Nurses' perceptions of adopting a PDA system--application of Lewin's change theory.

PDAs have recently been used in nursing information systems, but few studies have explored their impact on users. The purpose of this study was to explore nurses' perceptions of PDAs. Lewin's theory was used for data analysis. Fifteen nurses participated in in-depth interviews. Results indicated that they initially resisted using the PDA (unfreezing stage), then came around to using it (moving stage), and finally adopted the system (re-freezing stage). An anticipatory stage was added as a feedback mechanism to improve the system. By understanding clinicians' experiences, strategies can be implemented to smooth this process and to achieve optimal nursing care.