Nursing administrators' experiences in managing PDA use for inpatient units

Systematic review of factors influencing the adoption of information and communication technologies by healthcare professionals

This systematic review of mixed methods studies focuses on factors that can facilitate or limit the implementation of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in clinical settings. Systematic searches of relevant bibliographic databases identified studies about interventions promoting ICT adoption by healthcare professionals. Content analysis was performed by two reviewers using a specific grid. One hundred and one (101) studies were included in the review. Perception of the benefits of the innovation (system usefulness) was the most common facilitating factor, followed by ease of use. Issues regarding design, technical concerns, familiarity with ICT, and time were the most frequent limiting factors identified. Our results suggest strategies that could effectively promote the successful adoption of ICT in healthcare professional practices.

The multimethod evaluation of a nursing information system in taiwan

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a nursing information system on nurses' daily practice. A multimethod evaluation was used that combined both quantitative and qualitative approaches to explore the influence of this technology from different perspectives. The data collection methods included the following: an evaluation scale of the system function, focus group interviews about the users' experiences, and work sampling observation of their work pattern. The data were collected from October to December 2006. The data analysis contained 623 valid questionnaires, 24 nurses' interview content, and 22830 observed nursing activities. Overall, the results indicated that nurses gave a positive evaluation of the technology in their work routine. However, they were concerned about the inadequacy of the hardware devices and response time, training and workflow change, and personal interactions with physicians and patients. Nurses on the night shift spent more time on documentation than on any other nursing activities during the three shifts. The users' technology adoption could be attributed to device sufficiency and function, content design, and workflow efficiency. It is recommended that organizations provide sufficient computer devices, ensure the content design for nursing documentation, and implement expectations for interdisciplinary cooperation.

Evaluation of nursing-specific drug information PDA databases used as clinical decision support tools

BACKGROUND

Nursing is arguably the most organizationally diverse healthcare profession. Educational backgrounds may vary, even among similarly credentialed nurses. Drug information databases used as clinical decision support tools can improve access to pharmacologic information at point-of-care when housed on personal digital assistants. They may also help address the disparity in drug information and pharmacology education between nurses.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate nursing-specific drug information database content on personal digital assistants (PDAs).

METHODS

Seven nursing-specific PDA databases were evaluated for scope (absence or presence of an answer) and completeness (three-point scale) via the use of 80 general category and 80 subspecialty drug information questions. Erroneous information was also tracked. Individual scope and completeness scores were delineated by rank order and chi square was performed to determine differences in scope and completeness scores between the databases.

RESULTS

Davis's Drug Guide for Nurses (DDGN) and Nursing Lexi-Drugs (NLD) tied for the highest scores for scope, including each answering 72.5% of the 160 evaluation questions. No significant differences existed between their scores and those earned by Nursing2008 Drug Handbook (p<0.05). The highest scores for completeness were earned by NLD with 58.1% and DDGN at 57.1%. Saunders Nursing Drug Handbook was the only database that showed a significantly lower score in completeness as compared to the other six databases (p<0.05). A 4.2% overall error rate was found among database answers.

DISCUSSION

Significant differences were found among the performances in the databases evaluated in this study for their ability to answer commonly encountered drug information issues in nursing practice. All databases contained some erroneous information and even the top performers failed to provide answers to more than one-fourth of the questions posed. The availability of accurate and timely drug information at point-of-care can play a vital role in patient management and outcomes, but current resources that are available need to be improved.

Value of wireless personal digital assistants for practice: perceptions of advanced practice nurses

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aims were to explore advanced practice nurses' perceptions on wireless Personal Digital Assistant technologies, to establish the type and range of tools that would be useful to support their practice and to identify any requirements and limitations that may impact the implementation of wireless Personal Digital Assistants in practice.

BACKGROUND

The wireless Personal Digital Assistant is becoming established as a hand-held computing tool for healthcare professionals. The reflections of advanced practice nurses' about the value of wireless Personal Digital Assistants and its potential to contribute to improved patient care has not been investigated.

DESIGN

A qualitative interpretivist design was used to explore advanced practice nurses' perceptions on the value of wireless Personal Digital Assistant technologies to support their practice.

METHODS

The data were collected using survey questionnaires and individual and focus group interviews with nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and information technology managers based in British Columbia, Canada. An open-coding content analysis was performed using qualitative data analysis software.

RESULTS

Wireless Personal Digital Assistant's use supports the principles of pervasivity and is a technology rapidly being adopted by advanced practice nurses. Some nurses indicated a reluctance to integrate wireless Personal Digital Assistant technologies into their practices because of the cost and the short technological life cycle of these devices. Many of the barriers which precluded the use of wireless networks within facilities are being removed. Nurses demonstrated a complex understanding of wireless Personal Digital Assistant technologies and gave good rationales for its integration in their practice.

CONCLUSIONS

Nurses identified improved client care as the major benefit of this technology in practice and the type and range of tools they identified included clinical reference tools such as drug and diagnostic/laboratory reference applications and wireless communications.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Nurses in this study support integrating wireless mobile computing technologies into their practice to improve client care.