The Effect of Clinical Decision Support Systems on Patients, Nurses, and Work Environment in ICUs: A Systematic Review

This study aimed to examine the impact of clinical decision support systems on patient outcomes, working environment outcomes, and decision-making processes in nursing. The authors conducted a systematic literature review to obtain evidence on studies about clinical decision support systems and the practices of ICU nurses. For this purpose, the authors searched 10 electronic databases, including PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Ovid MEDLINE, Science Direct, Tr-Dizin, Harman, and DergiPark. Search terms included “clinical decision support systems,” “decision making,” “intensive care,” “nurse/nursing,” “patient outcome,” and “working environment” to identify relevant studies published during the period from the year 2007 to October 2022. Our search yielded 619 articles, of which 39 met the inclusion criteria. A higher percentage of studies compared with others were descriptive (20%), conducted through a qualitative (18%), and carried out in the United States (41%). According to the results of the narrative analysis, the authors identified three main themes: “patient care outcomes,” “work environment outcomes,” and the “decision-making process in nursing.” Clinical decision support systems, which target practices of ICU nurses and patient care outcomes, have positive effects on outcomes and show promise in improving the quality of care; however, available studies are limited.