Tietojärjestelmät lähihoitajien työn tukena eri toimintaympäristöissä: kokemuksia tuotemerkeittäin 2022

Authors

• Tuulikki Vehko Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki
• Johanna Ikonen University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio
• Maiju Kyytsönen Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki
• Samuli Koponen University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio
• Ulla-Mari Kinnunen University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio
• Kaija Saranto University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23996/fjhw.125395

Keywords:

information systems, medical records systems, user-computer interface, licensed practical nurses, nursing, surveys and questionnaires

Abstract

Information systems are supposed to support client work and nursing. The study examines the extent to which different client information systems and electronic health records support the work of practical nurses in different work environments. Moreover, the study produced brand-specific information about user experiences related to the some of the strategic goals of Finnish eHealth and eSocial Strategy and to support the development of information systems.

The data collection for the practical nurses was conducted for the first time in spring 2022 as a part of the project ‘Monitoring and assessment of social welfare and health care information system services (STePS 3.0)’ that provide information on the achievement of the national strategy for information management. An electronic survey was directed at the working-age members of trade unions [the Finnish Federation of Local and Basic Caregivers (SuPer); the Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors (JHL)]. The survey was answered by 3,866 practical nurses, and most of them worked in social services.

The average ratings of the system brands ranged from moderate (6) to good (8) on the scale from fail (4) to excellent (10). The practical nurses most often considered the benefit of the information systems to be found in the support they provided in regard to the continuity of care and quality of care. Regardless of the system brand, the shared experience was that the information systems take up too much working time. Summary views were only at a fairly good or weak level for many of the system brands. It was common that the same issue had to be documented in several places: in social care the range was 51−61%, in public hospitals 61−72%, in community health centre 60−73% and in private sector 47−73%.

The study produced brand-specific information on user experiences to support systems development work in future. In development work, it is important to consider the different working environments. The experience of practical nurses that information systems take up too much time from client work should be taken into consideration. All possibilities to streamline practices related to documentation and work processes within the organization and counties should take to account.