Potential of electronic clinical pathways as triggers for eliciting implicit knowledge

We discuss the influences of electronic clinical pathways (ECPs) as a knowledge management system in a university hospital. We conducted a preliminary study wherein we analyzed records from the use of ECPs and interviewed eight nurses in charge of creating ECPs in their respective departments. We then conducted follow-up interviews with a chief nurse, another nurse, and four technical staffs. We found that constructing ECPs involves creating knowledge to enhance the skills and knowledge of nurse apprentices. In addition, ECPs function as tools for knowledge creation in teams that frequently generate and use them. Nurses can use ECPs to facilitate knowledge transfer from senior colleagues to apprentices through the processes of constructing and operating the ECP.