Why Nurse EHR Satisfaction Is Dropping & What to Do About It

Nurses form the backbone of our healthcare system. Overstressed and underappreciated, nurses work tirelessly to support doctors and provide patients with labor-intensive care 24 hours a day.

As if the job wasn’t challenging enough, all is not well in the world of nursing. A recent report from Healthcare IT News triggered alarm bells by suggesting that up to 90% of nurses have considered leaving the profession within a year.

EHR satisfaction among nurses has also been falling fast—a trend exemplified by the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association. Citing “outdated, inefficient, and manual workflows” as primary culprits, surveyed nurses frequently gave EHR usability an “F” rating.

In other words, not only are nurses unhappy with their work, but they are also dissatisfied with the solutions that are supposed to make their workloads more manageable.

With so many nurses feeling negatively towards their careers and the technology they use daily, now is the time to invest in specialty EHR software. If your organization isn’t taking steps to ease the burden on nurses, you may risk losing talent amidst this wave of exhaustion sweeping the profession.

Read More: Specialty EHRs: Why You Shouldn’t Settle for Anything Else

Navigating Nursing Burnout & Shortages

The nursing field finds itself under immense pressure. Aging demographics produce more health problems in the patient population and fewer healthcare professionals to treat them. Healthcare IT News reports that this skilled labor shortage has compounding effects on nursing.

For example, 43% of hospitals find themselves short of technicians, leaving leftover cleaning, clerical, and administrative responsibilities to the remaining nursing staff. Patient-to-nurse staffing ratios go up, timely access to care goes down, and for many, inefficient workflows plague what is a demanding job, even under ideal circumstances.

Data from the American Associate of Colleges of Nursing suggest the educational infrastructure to onboard thousands of additional nurses in the short term does not exist. It may take years to expand nursing school capacity, boost enrollment, and train a sufficient quantity of nurses to meet demands, and the problem does not appear to be solvable soon.

In fact, experts suggest that there could be a shortage of up to one million nurses by the end of 2022. With so many factors converging on the medical system at once, it’s no wonder that burnout is reaching record highs.

As patience runs dry and resources stretch thin, hospitals, practices, and clinics are turning to technology solutions, like specialty EHR, to ease the burden on nurses and improve care.

Improve Nursing Satisfaction With a Specialty EHR

For now, healthcare technology can plug holes in the system using the latest solutions. With the proper EHR implementation, for example, studies from the Mayo Clinic have shown that burnout rates improve by 3% for each point an EHR increases on a usability scale. Likewise, other studies show that a great EHR can decrease nursing turnover by as much as 15%.

While promising, not any EHR system will deliver results. As suggested, poor EHR platforms may make the problem worse! Organizations struggling with low staff and exhausted nurses will want a specialty EHR system designed from the ground up to excel in their field to experience the best outcomes.

Specialty EHRs Improve Workflows & Reduces Stress in Nursing

The only thing better than a great tech solution is a tech solution specialized for your specific industry. Specialty EHR software combines the general benefits of modern tech with the particular features your organization needs to succeed.

Like wearing a tailor-made suit versus one straight off-the-rack, specialty EHR can accomplish everything a standard EHR system can, only better. Besides having the right tools for the job, you’ll also need top-tier features out of the box that will take your team to new heights, including:

24/7 Support

Access to a dedicated support team could mean the difference between success and failure. When answers to pressing IT questions are a mere phone call away, a productive conversation may ease your nurses' frustration.

Easy Implementation & Training

When your goal is to reduce stress and improve performance, it’s essential to pick an EHR system that’s easy to implement. The best EHR solutions offer installation help to ensure that your EHR is appropriately installed and your team is equipped with the proper tools that work as advertised.

Even if your EHR is operating correctly, some nurses struggle with EHR systems because they aren’t comfortable using them. Training opportunities may go a long way for those having trouble mastering the software. Investigate whether the EHR solution you have or are considering offers training, and be sure your nurses can take advantage of that training when it’s available.

Mobile EHR

EHR platforms with mobile capabilities allow providers and nurses to perform tasks remotely, on the go, or from their preferred devices. With so many healthcare responsibilities being performed outside of direct patient care, having the option to get things done when and where it’s convenient with mobile EHR is a game-changing benefit for nurses.

A great mobile EHR app will increase your nurses’ capacity to perform their duties and make those duties easier. By bringing EHR functionality to a smartphone or tablet, they expand the ease and accessibility of accomplishing work in and out of the office. Tedious effort adds up over the days, months, and years—even a few simplifications can make all the difference!

Messaging System

Great communication is the foundation of a productive office. Poor communication is a leading factor in nurse dissatisfaction. Integrated messaging systems allow your staff to communicate directly across units and teams on a secure network, making coordination easy.

Speech-to-Text Capabilities

42% of nurses surveyed said their paperwork load was burdensome and reported that repetitive manual tasks, like excessive writing, contribute to burnout. Speech-to-text functionality lets your nurses put down the pen and create digital records with the sound of their voices. Once digitized, your specialized EHR will automatically integrate speech-to-text notes into your system for use or reference at a later date.

Read More: 3 Tech Solutions Your Healthcare Practice Should Invest In Now

Enjoy These Specialty EHR Features and More With IMS

Give your nursing staff the tools they deserve with a specialty EHR that’s proven to streamline workflows, boost efficiency, and offer the support healthcare providers need to deliver excellent patient care.

If you’re interested in specialty EHR, look no further than Meditab’s industry-leading EHR platform: Intelligent Medical Software (IMS). Whether you work in cosmetic, allergy, FQHC, fertility, or any of our 40+ specialties, IMS can deliver the ultimate EHR experience and ensure your nurses remain satisfied for years to come.