Assessing the impact on nursing practice of CDMS

Summary Two perspectives for assessing the impact of clinical data management systems on nursing are suggested. The microscopic view is the unit-level, direct patient care perspective. A macroscopic view entails consideration of national nursing issues. Nursing role issues can arise during system selection and implementation and these issues can affect system effectiveness. Professional issues influence the decisions made about CDMS and subsequent system usefulness to nursing.A shift in evaluation emphasis from time savings to assessment of effect is necessary. Suggested nursing areas to be examined are system impact on the development and use of nursing theory in practice, support for the cognitive work of nursing, and changes in the physical work of nursing.