Influence of Nursing Informatics on Decision Making and Documentation of Nursing Practice In 37 Military Hospital

Abstract

Nursing informatics has shown significant potential in improving healthcare delivery by reducing human errors, enhancing patient outcomes, and streamlining care coordination. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) report has led to increased adoption of health information technology, which positively impacts patient safety. Therefore, this study assessed the influence of nursing informatics on nursing practice (decision-making and documentation) sin 37 Military Hospital. The study utilized a descriptive cross-sectional design. A total sample of 217 nurses were selected for the study using a simple random sampling technique. Data collection was done using a structured questionnaire, and analyzed using SPSS version 27. The study results show that 49.8% of nurses rated the healthcare facility's IT infrastructure average, with 55.3% of nursing staff having access to computers for documentation and 90.8% receiving training. 57.1% of nurses demonstrated high nursing informatics competency, while 42.9% had low competency. The study also revealed a strong correlation between nursing informatics and nursing decision making (r = 0.754, p < 0.001) and nursing documentation (r = 0.751, p < 0.001). Challenges faced in the use of nursing informatics tools include limited access to up-to-date technology (65.9%), time constraints (65.4%), inadequate resources for continuous professional development in informatics (77.9%), resistance from colleagues (68.7%), absence of standardized protocols for data documentation (74.7%), inadequate technical support and troubleshooting resources (68.2%), the need for constant software updates and system (77.9%), and inconsistencies in data input and retrieval processes (68.7%). Addressing challenges such as limited resources, time constraints, and resistance to informatics adoption can foster a more supportive environment for nurses to integrate informatics into their daily practices. Strengthening data security and confidentiality protocols, along with offering adequate technical support, can further optimize the integration of nursing informatics into clinical decision-making and documentation.