Electronic Health Records in Nursing: Academic Paper

Electronic Health Records in Nursing

Introduction

In healthcare, nurses assess the patient’s medical history to identify potential health issues and inform therapeutic interventions. Assessing the patient’s medical history also allows therapists to understand the patient’s problem in detail to effectively develop care priorities and relevant interventions to optimize patient outcomes. However, patients’ incapacity to engage in positive therapeutic communication limits the caregiver’s capacity to assess their medical history. Some patients may also have audio, visual, or intellectual impairments, which require adopting advanced techniques to identify their medical history. As a result, the capacity of therapeutic interventions to alleviate the patient’s condition declines, which results in poor outcomes. Many healthcare organizations use electronic health records to counter such challenges in assessing patients’ medical histories. They constitute electronic versions of patient medical history comprising key administrative and clinical data relevant to patients, such as demographic details, progress notes, and medications administered in the past. This study investigates the importance of electronic health records in optimizing the effectiveness of clinical interventions and improving patient outcomes.

Background

When clinicians have access to complete and accurate information regarding a patient’s background and medical history, they are more capable of exercising patient-centered care to bring about positive outcomes. Therefore, many healthcare organizations have developed and adopted technologies that support easier retrieval of patient information to improve caregivers’ ability to relieve clients of their health issues. Electronic health records allow therapists to access all of the key administrative and clinical data relevant to the patient, including demographics, progress notes, problems, medications, and other useful information. As caregivers base their interventions on clear and accurate information available through electronic health records, the possibility of medication errors significantly declines, resulting in improved patient outcomes (Subbe et al., 2021). Also, by making health information available to clinicians, electronic health records reduce duplication tests and treatment delays, reducing the cost of care in the long run. They also encourage evidence-based nursing practice and optimize care-setting decisions.

Review of Literature

Past studies have demonstrated the role of electronic health records in enhancing patient outcomes and improving efficiency in healthcare. Fraczkowski et al. (2020) conducted an integrative review of qualitative and quantitative peer-reviewed research to assess the importance of electronic health records in care. The study inferred that a large group of healthcare providers’ widespread use of electronic health records translates to quality healthcare at every healthcare system level (Fraczkowski et al., 2020, p. 1149). Another study conducted by Misto et al. (2020) investigates how electronic health record use supports interprofessional evidence-based strategies to enhance patient outcomes. The study found that nurses were more likely to use interprofessional strategies after gaining sufficient skills regarding the use of electronic health records (Misto et al., 2020, p. 134). The research, therefore, identifies the role of electronic health records in enhancing interprofessional collaboration to address health issues.

Another study by Ting et al. (2021) identifies the importance of equipping nurses with sufficient skills to use electronic health records when treating patients. According to Ting et al. (2021), current education systems should prioritize training nurses about electronic health records to improve their capacity to provide quality and timely care, particularly in the digital era. In harmony with Ting’s findings, a study by Jenkins et al. (2018) claims that incorporating electronic health records training as a major learning experience within undergraduate nursing education would expand the realm of effective teaching and learning practice to produce experiences for medical personnel. In contrast, Robinson and Kersey (2018) recommend organization-based skill acquisition since electronic health systems change with technological advancement. The study identifies that incorporating electronic health records technologies in undergraduate nursing education may limit caregivers’ capacity to keep up with rapid technological advancement (Robinson & Kersey, 2018). It is, therefore, important to investigate whether incorporating electronic health records technologies in nursing education could enhance caregivers’ ability to provide quality care services.

Current trends in nursing

Due to rapid technological innovations taking place in the contemporary world, the nursing industry has recorded increased use of telehealth services. As society uses modern communication technologies, nurses are forced to use telecommunication technology to provide high-quality care to patients. The use of such technologies by nurses requires good mastery of electronic health records to assess patients’ health conditions and recommend treatments without having to interact with the clients physically. The nursing industry is also experiencing increased specialization as the demand for specialized registered practitioners escalates. Patients and healthcare organizations require nurses to demonstrate knowledge and competence in specific care areas. Nurses must also possess sufficient skills to use modern technology to provide quality care.

How Electronic Health records have impacted the nursing practice

Electronic health records have been associated with reducing medication administration errors and time spent on documentation. As nurses use electronic health records to assess patients’ medical histories, they achieve a greater capacity to develop efficient therapeutic interventions that concur with the existing healthcare needs. As a result, the rate of medication errors has significantly reduced among healthcare organizations that embrace the use of such technologies. Moreover, by reducing time spent on diagnosis, electronic health records have enhanced treatment effectiveness and increased operational efficiency among caregivers. Such technologies also promote interoperability in healthcare (Aguirre et al., 2019). As a result, nurses use modern technology to conduct medical processes that seek to optimize continuity of care.

Conclusion

Electronic health records allow therapists to utilize electronic versions of patient medical history to make informed treatment decisions. Past research works have associated electronic health records with greater treatment efficiency and enhanced patient outcomes in care settings. Current trends in the nursing industry necessitate the use of electronic health records to promote patient-centered care and mitigate the risk of medication errors. Such technologies also promote interoperability in healthcare, which optimizes progression in healthcare.

References

Subbe, C. P., Tellier, G., & Barach, P. (2021). Impact of electronic health records on predefined safety outcomes in patients admitted to hospital: a scoping review. BMJ open, 11(1), e047446. https://doi-org.libproxy.troy.edu/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-047446

Fraczkowski, D., Matson, J., & Lopez, K. D. (2020). Nurse workarounds in the electronic health record: An integrative review. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 27(7), 1149-1165. https://doi-org.libproxy.troy.edu/10.1093/jamia/ocaa050

Misto, K., Padula, C., Dame, L., Molloy, P. A., & Nimmagadda, J. (2020). Interprofessional evidence-based strategies to enhance provider and patient interactions during electronic health record use. Journal for nurses in professional development, 36(3), 134-140. https://doi-org.libproxy.troy.edu/10.1097/NND.0000000000000631

Ting, J., Garnett, A., & Donelle, L. (2021). Nursing education and training on electronic health record systems: An integrative review. Nurse Education in Practice, 103168. https://doi-org.libproxy.troy.edu/10.1016/j.nepr.2021.103168

Aguirre, R. R., Suarez, O., Fuentes, M., & Sanchez-Gonzalez, M. A. (2019). Electronic health record implementation: a review of resources and tools. Cureus, 11(9). https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.5649

Jenkins, A., Eide, P., Smart, D., & Wintersteen-Arleth, L. (2018). Implementing electronic health records in nursing education. International Journal of Nursing Student Scholarship, 5. https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/ijnss/article/view/56869

Robinson, K. E., & Kersey, J. A. (2018). Novel electronic health record (EHR) education intervention in large healthcare organizations improves quality, efficiency, time, and impact on burnout. Medicine, 97(38). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc6160120/