate to adopt the new system as it will be better compared to the old system hence seeing the implementation and adoption of the EHRR successful.
Compatibility with Existing Values and Practices.
In adopting the new system, nurses need to understand the manner unto which the new system gets in to fit in the practices and values that are upheld in the unit. For instance, teamwork that is embraced in the care of patients can be embraced in the implementation of the systems to allow for its adoption by letting the super users lead other colleagues and letting them share the knowledge with others who might not have mastered the system quickly (McGonigle and Mastrian, 2015). As a facilitator, team building and working together must be embraced by grouping the nurses during the training as well as involving them early enough in the implementation program.
Simplicity.
The perception and view placed on the new system determine the willingness the nurses develop in its adoption. When they perceive the system to be more straightforward to master and use, they embrace it, and when they view it to be complex and difficult, they resist it vigorously. As a facilitator, the nurses need to be involved in the designing of the system and involving them in the implementation process so that they get in touch with every process as they will be able to understand what the system aims to achieve and its simplicity in delivering care. At the same time, the teaching needs to be enhanced to keep them informed and be knowledgeable about the system. This will overcome the anxiety that sets in from nurses that are not well conversant with computers. Furthermore, modifying the data entry to allow the use of voice note for nurses who might not like typing can also be perceived to be easier and simple documentation. In the long how, the system can be easily adopted as it turns to be simpler to use.
Trialability.
The extent of testing or experimentation of the use of the new EHR system before its implementation can influence the adoption by the nurse (Kapoor et al., 2016). The exploration will influence their commitment to the adoption. For such opportunities, there is need to set up a computer lab as well as availing computers programmed with the system as well as a guide on its use in every unit before the implementation stage. Through this move, the nurses can have time to explore and ‘play around’ with the system at their own free time which can influence their implementation perception and adoption of the system.
Observable results.
The tangibles results act as evidence to the adopters on the success of the new system. During the training and the implementation process, the various studies determining the success of the implementation of the system research on reduction of medication errors as well as improved communication among health professionals and patients need to be presented to nurses while emphasizing on their role to realize even move of such outcomes (Miller, 2015).
Nurses as change agents.
According to McGonigle, D., &Mastrian, K. G. (2015), nurses form 55% of the healthcare team hence need to be on the frontline in the implementation and adoption of the new system by being aware and involved in the transition in the healthcare revolution such as adoption of the RHRR system. In realizing this as a core factor in the adoption, the nurse must be incorporated in the implementation teams as well as being involved right from the designing of the system to its implantation. This will allow them to own the system and make it fit their practices hence they will facilitate its adoption as agents of its implementation.
Conclusion.
Nurse form a significant team in healthcare revolution and need to be involved in the changes for easier adoption. The qualities of relative advantage, compatibility with existing values and practices, simplicity, trialability as well as tangible results from the new system can influence the nurse in adopting the EHR system. This can be realized by proper facilitation from the nursing leadership as well as the nurse taking up their roles as the change agents to embrace nursing informatics.
References:
Kapoor, K. K., Dwivedi, Y. K., & Williams, M. D. (2014). Rogers’ innovation adoption
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McGonigle, D., &Mastrian, K. G. (2015). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge
(3rd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning.
Miller, R. L. (2015). Rogers’ innovation diffusion theory (1962, 1995). Information seeking
behavior and technology adoption: Theories and trends, 261-274.
Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations. Free Press. New York, 551.
Wager, K. A., Lee, F. W., & Glaser, J. P. (2017). Health care information systems: a practical
approach for health care management. John Wiley & Sons.
