Electronic personal health record use among registered nurses

IntroductionNurses promote self-care and active participation of individuals in managing their health care, yet little is known about their own use of electronic personal health records (ePHRs). The purpose of this study was to examine factors associated with ePHR use by nurses for their own health management.MethodsA total of 664 registered nurses working in 12 hospitals in the Maryland and Washington DC area participated in an online survey from December 2013 to January 2014. Multiple logistic regression models identified factors associated with ePHR use.ResultsMore than a third (41%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.37–0.44) of the respondents were ePHR users. There was no variation between ePHR users and nonusers by demographic or job-related information. However, ePHR users were more likely to be active health care consumers (i.e., have a chronic medical condition and take prescribed medications; odds ratio [OR] = 1.64; 95% CI, 1.06–2.53) and have health care providers who used electronic health records for care (OR = 3.62; 95% CI, 2.45–5.36).ConclusionsNurses were proactive in managing their chronic medical conditions and prescribed medication use with ePHRs. ePHR use by nurses can be facilitated by increasing use of electronic health records.