Application: Adoption of New Technology Systems
As a nurse, you can have a great impact on the success or failure of the adoption of EHRs.
It is important for nurses to understand their role as change agents and the ways they can
influence others when addressing the challenges of changing to a drastically different way
of doing things.
Everett Rogers, a pioneer in the field of the diffusion of innovations, identified five qualities
that determine individual attitudes towards adopting new technology (2003). He theorized
that individuals are concerned with:
� Relative advantage: The individual adopting the new innovation must see how it will be
an improvement over the old way of doing things.
� Compatibility with existing values and practices: The adopter must understand how the
new innovation aligns with current practices.
� Simplicity: The adopter must believe he or she can easily master the new technology; the
more difficult learning the new system appears, the greater the resistance that will occur.
� Trialability: The adopter should have the opportunity to “play around” with the new
technology and explore its capabilities.
� Observable results: The adopter must have evidence that the proposed innovation has
been successful in other situations.
Note: You are not required to purchase Rogers’ book or pursue further information
regarding his list of five qualities. The information provided here is sufficient to complete
this Assignment. The full reference for Rogers’ work is provided below the due date on this
page.
For this Assignment, you assume the role of a nurse facilitator in a small hospital in upstate
New York. You have been part of a team preparing for the implementation of a new
electronic health records system. Decisions as to the program that will be used have been
finalized, and you are now tasked with preparing the nurses for the new system. There has
been an undercurrent of resistance expressed by nurses, and you must respond to their
concerns. You have a meeting scheduled with the nurses 1 week prior to the training on the
new EHR system. Consider how you can use the five qualities outlined by Rogers (2003) to
assist in preparing the nurses for the upcoming implementation.
To prepare:
� Review the Learning Resources this week about successful implementations of EHRs.
� Consider how you would present the new EHR system to the nurses to win their
approval.
� Reflect on the five qualities outlined by Rogers. How would addressing each of those
areas improve the likelihood of success?
To complete:
Write a 3- to 5-page paper which includes the following:
� Using Rogers’ (2003) theory as a foundation, outline how you would approach the
meeting with the nurses. Be specific as to the types of information or activities you could
provide to address each area and include how you would respond to resistance.
� Analyze the role of nurses as change agents in facilitating the adoption of new
technology.
Reference: ?Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). New York, NY: Free
Press.
Extra References
ADOPTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS 2
� Bates, D. W. (2010). Getting in step: Electronic health records and their role in care
coordination. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 25(3), 174-176.
� Cresswell, K., & Sheikh, A. (2009). The NHS Care Record Service: Recommendations
from the literature on successful implementation and adoption. Informatics in Primary
Care, 17(3), 153-160. ?
� Fickenscher, K., & Bakerman, M. (2011). Change management in health care IT.
Physician Executive, 37(2), 64-67. ?
� Gruber, N., Darragh, J., Puccia, P. H., Kadric, D. S., & Bruce, S. (2010). Embracing
change to improve performance. Long-Term Living: For the Continuing Care Professional,
59(1), 28-31.
� Hyrk’s, K., & Harvey, K. (2010). Leading innovation and change. Journal of Nursing
Management, 18(1), 1-3. ?
� Mooney, B. L., & Boyle, A. M. (2011). 10 steps to successful EHR implementation.
Medical Economics, 88(9), S4-6, S8-S11. ?
� .Murphy, J. (2011). Leading from the future: Leadership makes a difference during
electronic health record implementation. Frontiers of Health Services Management, 28(1),
25-30.
Adoption of New Technology Systems
Change is inevitable in today’s healthcare settings. The ever-changing environment of
healthcare requires that nurses become flexible and play the role of change agents to ensure
implementation of appropriate changes to meet the expectations and achieve the required patient
outcome. A nurse can have great impacts on the success or failure of adoption of Electronic
Health Records systems (EHRs). Therefore, they have an obligation to understand their role as
change agents to help in creating an environment that reduce resistant. This paper delineates on
the measures appropriate to facilitate adoption of EHRs at a small hospital in Upstake New York.
The discussion adopts Rogers (2003) theory as the basis of adopting this change. The paper
further analyses the role of nurses as change agents in facilitating the adoption of EHRs
technology.
ADOPTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS 3
Different people respond to change differently. The reason for these differences in the
response is due to various reasons. Rogers (2013) theory is one of the best theories that better
explains how people adopt change. It helps to convince people to embrace change by altering
their thoughts or perception about a change. Therefore, in the meeting schedules to train the
nurses on implementation of EHRs, the five qualities of Roger will be used to help to convince
and alter the feelings of the nurses towards embracing these changes.
According to Rogers (2003) at the time of change, people are usually concerned about
the relative advantage of the change. The nurses and the other stakeholders must therefore be
able to see how the implementation of EHRs will cause improvement compared to the old way of
doing things. The change agent will seek to demonstrate to the nurses at the facility the benefits
of the EHRs. The current or old ways of recording and storing information will be compared
with the new system. For instance, in this case of Upstate New York facility, the nurses used to
record patient information using manual records. This was very hectic. Information of the clients
was not safe. Furthermore, it took considerable long period to retrieve or verify the information
on the files of patients visiting the facility for the second time. Therefore, in the meeting, the
nurses will be informed on the various advantages of electronic health records over the old or
former techniques used to record information (Bates, 2010). The electronic health record system
has many advantages. One of the advantages is that it will improve the quality of healthcare
provision as well as patient experiences. Information is easily and quickly retrieved from the
system by keying in the names or certain code. EHR is also very secure form of data storage as
information can be secured through passwords, encryption, and backup systems. Furthermore,
adoption of electronic health records allows information sharing between various departments
among physicians. This reduces the time of consultations and as well reduces cases of errors in
ADOPTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS 4
prescriptions which contributed to better healthcare. The nurses and other stakeholders will be
informed of all these advantages or benefits of the systems to persuade them to change their
attitudes concerning the technology.
The second quality that determine individuals attitude towards embracing of change is
the compatibility of the technology or change with the existing values and practices. Change
does not occur in a vacuum, but rather it is instituted in an entity where there is already
established value system (Hyrkas & Harvey, 2010). Therefore, the change adopted must not pose
challenges or erode the values and practices already entrenched in the people. If this is perceived
to be under threat, the people will become suspicious in embracing that change. Therefore, the
innovation must align with the current practices. For instance, if the people in an entity are strong
Christians, it is not possible to convince them to adapt to a change that will pose threat to their
faith. Therefore, that is the reason why it is prudent to appreciate the fact that people have
different values that they hold dear to their lives. Therefore, in this meeting, the members will be
informed and be assured that implementation of EHRs will not compromise on their values and
practices. For instance, if the nurses are Muslims, or non-believers, the system should not affect
their service delivery. Values and practices are things that they hold unto dear and therefore
EHRs is only focused to helping improve the quality of health care in the entity. Therefore, by
assuring the team members that, they will not be hinderer or constrained in a way to execute and
deliver their tasks, it will help to convince them to accept implementation of EHRs.
The change furthermore is expected to have a quality of simplicity meaning that those
adopting the change should believe that they could master to use the technology. If learning to
use technology seems to be difficult then the level of resistance will also be greater (Bates,
2010). Change is in the mind of the people and they form different perception in their mind once
ADOPTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS 5
exposed to a change. As stated earlier, people in an entity will develop either positive or negative
attitude towards a certain technology based on how they perceive the simplicity or difficulty in
operating it (Rogers, 2003). For instance, if through demonstrations of how the system work is
perceived to be a complex task, then that person that it seemed difficult to learn will have a
negative attitude and vice versa. Therefore, in the meeting, the members will be demonstrated on
how the system works in keeping the information about the patient. The teaching will be through
multiple channels of communication to ensure that the nurses get to understand in depth on the
functioning of the EHRs. In demonstrating how the system works, measures will be put in place
such as presence of an expert to ensure that the system works well. This will be aimed at
ensuring that the first impression of the customers is sustained. Through the demonstration, the
patients will have to develop positive attitude about the system and eventually they will begin to
embrace the system and then will support its implementation.
The fourth quality that plays a key role in changing people perception towards a change
is triability. According to Rogers (2003), it is important for the adopter of the change to be given
an opportunity to play and try the product and even explore its capabilities. By allowing the
adopter try the innovation themselves, it helps to increase their confidence that indeed the
innovation is real and it can be adapted and succeed. Triability is also very important because, it
helps to act as a proof of the change and is an indication of the commitment on the part of change
agent that change is needed. Therefore, in this meeting, the nurses that will have turned out
during the meeting will be given an opportunity to operate the EHRs machine by themselves.
This will allow them to be acquainted with how the machine works and as well, help to convince
them to adapt to the changes by trying to operate EHRs. The staff members will also be able to
feel consumer use experience which is also one of the motivation to change. The members of the
ADOPTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS 6
entity will enter information of a patient and share the same with others from different
department. This will make them have firsthand experience on how the system works.
The last quality is observable results. According to Rogers (2003) an individual that
wants to adapt to a new change must have factual evidence that indeed the technology or change
is able to work in the organization. This level of approval normally comes out when an
individual has experienced the system or how the technology works in another situation or
environment. The doubting Thomas principle actually applies to this scenario. There are people
in an entity that will not believe in something unless they have seen it with their own eyes.
In this case, the members attended the meeting will therefore be persuade to embrace the
technology by informing them about various organizations that have successfully adopted the
system. For example, in this case, the members will be referred to facilities such as John Hopkins
and Mayo clinic among others that have already embraced this technology.
Other strategies that will be used to ensure that the nurse are convinced about the
effective of the technology is through visits to other organizations that have the system and view
or observe themselves as the system works. Observing as the system operates will heighten their
quest to embrace the system in their organization too. Another strategy that can be applied to
trigger adoption and change is use of experts. The agent of change will invite some of the experts
that do understand the operation of the system to talk to the members at the meeting. This talk
will help to greater magnitude to foster or trigger change.
Even though these five qualities will help in enhancing change, resistance is also
expected to be experienced. Having or coming up with appropriate strategies to counter or
respond to resistance are also very critical to help in adoption of change (Cresswell & Sheikh,
ADOPTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS 7
2009). The change initiator may use different ways to counter the reluctance. One of the ways is
to embrace the change forceful amidst the change. Other technique to breaching the reluctant
obstacle is by ensuring that there is sufficient consultation with the relevant parties. Other
strategies include, providing of rewards and assurance that the new technology will not cause
harm as some of the members may be thinking.
Nurses have critical role in facilitating the adoption of new technology. Nurses have
requisite skills and knowledge in matters of healthcare and therefore, they have the powers to
influence of the decision pertaining to healthcare. They therefore, can promote change as they
are pinion leaders and most of the patients view them as experienced and knowledge persons that
can trigger changes (Hyrkas & Harvey, 2010). Nurses must also have good leadership qualities
to provide better decisions pertaining to change. A leader must evaluate a situation from all
angles before providing or reaching a conclusion. The nurse must also be good decision makers
and as well must be dynamic and flexible to the change in the environment.
In conclusion, change is something that people approach differently because some fear to
lose jobs or unknown reasons. Nurse should always be social change agents by playing their role
in influencing people towards embracing change. The Rogers (2003) five qualities towards
change enhance understanding of what is ought to be done to trigger change. The five qualities
include, the relative advantage, compatibility with existing values, simplicity, triability and
observable results. If these are observed in the Upstate facility, then it will be easy to convince
the parties concerned to embracing EHRs.
ADOPTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS 8
References
Bates, D. W. (2010). Getting in step: Electronic health records and their role in care
coordination. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 25(3), 174–176.
Cresswell, K., & Sheikh, A. (2009). The NHS Care Record Service: Recommendations from the
literature on successful implementation and adoption. Informatics in Primary Care,
17(3), 153–160.
Hyrkas, K., & Harvey, K. (2010). Leading innovation and change. Journal of Nursing
Management, 18(1), 1–3.
Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). New York, NY: Free Press.