Abstract
As a result of smart automation and more interconnection, the Fourth Industrial Revolution
(4IR) has predicted rapid changes in industries, technology, and societal patterns and
procedures. The integration of technologies like artificial intelligence has transformed several
industries, including healthcare, with the potential to enhance patient care, hospital resource
efficiency, and quality of life. The global COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the need for sharing
health data in the interest of public health, and healthcare facilities have adopted electronic
documentation to enhance communication between healthcare providers. The hospital under
study adopted electronic patient records (EPRs) as documentation of care.
The purpose of the study was to gain an understanding of professional nurses’ experiences
of the transition from paper-based patient care to electronic-based patient care in the maternity
unit. Participants also provided recommendations for improving the system so that it has fewer
issues and supports developments in quality patient care with greater permanency and
sustainability. This study was conducted using a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive, and
contextual approach. Data were gathered through phenomenological, semi-structured,
individual interviews. Professional nurses in the maternity section who met the inclusion
criteria were sampled via purposeful snowball sampling. The data collected from each
interview were analysed using thematic analysis processes. Trustworthiness and ethical
principles of autonomy, beneficence and non-maleficence, and justice were also adhered to
throughout the study.
Three themes were identified from the results of the study. Theme 1: Participants experienced
the initial transition as difficult and drastic, but after the system’s implementation, they valued
the user-friendliness of the technology. Theme 2: Participants regarded EPR as an impressive
and sophisticated system and much more reliable than paperwork; they also found it gave
peace of mind in terms of a smooth workflow. Theme 3: Participants identified the need for
ongoing training for all the staff involved, considering that the system requires frequent
updates to ensure that the quality of patient care remains a priority.
EPR systems, a product of the 4IR, are the future of nursing. Although their implementation
and transition are complex, they offer several advantages for improving patient care, including
enhanced communication, easy access to and availability of patient medical information, and
rapid results tracking, among others, that accelerate decision-making.