Introduction of patient electronic medical records (EMR) into undergraduate nursing education : An integrated literature review

Background
To prepare student nurses for clinical practice where patient electronic medical records (EMR) competence is required, nursing undergraduate curricula must provide simulation access to developing this skill set. At this stage, however, the integration of electronic documentation into the Australian undergraduate nursing curriculum has been piecemeal.

Aim

The aim of this integrated literature review was to identify benefits and challenges for faculty nursing staff and nursing students in relation to the integration, use and evaluation of EMR in an undergraduate nursing program.

Methods
A systematic search of relevant peer-reviewed research and project report articles was conducted in the electronic databases. Generic qualitative thematic analysis was then undertaken with themes generated from the data itself.

Results
Fifty eight articles were identified, of these 23 were found to meet the inclusion criteria. Three major themes were identified: 1) Advantages of using EMR in academic settings, 2) Identified Challenges and Limitations of EMR programs; and 3) Developing an academic EMR program and implementing EMR education program in stages. All papers acknowledged that EMR will be standard in healthcare and should be viewed as an ‘essential tool’ for inclusion in undergraduate nursing programs.

Conclusion and implications for practice
There is a significant increase of electronic technology in healthcare settings, especially relating to patient documentation. Therefore, teaching the use of EMR in the simulated clinical learning environment for new healthcare providers such as nursing students is essential. The papers reviewed identified an urgent need for higher education nursing programs to support undergraduate nursing students and faculty staff to ensure EMR can be implemented effectively into the undergraduate nursing curriculum.