NR 512 Week 6 Discussion

NR 512 Week 6 Discussion

Student Name

Chamberlain University

NR-512: Fundamentals of Nursing Informatics

Prof. Name:

Date

Electronic Health Records in Healthcare Education

Electronic health records (EHRs) have become an integral part of healthcare systems across the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 80% of office-based physician offices utilize some form of EHR (Schaeffer, 2015). Additionally, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) reported that as of 2014, 76% of hospitals had a basic EHR system, while 97% possessed certified EHR technology (ONC, 2015). Given the increasing complexity of healthcare and the advancements in health information technology, it is essential for nursing and medical students to receive proper training in EHR use. However, research indicates a lack of adequate EHR training in medical and nursing education, raising concerns among nurse educators regarding students’ preparedness to use these systems in clinical practice. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) emphasizes informatics as a core competency required for all healthcare providers, yet the nursing profession has lagged in incorporating informatics into education and practice (Chung & Cho, 2017; Pobocik, 2014).

Despite the widespread adoption of EHRs, many nursing programs continue to train students using paper-based documentation methods, including progress notes, nursing care plans, and flow sheets. Similarly, medical students often lack exposure to EHR systems before entering their residency programs. Access to EHR training is inconsistent across institutions, with some medical schools offering training while others do not (Schaeffer, 2015). This inconsistency in health information technology education has significant implications for both educational programs and future employers. To bridge this gap, medical and nursing schools should integrate academic EHR systems and health information technology into their curricula. Providing students with access to these tools enhances their ability to make informed clinical decisions, improves their understanding of medical conditions, facilitates effective communication and collaboration with other healthcare providers, and supports the evaluation of patient responses to treatment (Chung & Cho, 2017).

The primary objective of EHR implementation is to improve communication among healthcare providers, enhance patient safety, reduce costs, and optimize healthcare outcomes. Ultimately, the goal of medical and nursing education programs is to produce graduates who can deliver safe and efficient patient care. As a future nurse educator, incorporating informatics into training programs will be a priority to ensure that students and new graduates have access to the necessary resources for developing competencies in EHR use. By doing so, students will be better prepared to transition into clinical practice and contribute effectively to patient care in an increasingly digital healthcare environment.

Table: Electronic Health Records in Healthcare Education

References

Chung, J., & Cho, I. (2017). The need for academic electronic health record systems in nurse education. Nurse Education Today, 54, 83-88.

Pobocik, T. (2014). Using an educational electronic documentation system to help nursing students accurately identify patient data. International Journal of Nursing Knowledge, 26(1), 26-34.

Schaeffer, J. (2015). An academic approach to EHR training. For the Record, 27(5), 24-27.

NR 512 Week 6 Discussion

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. (2015). Adoption of the electronic health record systems among U.S. non-federal acute care hospitals. Retrieved from https://www.healthit.gov/sites