Module 1: What Role Do Nurses Have In Selecting And E 183214

Module 1what Role Do Nurses Have In Selecting And Evaluating Informati

What role do nurses have in selecting and evaluating information systems within your work environment? What strategies facilitated implementation of the information system and/or what were the barriers to implementation? Your initial post should be at least 500 words, formatted and cited in current APA style with support from at least 2 academic sources.

Paper For Above instruction

Nurses play a pivotal role in the selection and evaluation of information systems within healthcare environments. Their involvement is critical because nurses are primary users of health information technology (HIT) and possess firsthand knowledge of clinical workflows, patient care needs, and potential system limitations. Their active participation ensures that information systems are tailored to support clinical practices effectively, enhance patient safety, and improve overall healthcare delivery.

One of the primary roles of nurses in this context is advocating for user-centered design during the selection process. Nurses contribute their expertise to identify functionalities that are essential for acute care, such as real-time documentation, decision support tools, and seamless integration with electronic health records (EHRs). Their insights help vendors and informaticists select systems that are intuitive, reduce documentation burden, and enhance clinical decision-making (Kuo et al., 2020). Furthermore, nurses are involved in evaluating the usability and interoperability of proposed systems, ensuring they align with clinical workflows and do not inadvertently introduce new hazards or inefficiencies.

Beyond selection and evaluation, nurses serve as champions during implementation. They facilitate training of colleagues and serve as liaisons between staff and IT teams, translating technical language into clinical relevance. Their engagement fosters acceptance and mitigates resistance by demonstrating how new systems can improve care processes (Carayon et al., 2019). As trusted frontline providers, nurses influence organizational buy-in and assist in troubleshooting during initial rollouts, ensuring smoother transitions and higher adoption rates.

However, implementing new information systems also encounters numerous barriers. Resistance to change is a common obstacle, often rooted in perceived increases in workload, fears of new technology, or lack of confidence in clinical informatics competencies. Insufficient training and inadequate involvement of nurses in early decision-making phases can exacerbate these issues (Russell et al., 2020). Technical challenges such as system downtimes, poor user interface design, and interoperability issues also hinder successful implementation. Organizational factors, including limited resources, competing priorities, and insufficient leadership support, further impede seamless integration of new systems.

Strategies to facilitate successful implementation encompass comprehensive training programs, ongoing support, and active engagement of nurses from the early stages of selection through evaluation. Conducting usability testing involving frontline staff can identify potential barriers before full deployment. Empowering nurses with a voice in decision-making fosters ownership and eases resistance. Additionally, leveraging change management principles—such as clear communication, showing the benefits of new systems, and providing incentives—can enhance acceptance and sustain long-term use (Cresswell et al., 2018).

In conclusion, nurses are integral to the process of selecting and evaluating healthcare information systems. Their frontline experience and clinical insights directly influence system effectiveness and usability. Overcoming barriers requires strategic planning, inclusive decision-making, and robust support systems. Harnessing the nursing perspective not only improves system design and implementation but ultimately leads to better patient outcomes and more efficient healthcare delivery.

References

• Carayon, P., Hosmer, D., Hoonakker, P., Bruskin, R., & Lee, S. (2019). Nurse participation in health information technology implementation: Impact on patient safety. Journal of Nursing Management, 27(4), 645–652.
• Cresswell, K., Mozaffar, H., Lee, L., Williams, R., & Sheikh, A. (2018). Safety risks associated with the lack of integration and communication between healthcare information systems: A systematic review. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 25(9), 1244–1253.
• Kuo, K. M., Hsieh, C. J., & Ho, M. H. (2020). The involvement of nurses in electronic health record system selection: A review of the literature. Healthcare Informatics Research, 26(3), 213–222.
• Russell, C., Kan, L., & Kim, K. (2020). Barriers and facilitators for nursing informatics adoption: A systematic review. Journal of Nursing Administration, 50(4), 222–229.