Nurses’ Perceptions of Usefulness of Nursing Information System: Module of Electronic Medical Record for Patient Care in Two University Hospitals of Iran

INTRODUCTION For almost fifteen years, the application of computer in hospitals increasingly has become popular. Nurses' beliefs and attitudes towards computer is one of the most important indicators of the application of nursing information system. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of nurses on the usefulness of nursing information system for patient care. METHODS Here, a descriptive study was carried out. Sample was consisted of 316 nurses working in teaching hospitals in an urban area of Iran. This study was conducted during 2011 to 2012. A reliable and valid questionnaire was developed as a data collection tool. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS It was not believed that nursing information system was useful for patient care. However, it was mentioned that nursing information system is useful in some aspects of patient care such as expediting care, making early diagnosis and formulating diet plan. A significant association was found between the demographic background of sample and their perceptions of the usefulness of nursing information system (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Totally, it can be concluded that nursing information system has a potential for improving patient care in hospital settings. Therefore, policy makers should consider implementing nursing information system in teaching hospitals.