Nurses are the highest users of health information systems (HIS) within hospitals. Emergent evidence suggests that HIS may afford a solution for efficient, reliable, and safe care delivery. However, evidence specific to oncology nurses’ experiences of using HIS are limited.
 
 Aim

The systematic review was aimed to identify oncology nurses’ experiences of using HIS in the delivery of cancer care.
 
 Review Question

What are the experiences of oncology nurses using HIS in the delivery of cancer care?
 
 Method

An integrative systematic review was conducted using the PRIMSA guidelines. Electronic databases included: CINAHL, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Web of Science Core Collection, Google scholar, OVID, ProQuest Central and hand searching of reference lists. Titles, abstracts and full-texts were reviewed independently by two reviewers using eligibility criteria. Methodological quality assessment on included studies, and narrative synthesis were performed.

Results: 26 studies were included and represented 1464 nurse participants. Three themes emerged: 1) transparency and application of nursing process within HIS, 2) HIS enhancing and facilitating communication between nurses and patients, 3) the impact of HIS on elements of person-centred care. The HIS focused on assessment, diagnosis, and planning. However, insight into intervention and patient outcome were limited.
 
 Conclusion 

Digital systems don’t fully capture all elements of the nursing process, and this has been confirmed in this review. Future research need to focus on the impact of HIS on nursing processes and patient outcome.
 
 Significance

The findings can contribute to the growing work around HIS. Importantly, increase awareness among health care leaders of the current challenges from HIS to ensure better support for nurses.

 

Delilah M Shelley1, Catherine Paterson3,5, Deborah Davis2,5, Kasia Bail4, Rebecca Heland6
 
 

1.     University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, 2617

2.     Midwifery Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, 2617

3.     Nursing Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, 2617

4.     Nursing and Midwifery Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, 2617

5.     Synergy Nursing and Midwifery Research, Garran, ACT, 2605 

6.     ACT Health Directorate, Phillip, ACT, 2606