According to a study in the year 2013, those nurses who reported optimism as one of their traits were more expected to enjoy using the EHR technology. After gathering personality information from 665 nurses, researchers in Taiwan came to the conclusion that those employees who had positive attitude towards EHR technology were more likely to adopt the mobile EHR system.

Technological readiness index (TRI) was used by the researchers based on 36 personality traits in order to find out how the mental state of the nurse can influence their ability to adopt new health IT systems implemented in their workplaces. The factors which most influenced nurse’s work with EHRs daily include innovativeness, uneasiness with technology, insecurity about purpose of technology and its usefulness.

Nurses with positive views about technology were more expected to believe that the technology they were using could be used as a tool rather than a burden. Those participants who believed themselves to be more original were likely to explore the functionalities of EHR software and its related products. However those nurses that were pessimistic and feel insecure and uncomfortable regarding the EHRs were more likely to be frustrated and make mistakes while using the EHRs that can compromise the patient safety.

The study help practice managers to better assist their staff members adopt new EHR technology. Rather than providing training which is expensive and time consuming, managers can identify those staff members that are more in need of training while letting the more tech savvy nurses use the system. Doing so can help save time and resources. Thus it is suggested that hospitals and practices should recruit nurses that are more inclined towards health IT technology.


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