Nurses’ competences in information management as well as experiences in health and social care information system support for daily practice

Authors

• Kaija Saranto Department of Health and Social Management, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio
• Ulla-Mari Kinnunen Department of Health and Social Management, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio
• Samuli Koponen Department of Health and Social Management, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio
• Maiju Kyytsönen Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki
• Hannele Hyppönen Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki
• Tuulikki Vehko Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23996/fjhw.95711

Keywords:

information systems, nurses [http://www.yso.fi/onto/yso/p8452], surveys, questionnaire survey [http://www.yso.fi/onto/yso/p10631], competence [http://www.yso.fi/onto/yso/p24064]

Abstract

A nationwide survey of nurses’ experiences on the use of patient and client information systems was surveyed for the second time. The aim of the study was to gather information for the status of the objectives of the Finnish eHealth and eSocial 2020 Strategy theme ‘Smart Systems for Capable Users’. The following study questions were set: How do health and social care information systems support nurses’ daily work, co-operation and information flow; how do nurses assess their present user experience, education, in-service training in operating methods and need for further education; and how useful do nurses regard patient and client information systems in their work or practice?

A modified electronic questionnaire, based on previous data collection from 2017, was sent by the Finnish Nurses Association, Tehy and AKAVA Nursing Professionals to their members in spring 2020. A total of 3,610 nurses, midwifes and public health nurses responded to the questionnaire. They worked in the public health and social sector as well in the private sector. Respondents were proficient users in patient and client information systems. The majority of them logged into the system daily at minimum, some even five times or more. Respondents were not satisfied with the support systems provided due to the long in-service training required. The information flow inside their own organisation was satisfactory, but the information exchange between nurses in other organisations as well as between nurses and patients caused dissatisfaction. The majority of respondents felt their basic knowledge and skills in information technology, their competencies in recording to systems, in the documentation of patient care in accordance with the nursing process, and their use of data protection and security principles were good or excellent in each work sector. More than half of the respondents did not express further education needs. However, they would like to have more in service-training at the outset of their employment. Each respondent felt that information systems support them to guarantee care continuity, improve care quality, and quicken care-related decision-making in each work sector. Respondents expressed doubt about the functionalities of the systems to compile summary views. As a conclusion, nurses have good or excellent competencies to use patient and client information systems, but in-service training is needed to support the changes in work processes related to digital services. Continuity of care, care quality and patient safety are key areas of advantages that information systems already provide.