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Nursing: Benefits and Challenges of Electronic Health Records

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Nursing: Benefits and Challenges of Electronic Health Records

Abstract

The Informatics Nurse plays a vital role in training and educating healthcare professionals as they move from paper charting to employing an electronic health record system. According to Zandieh et al., (2008, p. 758) research demonstrates that one of the biggest challenges for moving from paper-based systems to EHR is the perceived skills of staff and their comfort level with a new computer system. The utilization of the Informatics Nurse in the delivery of new EHR initiatives is a critical component in providing a successful outcome for quality nursing care.
Nursing: Benefits and Challenges of Electronic Health Records

Introduction
According to Murphy (2010, p. 283) the Health Information Technology Act in 2009 has required Healthcare systems to implement the conversion of paper documentation to electronic health records. Throughout this process, the need for the role of the Informatics Nursing is growing. Many modalities including, but not limited to, standardizing records and computerizing patient data, all play key roles in the development of best practice. Although EHR, Electronic Health Record, will prove to be extremely beneficial, EHR presents new challenges to the nursing profession. One of these challenges is staff resistance and being able to provide sufficient technical training. This topic is of particular interest because of the EHR effects on the nursing practice. This challenge is relevant to Nursing Informatics because it impacts the efficacy of EHR for both Informatics Nursing and the nurses using the EHR system.

Electronic Health Record

Topic Availability The following articles were found primarily on Pubmed Central and on the EBSCO host at the Warren County Library. The main search topics used

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