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Driven by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act large numbers of physicians and hospitals are now implementing electronic health records (EHR) with the general expectation that such systems will improve the quality, safety and efficiency of health care services. Studies of conversions from paper to electronic records paint a mixed picture with healthcare providers pleased with some aspects of their EHRs but dissatisfied with others. These prior studies focused on conversions from paper to electronic records. Many provider impressions, therefore, may have been influenced by reactions to the process of being required to change well established patterns. In order to help separate such reactions from true evaluations of the efficacy of the EHR, we decided to survey the providers in a new health center. To insure that the information gathered was not merely anecdotal, we used a well-established format starting with a semi-structured interview which facilitates analysis and recognition of major themes. We included questions around several important areas including workflow, communication, patient satisfaction, productivity, documentation, and quality of care. Ten main themes emerged: impeding patient flow, hindering communication in office, improving communication after the visit, improving tracking of patient care, spending less time with patients, requiring more training, wanting more features, diminishing productivity, appreciating benefits of templates, and enhancing internal communication. The need for better training appeared to be of especially high importance as it impacted several of the other themes. We believe that our study helps validate the similar concerns expressed in studies of transitions from paper to electronic record systems. Our method may be generally useful to other clinics because it facilitates timely recognition of themes, both positive and negative, that clinicians and clinic managers would want to know at an early stage. Prompt knowledge of such developing themes may help to accentuate the positive aspects of the EHR and to prevent negative themes from developing into serious problems that might be considered serious unintended consequences of EHR usage.

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The purpose of this research was to explore the effect work environment has on the intent to leave the profession for rural hospital bedside registered nurses (RNs). Subscales of autonomy, control over the practice setting, nurse-physician relationship and organizational support were incorporated into the analysis to determine which aspects of work environment directly affect the intent to leave the profession. An explanatory cross-sectional survey was distributed to 259 direct care bedside RNs employed at a rural system-affiliated hospital in Central Florida between February 2007 and June 2007. Anonymity was assured. A questionnaire containing demographic questions, the Nursing Work Index-Revised and Blau's intent to leave scale was distributed to all direct care nurses. A 32.8% response rate was achieved for a total of 85 complete and usable surveys. Data analysis shows that the work environment in general is negatively related to intent to leave. In addition, each of the four subscales was also negatively related to the intent to leave the profession. The results of this study support several recommendations for practice and education, including the promotion of professional practice environments, fostering inter-departmental relationships, and increasing the managerial training of RN managers.

Most clinical laboratories in the nation report severe difficulties in recruitment and retention of most types of personnel. Other important factors impacting this problem include work complexities, increased automation, and a graying workforce. As a further challenge, institutional needs for clinical laboratory personnel are expected to grow significantly in the next decade. This article examines the current situation of the clinical laboratory workforce. It analyzes the different types of personnel; the managerial, supervision, and line positions that are key for different types of laboratories; the job outlook and recent projections for different types of staff; and the current issues, trends, and challenges of the laboratory workforce. Laboratory managers need to take action with strategies suggested for overcoming these challenges. Most importantly, they need to become transformational leaders by developing effective staffing models, fostering healthy and productive work environments, and creating value with a strategic management culture and implementation of knowledge management.