Trends and Developments in Nursing Electronic Health Record Research: A Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

This bibliometric analysis examined research trends, scholarly output, and thematic developments in nursing-related electronic health record studies. A bibliometric analysis was conducted using data retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection via the online library of Balikesir University. The search was performed using the term “electronic health record,” and data were analyzed using VOSviewer (v1.6.20) and Microsoft Excel. The study involved both performance analysis (annual publication trends, citation levels, productive authors, institutions, and countries) and scientific mapping techniques (co-citation analysis, collaboration networks, and keyword co-occurrence). Initially, 61,168 publications were accessed, including 753 articles written in English, focusing on nursing, and constituting original research. Key metrics include annual publication trends, citation analysis, authorship and institutional productivity, country contributions, collaborative networks, co-citation patterns, and keyword co-occurrence. Computers, Informatics, Nursing were the most prolific journals (n = 173, 22.97%). The most cited publication was “Documenting electronic health records in nursing: Nurses’ perceptions, attitudes, and preferences” (2004), with 161 citations. Research output peaked in 2021 (n = 73). The United States led in publication volume, followed by South Korea, the United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Finland, Spain, Taiwan, and Jordan. Keyword analysis revealed recurring terms such as “electronic health records,” “nursing informatics,” and “nursing documentation,” indicating a consistent focus on clinical usability, data management, and nurse perceptions. This study highlights evolving research patterns in the domains of nursing and electronic health records underscoring the central role of nursing informatics in digital health care transformation. These findings suggest that expanding nursing informatics education and strengthening in-service training for clinical staff on digital literacy and electronic health record usage will increase the effective use of electronic health records in nursing. Furthermore, the development of nurse-friendly interface designs and the support of standard documentation practices are considered important steps that will improve system integration and quality of use.