Electronic health records in maternity: the student experience.

In 2002, the Department of Health (DH) introduced an information strategy that was intended to improve care, reduce duplication and increase patients' involvement in their own records and management of care. Student midwives are educated to appreciate that good record keeping and documentation is integral to safe, effective midwifery practice. As electronic health records (EHRs) become more widespread, this survey aimed to investigate midwifery students' experiences of electronic health records (EHR) in practice, using questionnaires and focus groups. The questionnaire results indicated the types of EHRs students had accessed and used. From the focus group, three themes emerged: benefits of EHRs for care delivery; practical issues of EHRs and accountability; incongruence between EHRs and the concept of 'normality' in childbirth. As student midwives increasingly encounter EHRs in their practice, education and health providers should collaborate to implement appropriate training and preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]