Decision-makers and mediators in a home healthcare digitisation process: nurses’ experiences of implementation and use of a decision support system

Abstract

Background: This study focuses on a decision support system (DSS) for home healthcare and the implementation of it.Aim: To describe home healthcare nurses’ experiences of the implementation and use of a new DSS, with a focus on how it influences decision making in everyday work practice.Design: A qualitative research design.Methods: Data was collected through three focus group interviews with six home healthcare nurses.The data analysis was drawn from Burnard’s method for content analysis.Results: The DSS was experienced as bringing support to decisions, but sometimes incompatible with home healthcare nurses’ work practice. Professional understanding and the DSS were sometimes experienced as parallel support systems not assisting work across healthcare organisations.Conclusion: When a DSS is used to transform work of healthcare organisations several aspects should be highlighted. If the organisation does not consider these aspects, nurses may adopt a role as mediator in the implementation process.