Nurses bemoan lack of IT training
Nurses feel they are not receiving sufficient training in the use of IT systems, according to a new survey. The Royal College of Nursing published the findings of the survey, carried out by Nursix, on 22 August 2006. It also said that nurses feel ignored in NHS IT decision making. The survey found that 87% of nurses felt it was important that they were consulted about IT plans, but only 12% felt they had been adequately consulted. Although 38% said they have had adequate information about current NHS IT developments, 61% said they have not, including 26% who have had none at all.
The lack of training for nurses has also emerged as a major concern. 95% of respondents thought nurse training was central to the success of the planned electronic patient health record, but in the last six months 69% had not received any IT training at work. There has been no progress on this front compared with the results of RCN surveys of previous years.
Sharon Levy, informatics advisor at the RCN, said: "This is not just about teaching nurses to press buttons on a computer. Information and its use and management are central to nursing and delivering good patient care. We have got to give nurses the right training and support so that NHS and patients see the benefits that IT could bring to healthcare. If nurses continue to be ignored, a huge amount of money and effort could be wasted in yet another failed public sector IT programme."
Another feature to emerge is that nurses' attitudes towards the national NHS IT programmes are becoming more negative. More respondents (43%) said they did not think they were a good use of resources than those who thought they were (40%). In early 2004 there was a big majority (67% against 11%) in support of the programmes.
In addition, only 56% thought that IT developments would improve clinical care, compared with 70% in 2004.
Dr Beverly Malone, RCN general secretary, said: "In the current financial crisis in the NHS it is hardly surprising that nurses are expressing reservations about the large and expensive national NHS IT programmes. Nurses will be by far the largest group of health professionals using NHS IT systems, yet they are hardly being consulted or informed about developments.
"We know from experience that if front-line staff are not involved in change, it fails. This survey is the final wake up call for the government. They need to work much harder and, as a matter of urgency, ensure nurses are involved in the development and evaluation of IT programmes."
"Nurses are willing to work with the government on this, but we're not sure the government is willing to work with us."
In response to the RCN's statement, Barbara Stuttle, national clinical lead for nurses at NHS Connecting for Health, said: "There is no doubt that nurses are the glue of the NHS and are fundamental to the programme, ensuring IT benefits patients and supports professional practice.
"We are learning from the results of the survey and hope that through our work, not only with the RCN, but other nursing bodies too, we can improve the results for next year by being proactive in working with and engaging in the design and implementation of IT.
"However, we should not forget that the work of NHS Connecting for Health is taking place during a great period of change in the NHS. The IT programme is a 10 year programme, which is evolving the way forward gradually.
"To commence our proactive approach we have a visioning day planned initially with the RCN so we can address issues and concerns improve and strengthen our engagement with nurses in partnership with professional nursing organisations."
http://www.kablenet.com/kd.nsf/Frontpage/04935A3C57CFD79D802571D10040F2F2?OpenDocument
Health Direct notes that it is not just the nurses who feel that it is important that NHS staff are involved in the IT training process- on Saturday, June 17, 2006 in NAO warns on NHS IT systems two years late and £20bn cost climbs when the National Audit Office reported to Parliament the results of its examination of the National Programme for IT in the NHS. It found key parts of the NPfIT were running at least 2 years late and that the total cost of the project may be as much as £20 billion once all the elements are included.
A key recommendation of the NAO's report was "Winning the support of NHS staff and the public in making the best use of the systems to improve services."
What the RCN's survey highlights is that the NAO's dreams are just that.
It's no surprise when NHS front line staff are now so over stretched when they cannot afford the extra time that the NpfIT programme needs: on Thursday, June 08, 2006 we warned that Trusts pay to end NPfIT staff supply contracts in red tape chaos "National Health Service trusts are having to buy themselves out of a commitment to supply staff to companies building the NPfIT electronic patient record system. Trusts in the south are paying Fujitsu £19m after the service found it could not provide 50 NHS employees to help with the programme."
The lack of training for nurses has also emerged as a major concern. 95% of respondents thought nurse training was central to the success of the planned electronic patient health record, but in the last six months 69% had not received any IT training at work. There has been no progress on this front compared with the results of RCN surveys of previous years.
Sharon Levy, informatics advisor at the RCN, said: "This is not just about teaching nurses to press buttons on a computer. Information and its use and management are central to nursing and delivering good patient care. We have got to give nurses the right training and support so that NHS and patients see the benefits that IT could bring to healthcare. If nurses continue to be ignored, a huge amount of money and effort could be wasted in yet another failed public sector IT programme."
Another feature to emerge is that nurses' attitudes towards the national NHS IT programmes are becoming more negative. More respondents (43%) said they did not think they were a good use of resources than those who thought they were (40%). In early 2004 there was a big majority (67% against 11%) in support of the programmes.
In addition, only 56% thought that IT developments would improve clinical care, compared with 70% in 2004.
Dr Beverly Malone, RCN general secretary, said: "In the current financial crisis in the NHS it is hardly surprising that nurses are expressing reservations about the large and expensive national NHS IT programmes. Nurses will be by far the largest group of health professionals using NHS IT systems, yet they are hardly being consulted or informed about developments.
"We know from experience that if front-line staff are not involved in change, it fails. This survey is the final wake up call for the government. They need to work much harder and, as a matter of urgency, ensure nurses are involved in the development and evaluation of IT programmes."
"Nurses are willing to work with the government on this, but we're not sure the government is willing to work with us."
In response to the RCN's statement, Barbara Stuttle, national clinical lead for nurses at NHS Connecting for Health, said: "There is no doubt that nurses are the glue of the NHS and are fundamental to the programme, ensuring IT benefits patients and supports professional practice.
"We are learning from the results of the survey and hope that through our work, not only with the RCN, but other nursing bodies too, we can improve the results for next year by being proactive in working with and engaging in the design and implementation of IT.
"However, we should not forget that the work of NHS Connecting for Health is taking place during a great period of change in the NHS. The IT programme is a 10 year programme, which is evolving the way forward gradually.
"To commence our proactive approach we have a visioning day planned initially with the RCN so we can address issues and concerns improve and strengthen our engagement with nurses in partnership with professional nursing organisations."
http://www.kablenet.com/kd.nsf/Frontpage/04935A3C57CFD79D802571D10040F2F2?OpenDocument
Health Direct notes that it is not just the nurses who feel that it is important that NHS staff are involved in the IT training process- on Saturday, June 17, 2006 in NAO warns on NHS IT systems two years late and £20bn cost climbs when the National Audit Office reported to Parliament the results of its examination of the National Programme for IT in the NHS. It found key parts of the NPfIT were running at least 2 years late and that the total cost of the project may be as much as £20 billion once all the elements are included.
A key recommendation of the NAO's report was "Winning the support of NHS staff and the public in making the best use of the systems to improve services."
What the RCN's survey highlights is that the NAO's dreams are just that.
It's no surprise when NHS front line staff are now so over stretched when they cannot afford the extra time that the NpfIT programme needs: on Thursday, June 08, 2006 we warned that Trusts pay to end NPfIT staff supply contracts in red tape chaos "National Health Service trusts are having to buy themselves out of a commitment to supply staff to companies building the NPfIT electronic patient record system. Trusts in the south are paying Fujitsu £19m after the service found it could not provide 50 NHS employees to help with the programme."
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