FACTORS INFLUENCING ADOPTION AND USE OF ICT AMONG NURSES IN SELECTED HOSPITALS IN IBADAN

Abstract

Background: The introduction of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in healthcare has positively influenced how healthcare professionals including nurses, deliver patient care especially in developed countries. However, nurses in developing countries are still faced with a lot of challenges militating against effective integration of ICT into patient care. Therefore, the need to identify factors influencing the adoption and use of ICT among nurses.

Methods: The study employed a cross-sectional study design, using questionnaires to obtain data from 321 nurses in selected hospitals in Ibadan Oyo State, Nigeria. A total 305 nurses completed the questionnaire.  Data were cleaned, coded and analysed using SPSS 25.0. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation were used to summarize and present data. Furthermore, association between variables were tested using chi square at p value 0.05 level of significance.

Results: The mean age of the participants was (x=34.4±9.3). A high proportion of the participants, 35% were not efficient in the use of computers. Also, the major factors implicated by the respondents for non-adoption and use of ICT include lack of management interest, (x= 3.7 ±1.2), and poor ICT Infrastructure, (x= 3.6 ±1.3). Factors found to be associated with efficiency in computer use include age (p = 0.001), designation of the nurses (p = 0.001), gender (p = 0.011), years of experience (p = 0.001) and ownership of a personal computer (p = 0.001).

Conclusion: Multiple factors have been found to militate against adoption of ICT in healthcare especially by nurses. It is therefore imperative that concerned stakeholders take appropriate actions to provide adequate ICT facilities in their settings in order to aid better patient management.