Since 2009, when the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act provided financial incentives to healthcare providers for implementing EHRs, the availability, affordability and reliability of EHRs has improved dramatically. And, hospitals and other facilities have been making substantial upgrades to their EHR systems in recent years. So why are so many nurses unhappy about their EHRs?
According to KLAS Research, 49% of the 75,000 nurses they interviewed between 2021 and 2023 said they were dissatisfied with their EHR usage experience, particularly with new systems. Insufficient training, they said, was a primary culprit. Forty-two percent said their initial EHR training was not adequate, and 32% said their training wasn’t specific to their own workflows.
Healthcare IT consultancy Innovative has spent 20+ years in healthcare IT—and specifically in the EHR implementation and optimization space. As such, we know that it is critical for hospitals and clinics to spend the time and resources necessary to not only drive nurse adoption but also their satisfaction. When nurses are able and willing to fully embrace the EHR system, hospitals reap the rewards—accurate documentation, more efficient workflows, reduced costs and higher quality patient care.
Innovative suggests these five best practices for successful EHR training for nurses and other care teams as well:
- Tailor Training to Specific Roles and Tasks:
Customize training programs based on the specific roles and responsibilities of various nursing positions. For example, the training for bedside nurses should focus on patient documentation and medication administration, while nurse managers might need more training on generating reports and data analysis. Consider multilingual training if necessary, too.
- Use Hands-On Training and Simulation:
Implement interactive, hands-on training sessions that allow nurses to practice using the EHR system in a controlled environment. Simulation exercises can help nurses become familiar with the system’s functionalities, troubleshoot common issues, and build confidence before they use the EHR in real life clinical settings.
- Incorporate Real-Life Scenarios and Case Studies:
Include real-life scenarios and case studies in the training to make it more relevant and practical. This approach helps nurses understand how the EHR system applies to their daily tasks and how to handle specific situations they might encounter in their practice.
- Provide Ongoing Support and Resources:
Ensure that support is available even after the initial training. This effort can include access to help desks, user manuals, video tutorials, and refresher courses. Continuous support helps nurses address issues as they arise and stay updated with any system changes or upgrades.
- Solicit Feedback and Evaluate Training Effectiveness:
Regularly gather feedback from nurses about the training process and the EHR’s usability. Use this feedback to make improvements to the training program. Additionally, evaluate the effectiveness of the training by monitoring key performance indicators such as documentation accuracy, user satisfaction, and workflow efficiency.
The key is to avoid the frustration factor. Trainers should remember that most nurses didn’t get into the profession because they like data and technology. They have to be brought along respectfully. By following these best practices, organizations can enhance the proficiency of their nursing staff in using EHR systems, leading to better patient care, less frustration, and more streamlined clinical operations.