The Vanderbilt Nursing Informatics Committee (VNIC) is the shared governance forum for frontline nursing staff to glean thoughts, provide input, and make decisions about use of technology that impacts nursing practice. VNIC’s front-line staff function as expert liaisons and are called eStar representatives (eReps). They provide the bridge between the clinical areas, colleagues, healthIT, and nursing informatics. Since launching in 2017, yearly surveys and qualitative feedback revealed opportunities for improvements. The eStar representative role is subject to turnover, there can be limited engagement in VNIC, and there are often significant differences in eStar representative knowledge, skills, and performance across the organization. Problematically, some eStar representative positions across the organization remain unfilled or filled by leaders. 49% of eStar reps have less than 18 months of experience in the role, and orientation to the role has lacked standardization. This poster will share a successful approach and new perspectives on how to strengthen the role of staff, informatics, and shared governance.
Over a six-month period, Vanderbilt nursing informatics services (VNIS) refreshed the program using three clear objectives. The first objective was to identify the status of eRep positions for each clinical area (vacant vs. filled, leader vs. front-line staff, and attendance), and implement a standardized onboarding program; metrics from the orientation session surveys will be shared. The second objective was to improve resources to support the eRep including: an eStar representative newsletter, an MS TEAM communication hub for asynchronous communication, and onboarding materials. The third objective was to enhance recognition and development activities. A change in perception was needed to reframe the eStar rep position as a path to enhance career satisfaction, improve knowledge and skills, and achieve advancement on the clinical ladder. Various strategies utilized will be shared. Two VNIS resources were dedicated to the work of developing this program.
After the six-month adoption period, the progression of the new eStar rep program was well underway, and a follow-up survey was conducted that identified increased satisfaction and proficiency in the eStar rep role. This poster will present data obtained at the one-year mark, including lessons learned. Having an organized and streamlined method to include, onboard, and educate front-line end-users can directly influence patient outcomes and can lead to better usability with the EHR and thus, better patient care.