Background: Computerization and the automation of nursing practice have evolved discretely
and concurrently in this local health authority. During the early years when computers were first
introduced into the clinical areas, computer technology was deployed with lilLIe or no
consideration of the relationship between nurses and their requirements for access to
information. With limited education and training, computer adoption rates among nurses have
varied and havc not yct achieved the desired level of uptake to optimize the use ofcomputer
technology in nursing practice.
Aim: The purposc of this grounded theory research study was to gain a theoretical understanding
about how nurses' understand and manage computer integration in their clinical practice.
Method: Grounded Theory methods were used to examine the data acquired through semistructured
interviews of 12 RN participants, currently practicing in two acute care, tertiary
hospitals. Using the constant-comparative method of analysis, all data wcre collected and
analyzed concurrently. Memo-writing was used extensively throughout the data collection and
analysis process to further analyze and engage with the data.
Findings: The findings demonstrate that nurses experience the integration of computers in their
practice with varying spccds and degrees of adoption. They all engaged in the social process
identified in this thesis as "Developing a Relationship with the Computer in Nursing Practice".
Conditions and contingencies such as Prior Experiences contribute 10 the nurses' ability to
Synthesize Values in their practice. Synthesizing Values is a process that requires nurses to
identify and acknowledge their practice values in relation to the integration of computer
technology in the context of patient care. The extent to which the nurse is able to synthesize
values, detcnnincs herlhis ability to realize the benefits of integrating computer technology and
subsequently manage the barriers. The extent to which nurses realize benefits and manage the barriers further defines whether they, "adopt", "adapt" or "ignore" the computer technology.
This process is continuous and dynamic. As the nurses engage in new experiences associated
with computerization, their acknowledgment of and ability to synthesize values and thus to
realize benefits and/or manage the barriers becomes that much more infonned. Ln the end, the
nurse may transition from a stale of"ignoring" to a stale of ,'adopting" depending on the
outcome of her or his ability 10 realize benefits and manage the barriers.
Conclusions: The participants in this study illuminated the importance of the organization
attending to a diverse nursing community whcn introducing computer technology in their
respective practice environments. Consideration of nurses' prior experiences particularly in the
areas of computer experiences, bio-medical technology experiences, leaming, organizational
discourses and professional discourses, will better inform future computerization initiatives
requiring computer adoption and the inclusion of related clinical information systems. The
participants in this study reveal the basic social process of DEVELOPING A
RELATIONSHJP WITH THE COMPUTER IN NURSING PRACTICE when confronted
with computerization in their practice. / Graduate
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uvic.ca/oai:dspace.library.uvic.ca:1828/3591 |
| Date | 11 October 2011 |
| Creators | Cross, Barbara L. |
| Contributors | MacDonald, Marjorie |
| Source Sets | University of Victoria |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Available to the World Wide Web |
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