An online survey of nurses' perceptions, knowledge and expectations of the National Health Service modernization programme

We conducted an online survey to investigate nurses' perceptions, knowledge and expectations of the National Health Service (NHS) modernization programme in the UK. The questionnaire was available for 28 days via the Website of the Royal College of Nursing. The questionnaire was completed by 2020 nurses, midwives and health visitors working in all sectors of the health service in a wide range of specialties and environments of care. Less than one-quarter of respondents felt that they had adequate information about NHS information technology (IT) developments. In all, 528 (26%) said this was the first they had heard of the initiatives. Only 383 respondents (19%) felt adequately informed about the development of electronic health records; 470 (23%) felt inadequately informed and 456 (23%) had only heard something about it. The findings of this survey suggest that nursing staff are not widely aware of current IT plans and programmes in the NHS. They suggest that nurses also lack confidence in using advanced IT, which is compounded by lack of training.