Awareness and use of electronic medical records system among nurses at National Hospital, Abuja

Abstract

Background/Objectives: This study investigates the awareness and use of Electronic Medical Records (EMR)systems among Nurses working with National Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria. Electronic Medical Records systems havebecome essential in modern healthcare for improving patient care, reducing medical errors and enhancing dataaccessibility and storage. Despite these benefits, the adoption and effective utilization of EMR systems remainchallenging in many healthcare settings. Methods/Design: The study employed a descriptive survey design, whichhas to do with the collection of data from a representative sample of nurses working at various levels and differentspecialties in National Hospital, Abuja. Key variables explored include the level of awareness, frequency of use,perceived benefits and challenges associated with EMR system utilization. Results: Findings indicate a high levelof awareness among the nurses, but varying levels of use, largely influenced by factors such as training, systemus ability, and technical support. Major barriers identified include lack of comprehensive training, insufficienttechnical infrastructure and limited access to support resources. Conclusion: The study concludes with recommendations for targeted interventions to improve EMR training and support to enhance system adoption andefficiency. Enhanced EMR utilization is expected to promote accurate, timely, and integrated healthcare services,ultimately contributing to improved patient outcomes at National Hospital, Abuja.Keywords: Electronic medical records; Nursing informatics; Health information technologies; Health outcome;Patient safetyEdited by IT Adeleke; submitte