Nurses’ Perceptions on the Usability of Electronic Health Records: A Scoping Review

Introduction: Electronic health records (EHRs) are designed to enhance the efficiency and quality of nursing workflows and documentation. EHR usability refers to how effectively the system supports users to accomplish their work tasks. However, the understanding of nurses’ perceptions of EHRs usabi...

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Main Authors: Sarah Jane Moore, Anna Garnett, Kelly Mason, Eunice Onigbinde, Halyna Yurkiv
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Réseau de recherche en interventions en sciences infirmières du Québec (RRISIQ) 2025-03-01
Series:Science of Nursing and Health Practices
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Online Access:https://sips-snahp.ojs.umontreal.ca/index.php/sips-snahp/article/view/130
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author Sarah Jane Moore
Anna Garnett
Kelly Mason
Eunice Onigbinde
Halyna Yurkiv
author_facet Sarah Jane Moore
Anna Garnett
Kelly Mason
Eunice Onigbinde
Halyna Yurkiv
author_sort Sarah Jane Moore
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Electronic health records (EHRs) are designed to enhance the efficiency and quality of nursing workflows and documentation. EHR usability refers to how effectively the system supports users to accomplish their work tasks. However, the understanding of nurses’ perceptions of EHRs usability in inpatient settings is limited. Objective: Examine the available literature on nurses’ perceptions of EHRs usability in these settings.  Methods: This scoping review was guided by the Arksey and O’Malley (2005) methodology and methodological steps of the Joana Brigs Institute (Peters et al., 2015). Search terms included combinations of synonyms for nurses, perceptions, and EHRs usability. Eligible sources of data were primary research studies published in English between January 1, 2013, and July 1, 2024, and extracted from PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus databases. Inclusion criteria targeted Registered Nurses and Registered Practical Nurses in inpatient hospital settings in North America, Europe and Australia. Findings were presented descriptively and thematically using a narrative analysis. Results: Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria. The narrative synthesis generated five themes: 1) ease of information accessibility; 2) nursing workflow challenges; 3) EHR design, technical issues, interoperability; 4) impact of the EHR on the nurse-patient relationship, and 5) user training. Nurses identified factors that positively impacted EHRs usability, such as real-time access to patient information in one location, the ability to view patterns and trends in patient status, and improved interprofessional collaboration, but they shared disproportionally negative perceptions of EHRs usability. Discussion and Conclusion: Future research should focus on addressing these challenges to optimize EHR design, enhance training strategies, and improve system interoperability, ultimately supporting nursing workflows and enhancing patient care quality.
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spelling doaj-art-c2ef041e75ec46c88fcbc392f78901062025-08-20T03:44:04ZengRéseau de recherche en interventions en sciences infirmières du Québec (RRISIQ)Science of Nursing and Health Practices2561-75162025-03-0110.62212/snahp.130Nurses’ Perceptions on the Usability of Electronic Health Records: A Scoping ReviewSarah Jane Moore0https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3635-795XAnna Garnett1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7111-8602Kelly Mason2Eunice Onigbinde3Halyna Yurkiv4https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2193-2977Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, Ontario, CanadaArthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, Ontario, CanadaArthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, Ontario, CanadaArthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, Ontario, CanadaArthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, Ontario, Canada Introduction: Electronic health records (EHRs) are designed to enhance the efficiency and quality of nursing workflows and documentation. EHR usability refers to how effectively the system supports users to accomplish their work tasks. However, the understanding of nurses’ perceptions of EHRs usability in inpatient settings is limited. Objective: Examine the available literature on nurses’ perceptions of EHRs usability in these settings.  Methods: This scoping review was guided by the Arksey and O’Malley (2005) methodology and methodological steps of the Joana Brigs Institute (Peters et al., 2015). Search terms included combinations of synonyms for nurses, perceptions, and EHRs usability. Eligible sources of data were primary research studies published in English between January 1, 2013, and July 1, 2024, and extracted from PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus databases. Inclusion criteria targeted Registered Nurses and Registered Practical Nurses in inpatient hospital settings in North America, Europe and Australia. Findings were presented descriptively and thematically using a narrative analysis. Results: Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria. The narrative synthesis generated five themes: 1) ease of information accessibility; 2) nursing workflow challenges; 3) EHR design, technical issues, interoperability; 4) impact of the EHR on the nurse-patient relationship, and 5) user training. Nurses identified factors that positively impacted EHRs usability, such as real-time access to patient information in one location, the ability to view patterns and trends in patient status, and improved interprofessional collaboration, but they shared disproportionally negative perceptions of EHRs usability. Discussion and Conclusion: Future research should focus on addressing these challenges to optimize EHR design, enhance training strategies, and improve system interoperability, ultimately supporting nursing workflows and enhancing patient care quality. https://sips-snahp.ojs.umontreal.ca/index.php/sips-snahp/article/view/130Electronic Health Recordsnursesusabilityinpatient settings
spellingShingle Sarah Jane Moore
Anna Garnett
Kelly Mason
Eunice Onigbinde
Halyna Yurkiv
Nurses’ Perceptions on the Usability of Electronic Health Records: A Scoping Review
Science of Nursing and Health Practices
Electronic Health Records
nurses
usability
inpatient settings
title Nurses’ Perceptions on the Usability of Electronic Health Records: A Scoping Review
title_full Nurses’ Perceptions on the Usability of Electronic Health Records: A Scoping Review
title_fullStr Nurses’ Perceptions on the Usability of Electronic Health Records: A Scoping Review
title_full_unstemmed Nurses’ Perceptions on the Usability of Electronic Health Records: A Scoping Review
title_short Nurses’ Perceptions on the Usability of Electronic Health Records: A Scoping Review
title_sort nurses perceptions on the usability of electronic health records a scoping review
topic Electronic Health Records
nurses
usability
inpatient settings
url https://sips-snahp.ojs.umontreal.ca/index.php/sips-snahp/article/view/130
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