Effect of a nursing information system on the quality of information processing in nursing: An evaluation study using the HIS-monitor instrument

OBJECTIVES To assess the changes in the quality of information processing in nursing after the introduction of a computer-based nursing information system. METHODS 94 nurses filled out the HIS-monitor survey, comprising 41 questions and focusing on the quality of the information processing, shortly before and again one year after the introduction of a computer-based nursing information system. A McNemar-Bowker-test was used to assess the changes in quality over time. The HIS-monitor instrument was formally validated by calculating Cronbach Alpha. RESULTS Despite some technical problems, the quality of the information processing in nursing significantly improved after the introduction of a computer-based nursing information system in many areas. The results show improved support during patient anamnesis and care planning, higher availability and completeness of nursing documentation, better overview on the patient, better readability of nursing documentation, reduction of duplicate documentation, better workflow support with task lists and checklists, and better fulfillment of the legal regulations. The results with regard to time efforts for nursing documentation and the related impact on patient care were mixed, however. Most of the expectations of the nurses that were stated before IT introduction seem to have been realized. CONCLUSIONS The HIS-monitor was found to be a useful instrument, in turn showing that the quality of the information processing in nursing strongly increased after the introduction of a nursing information system.