The Effects of Confidentiality on Nursing Self-Efficacy with Information Systems

The objective of this study is to gain an understanding of nurses’ perceptions of the confidentiality of computerized charts and determine if these perceptions influence nursing self-efficacy. A questionnaire was mailed to 600 hospital nursing staff just prior to the implementation of an integrated clinical and administrative hospital-wide information system. One hundred and thirty-nine questionnaires were returned for a response rate of 23%. The measurements consisted of perceived confidentiality, self-efficacy, self-reported technology use, self-assessed computer expertise, and attitude. We found that nurses recognize confidential information and that nurses do not think that computerized records are more or less confidential than paper records. Perceived confidentiality and self-efficacy are related. Because nurses that have lower self-efficacy also think that the data found in a computer is less confidential and that there is less of a need for confidentiality for computerized data, hospitals should take steps to improve self-efficacy by enhancing confidentiality training.