Roger's Theory as a Nurse Facilitator Paper Example

Nurses are in most cases a significant part of any healthcare organization. If a hospital can gain the support of the nurses as soon as possible on Electronic medical records, the more successful the implementation process will be. The explanation of critical factors such as the ability to integrate systems including medical, pharmacy and lab reports into one system and the effectiveness of quick retrieval of clinical data is an essential factor for gaining the acceptance of the nurses. Typically, workers are resistant to changes, particularly adopting new technology in the workplace and thus they need to be fully supported and guided in realizing the benefits of switching from the old technology to new technology (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2015). Thus, preparing the nurses and helping them attain the advantages of the EHRs system in the hospital is very crucial before its full implementation.

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The meeting agenda includes what an EHR, the purpose of its adoption, the benefits for its usage, as well as questions and suggestions that nurses would like to see involved in the technology format is. One of the qualities identified by Rodgers (2003) is the relative advantage. Relative advantage is the extent to which a new invention is more advantageous to the users compared to the existing product. The adoption rate of new technology is subject to its relative advantage as viewed by its prospective users. Thus, in preparing the nurses for the EHRs system, it will be of great importance to show them the benefits of moving from paperwork to electronic systems such as better patient care, financial incentives, increased efficiency, and productivity, increased health care quality, and reduced paperwork as well as fewer storage issues.

I will discuss the hospitals' plan approach; the certified EHR system selected, the training implementation process that includes the installation and the "go live" pilot testing process, everyday use of the system and the reassessment of its benefits. It is also essential to evaluate nurses safety and patient quality goals to ensure ongoing improved workflows and functionality. Successful adoption of new technology will be reviewed using dashboards and other tools to list comprehensive analysis and any gaps to improve. Tracking how the staff uses the EHRs assist will assist in addressing any training issues. Thus, involving the nurses and demonstrating to them the benefits that may come with adopting the EHRs system will help in gaining their acceptance more quickly. Conversely, I will explain to them the relative advantage of adopting EHRS over the old paperwork system, and if they show any resistance, I will further elaborate to them the benefits of the new technology.

It is essential for the nurses to be aware of the manner in which new technology will align with the existing practices of the organization. EHRs are tools of change, which involves treating a patient at a given period the best a nurse can, to embracing value-based policies to benefit each person, and valuing patients who require the attention. Therefore, conducting the meeting with the nurses, it will be an opportunity to show how the EHRs will be able to integrate the current practices in the hospital to enhance effectiveness and productivity rather than replacing them.

Simplicity is closely associated with quality; evidently, the EHRs complexity has created a perception in which many healthcare providers view it as a rigid and overly complicated tool that may take many years to master. As a result, nurses are reluctant and resistance to adopting the EHRs system. In the meeting, I will explain the benefits of successful implementation of the electronic health record including the reduction in medication errors, the ability to monitor and capture the advancement of disease processes, increased use of evidence-based care practices, and lastly a cost benefit. Computer documentation helps in reducing documentation discrepancies, as the interface prompts the nurse on clear, and concise medical components to chart, resulting in a complete medical record and picture that multi-disciplines can utilize in the treatment of the patient.

Moreover, in the meeting, I will give the nurses the opportunity to try the new technology. As the nurse facilitator at the stage, together I work with the nursing staff to provide scholarly articles on electronic medical records, its successful adoption, and different formats used in the inpatient setting. Experimentation with small segments of information before the implementation will help the nurses become familiar with it and as a result, reduce their anxiety and risk perception. Therefore, if the nurses get a chance of testing the technology by experimenting it, they will be able to learn how it works and as well be able to inquire for clarifications where they face challenges. Besides, they will practically experience the functional aspects of the system that will instill confidence in using the new system.

Conclusion

Experimentation with the EHR system, nurses, will be able to observe how it works and get the results. People are more likely to adopt an innovation where its results are easily visible and self-explanatory. Therefore, by testing the EHRs systems with the nurses, they will be able to see its outcomes, and this will reduce their resistance to adoption. Overall, nurses are primary change agents in hospital settings through facilitating the practice of new technologies (Abdrbo, 2015). Nurses have in-depth knowledge that may affect the process of change, and they are crucial in enabling positive effects of implementing new technology. Where the nurses have an understanding of the process of decision-making and the sharing of various innovation adoption rates in a given population facilitates them in addressing influential factors that affect the process of implementation.

Works Cited

Abdrbo, Amany Ahmed. "Nursing Informatics Competencies among Nursing Students and Their Relationship to Patient Safety Competencies." CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, vol. 33, no. 11, 2015, pp. 509-514., doi:10.1097/cin.0000000000000197.

McGonigle, Dee, and Kathleen Garver Mastrian. Nursing Informatics and the Foundation of Knowledge. Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2015.

Rogers, Everett M. Diffusion of Innovation. The Free Press, 2003.