Use of ehealth in nursing practice among nurses in Cape Coast

Abstract

Information and communication technology (ICT) is transforming the delivery of health care at a fast rate. Nurses who form the majority of the health workforce are strategically positioned to champion the transition to digital health care. Ghana is fast adopting eHealth, however there is little evidence on how well nurses are using these technologies. A descriptive cross sectional study using a quantitative approach was conducted aimed at identifying eHealth usage among registered nurses in Cape Coast. A multi stage sampling technique was employed. Data collated from 206 registered nurses in Cape Coast revealed that respondents were predominantly female (61.7%) and 38.3% were males. Knowledge, attitude, practice and resources were generally good. Most of the nurses (65.5%) had good knowledge and more than half of them (67.5%) generally demonstrated good attitudes towards eHealth. The majority (54.9%) of respondents also demonstrated a good skill in the use of ICT in health service delivery. Resources on eHealth were available to most nurses. Most nurses were found to be using electronic platforms which represented an opportunity for use as a channel for continuous professional development. Monitoring and evaluation was either erratic or non-existent. The study proves that the knowledge, attitude, practice as well as resources were good but there is a need for improvement in certain areas. It is recommended that nurses take advantage of electronic platforms and social networks for professional knowledge sharing as well as support research.