Keywords

Technology assessment, nursing information systems

 

Authors

  1. Manning, Judith RN, MA, FRCNA
  2. McConnell, Edwina A. RN, PhD, FRCNA

Abstract

Nursing information systems are computer systems that enable nurses to collect, manipulate, store, retrieve, display, and communicate data to administer nursing services and resources, manage nursing practice to improve patient care, and advance nursing knowledge. Selection and implementation of a nursing information system require a clear vision of the need for the system, careful planning, and astute forward thinking. Technology assessment provides a framework for generating pragmatic questions that can be used in systematically evaluating nursing information systems. This article provides a brief overview of nursing information systems, explains the technology assessment framework, and gives examples of question useful in evaluating a nursing information system.