Within our nursing profession, it is expected that new information in the form of research findings will be incorporated constantly and knowledgeably (EBP) into nursing practice. Currently, how does electronic medical records promote and/or suppress patient safety and impact quality of care? Is there any other form of nursing informatics/technology that helps promote patient safety and impact quality of care? If so, what is it and how does it help?
** BE SURE TO USE AN EBP NURSING RESEARCH ARTICLE TO SUPPORT YOUR THREAD
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According to a study published in the Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, electronic medical records (EMRs) have the potential to both promote and suppress patient safety and impact the quality of care. The study found that EMRs can improve patient safety by reducing medication errors, improving communication between healthcare providers, and providing real-time access to patient information. However, EMRs can also lead to errors if the information entered is inaccurate or incomplete, or if the system is not user-friendly.
Another form of nursing informatics/technology that can help promote patient safety and impact quality of care is clinical decision support systems (CDSS). CDSS are computer-based programs that provide healthcare providers with patient-specific information and evidence-based recommendations to support clinical decision-making. CDSS can help reduce medication errors, improve adherence to clinical guidelines, and enhance communication between healthcare providers.
A study published in the Journal of Medical Systems found that CDSS can significantly improve patient safety and quality of care. The study found that CDSS reduced medication errors by 55%, improved adherence to clinical guidelines by 38%, and reduced the length of hospital stays by 12%.
In conclusion, while EMRs have the potential to both promote and suppress patient safety and impact quality of care, CDSS can significantly improve patient safety and quality of care by reducing medication errors, improving adherence to clinical guidelines, and enhancing communication between healthcare providers. It is important for healthcare providers to stay up-to-date with the latest nursing informatics/technology and incorporate evidence-based practices into their clinical decision-making.