Let nurses have a voice
According to the report “Den dumma digitaliseringen” by the Swedish Association of Health Professionals (Vårdförbundet), some nurses manage up to 36 different IT systems every day. Inadequate IT systems create a stressful working environment. “Digitalisation should support healthcare professionals, not burden them,” says Linda Barthelsson, Customer Experience Manager at Aurora.
Let’s be honest — things are extremely tough for nurses today. Vårdförbundet’s report “Den dumma digitaliseringen” highlights what we have seen for many years. Nurses are stretched to their limits, and complicated technology doesn’t help — it makes things worse.
According to the report, many nurses need to work with around 30 different IT systems daily — systems that are not always integrated with each other. This means that nurses must remember countless logins and ensure that the right information ends up in the right place. This increases the risk of human error. It also means that nurses have less time for their patients. The report shows that nurses have only 1.5 hours left for patient care during an eight-hour workday.
What we see as a result is a high level of sick leave among healthcare staff due to poor working conditions. So how did it come to this? And what measures could help clinics and primary care centres get the support they need in today’s digital environment?
Too Many Systems With Similar Functions
There are several reasons why healthcare providers in Sweden have too many IT systems. One reason is that nurses are rarely involved when new IT systems are procured. Instead, decisions are made entirely by IT managers and other decision-makers who, unfortunately, often lack insight into nurses’ day-to-day work.
Another reason is that IT systems are often chosen because they are inexpensive to purchase — but become costly in the long run. As Johan Magnusson, Professor of Informatics at the University of Gothenburg, said during a panel discussion on digitalisation at Almedalen Week:
“On average, 3 percent of healthcare budgets is spent on IT. Cheap IT is very expensive. In industries like logistics and transport, standards have been agreed upon — but not in healthcare.”
It is also not uncommon for organisations to lack a clear overview of which IT systems they already have and what functions they provide. As a result, new systems are purchased to cover specific needs that are often already addressed by existing tools.
The outcome? Unnecessary costs, too many systems, and a working environment that puts additional strain on nurses.
So what could prevent this negative development? One key factor is giving nurses’ perspectives and valuable insights the space they deserve.
Involve Nurses in Decision-Making
My experience from 26 years in the industry shows that nurses and healthcare providers must be taken seriously and given a voice when it comes to digital tools they are expected to work with every day.
That’s why I’m encouraged by the proposals Vårdförbundet presents to address these challenges and improve the working environment for healthcare staff. In their report, they present seven recommendations, including the need to:
“Prioritise digital tools that support clinical work. IT systems should be designed to support nurses’ workflows and the needs of the profession.”
“Involve staff in the development and procurement of digital systems. Nurses should participate in requirements specification, testing, and implementation of new digital solutions to ensure that systems meet operational needs.”
Nurses’ ideas and needs are crucial for developing effective systems and implementing sustainable processes in healthcare. Much of Aurora teleQ’s development is thanks to their input — shaping it into the tool it is today. Aurora teleQ is used across Sweden and supports the daily work of many healthcare teams.
Aurora teleQ brings multiple functions together in one system, with easy access to chat, video, online booking, and telephony. This lowers the threshold for nurses and makes their work easier by allowing them to operate within one interface instead of juggling multiple parallel systems.
Because in the end, digital tools should be just that — tools, not obstacles. And that’s what we achieve when we listen to healthcare professionals and truly understand their needs.
Linda Barthelsson
Customer Experience Manager
Aurora Innovation