Congress Abstracts 2006

130

HELPING NURSES UTILIZE COMPUTER-BASED APPLICATIONS. Karen Lipshires, RN, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA.

Use of computer-based applications is becoming common in the oncology setting. The increasing numbers of oncology patients being treated in the ambulatory setting require that providers be adept with tools that support their practice. Such applications can include Computerized Order Entry, Electronic Medical Record, protocol documents libraries, e-mail systems, patient tracking and scheduling software, and electronically created and stored teaching tools. Many of the nurses in the Infusion Unit obtained formal education and began their practice prior to the routine use of electronic information systems. Literature review reveals that many nurses admit to lacking skills necessary to fully utilize the applications available thus creating a need for computer based mentoring in the clinical setting.

The purpose of the mentoring position is to bridge the gap between the use of computer based application in caring for the patient and nurses now practicing in an electronic environment. Having this position embedded within the infusion unit allows for a comprehensive understanding of the unique workflow considerations. Requirements for the position were a nurse with oncology experience and an expertise with clinical applications. Initially, the role involved participation on the team responsible for creating the computer-based chemotherapy ordering templates. The role has evolved to include providing much of the computer application education, participation in quality improvement initiatives, and participation in enhancement development.

Unit leadership identifies core computer competencies for new employees. Teaching methods utilize Knowles theory of adult learning. Individualized hands-on instruction, reinforced with computer based training modules, is the primary method of education for new hires and new applications. PowerPoint presentations and lecture-style demonstrations are used to help familiarize nurses with the enhancements.

Infusion Unit nurses increasingly identify opportunities to utilize computer applications to support their practice. Increased recognition, increased utilization, and expansion of the role reflect the effectiveness of such a mentoring position.

A unit-based nursing informatics role can provide education and support to clinicians in the ambulatory oncology setting. In addition, by working closely with oncology providers, the informatics nurse can facilitate the feedback process and bring the voice of the end-user to the development setting.