The Safety Implications of Information Technology in Nursing: Japanese Incident Data Analysis

Abstract

This study delves into the impact of Information Technology (IT) on nursing practice in Japan, focusing on patient safety within the 2021-2022 Japanese Medical Accident Report Data. The research aims to understand how IT factors contribute to nursing-related medical incidents in a healthcare landscape rapidly integrating IT. The study identifies IT-related incidents through a retrospective analysis of medical incident reports, primarily in nursing, by analyzing categorized data and free-text descriptions for IT-related keywords. The findings indicate significant IT-related issues, with 'Other EHR Related' problems (36%) and 'EHR Reporting' errors (25%) being the most prevalent. These incidents often involve challenges in patient identification and medication management. The study suggests improvements like enhanced verification processes and automated systems to mitigate these risks. Conclusively, it underscores the dual nature of IT in nursing: while it holds the potential to enhance patient care, it also introduces challenges that necessitate specialized informatics expertise to ensure its beneficial integration into nursing practices.