Role of the Nurse in Implementing Nursing Information Systems

Abstract

New roles and responsibilities are emerging in nursing as we become aware of the profession’s information systems and the benefits of the computer as a tool to manage them more effectively. This new technology challenges us to do more than learn to operate new machinery. The complexity and cost of different computer systems and rapid changes in hospital computer technology require nursing leaders to have an understanding of many key issues. Only a sound knowledge of hospital information systems and a keen understanding of nursing practice and the information systems which support it will enable us to obtain computer tools useful to the profession. This paper will overview the general structures and functions of hospital information systems, describe common nursing information systems, detail the nurse decision-makers’ role in system implementation, and finally, share principles for computer user training derived from a review of the literature and from the author’s professional experiences as a nursing systems analyst/computer trainer.