| Summary: | This dissertation describes the development and testing of a measure of the effectiveness of generic, non-vendor-specific patient data management systems (PDMS) from a clinical nursing perspective. A PDMS is a hardware/software system which supports the collection, integration, retrieval and interpretation of the large volumes of multi-variate, multi-source data generated in critical care settings. The effectiveness of PDMS for critical care nurses (the primary users) is important in the current cost conscious, resource limited healthcare environment. Based on a review of the PDMS literature, 8 goals were identified and used in the development of a theoretical definition of PDMS effectiveness. This was operationalized as the PDMS Effectiveness measure, consisting of a 71 item questionnaire and an 8 item rating scale. Instrument testing addressed internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, content validity and construct validity. Expert judges assessed content validity. Reliability and construct validity estimates were determined by administering two rounds of measures to voluntarily participating nurses from two intensive care units with functioning PDMS and from two medical-surgical units without computer systems. Respondents' identities were protected. The first round yielded seventy-three measures; the second, twenty-two measures. Internal consistency reliability of.9098 was estimated. For test-retest reliability, Pearson's r of.8941 was calculated. Content Validity Index of 0.66 was estimated. Contrasted groups analysis revealed significantly higher scores (p < .05) for units with functioning PDMS. Hypothesis testing demonstrated significantly higher scores (p < .05) for respondents with more computer experience, computer education, years of experience with computers and a higher degree of comfort with computers. Item analysis identified 43 items contributing most to the instrument's discrimination. Conclusions. The PDMS Effectiveness measure is a reliable, valid measure of the effectiveness of patient data management systems for critical care nurses. PDMS effectively assist nurses in managing large data volumes generated in critical care units. (Scientific symbols modified where possible in accordance with CINAHL policy.)
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