IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/jocnur/v21y2012i19pt20p2940-2948.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The impact of an electronic nursing documentation system on efficiency of documentation by caregivers in a residential aged care facility

Author

Listed:
  • Esther N Munyisia
  • Ping Yu
  • David Hailey

Abstract

Aims and objectives. To examine the effect of the introduction of an electronic nursing documentation system on the efficiency of documentation in a residential aged care facility. Background. Modern technology has the potential to free caregivers in residential aged care facilities from their burden of paper documentation and allow them more time to care for residents. To date, there is inadequate evidence to verify this assumption. Design. Longitudinal cohort study with work sampling method for data collection. Methods. This study was conducted between 2009–2011; two months before and 3, 6, 12 and 23 months after implementation of an electronic documentation system. A work classification tool was used by an observer to record documentation activities being performed on paper or on a computer by the caregivers. Results. When compared with the proportion of time caregivers spent on documentation in the preimplementation period, personal carers’ proportion reduced at three months after implementation. The proportion increased from six months and then dropped at 23 months. Recreational activity officers’ proportion increased at three months after implementation. It stabilised at six months and increased again at 12 months. At 23 months, the proportion returned to the preimplementation level. Less than half of the caregivers’ time on documentation after implementation was associated with computer‐related tasks. Conclusions. Introduction of an electronic documentation system may not necessarily lead to efficiency in documentation for the caregivers. Charting some information items on paper and others on a computer may hinder realization of documentation efficiency. Relevance to clinical practice. To optimise the efficiency benefit of electronic documentation in a residential aged care facility, it is not only necessary to automate all nursing forms but also to ensure that the system is aligned with caregivers’ documentation practice. Continuous education and mentor support is essential to ensure caregivers’ effective usage of the electronic system.

Suggested Citation

  • Esther N Munyisia & Ping Yu & David Hailey, 2012. "The impact of an electronic nursing documentation system on efficiency of documentation by caregivers in a residential aged care facility," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 21(19pt20), pages 2940-2948, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:jocnur:v:21:y:2012:i:19pt20:p:2940-2948
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2012.04157.x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2012.04157.x
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2012.04157.x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:jocnur:v:21:y:2012:i:19pt20:p:2940-2948. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://doi.org/10.1111/(ISSN)1365-2702 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.