Impact of electronic health records on nursing workflow efficiency and predictive factors in Palestinian hospitals

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) have revolutionized patient care and data management, but their integration may disrupt workflow. Palestine recently introduced EHRs in their hospitals, yet no local data exist on nursing workflow. This study aims to assess the impact of EHRs on workflow efficiency and associated factors among nurses with direct paper-to-EHR transition experience. A quantitative, cross-sectional study design was employed. A convenience sample of 185 nurses was recruited from medical and surgical wards across selected hospitals. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 29 using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regressions, with significance set at p < 0.05. A total of 185 nurses participated, with the majority aged 25-34 years (61.6%). Most had 5-10 years of experience (42.2%). Overall, 70% of nurses reported high or very high workflow efficiency with EHR use (M = 3.59, SD = 0.75). EHRs were perceived to improve access to patient information (63.2%), reduce documentation time (63.8%), and support teamwork and communication, although 50.8% reported workflow interruptions due to technical issues. Multiple regression identified EHR user-friendliness (β = 0.261, p < 0.001), training (β = 0.243, p = 0.024), technical support (β = 0.184, p = 0.005), and age (β = -0.223, p = 0.037) as significant predictors of workflow efficiency. EHRs positively influence nurses' workflow; transition-experienced nurses highlight usability and training as significant predictor factors. Enhancing these areas can optimize clinical performance.