Powering better care
Technology has touched virtually every aspect of our society and nursing is no exception. While it would be hard to imagine care that relied completely on technology or robots, it is impossible to deny the impact it has had on the nursing industry.
Tech trends in nursing
Perhaps the most notable changes are around medical records. Paper has been replaced with electronic medical records that give faster access to a patient’s history. It allows visibility to the entire team of caregivers, supports greater collaboration, and helps improve outcomes. Lab tests, radiographs, and vital signs are only a click away for anyone with the necessary security clearance to view.
In a similar way, care has become much more mobile. Nurses can manage records at the bedside from devices such as a tablet. This is a significant factor for increased efficiency. Caregivers can save time by inputting medical information and utilizing information for important decisions in real time in the patient’s room.
Telehealth expands the integration of information and electronic access to not only help diagnose and treat patients remotely, but to also improve education and the overall healthcare management systems. The federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) defines telehealth as “The use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health and health administration.” technology offers new tools to learn and troubleshoot situations from just about anywhere.
With the new technological capabilities there are many areas where accuracy can be improved as well. Beyond the advantages of utilizing patient information quickly and getting test results faster, patient and medication identification has been advanced. Bar codes and ID bracelets help nurses and doctors alike track and confirm identity.
Smartphones, tablets, wifi, and more, allow nurses to research in just a few clicks. They can search and verify, research a medication, or look up additional information in order to respond to a patient’s question. This instant information age puts answers in the hands of those who need it immediately. It also offers vast organizational helpers. Alarms, reminders, and alerts can all keep a nurse on course for providing the best care possible.
Nurses can also monitor patients remotely. Vital signs, medications, activity levels, and more can be relayed from outside the hospital to the nurses’ device for review and possible action. Video conferencing, video chat, or Facetime are also more readily available and allow for greater interaction between patients and teams of doctors.
We hope this information on new tech trends has been helpful. Have you seen any new tech trends in nursing that we didn’t mention? Comment them below.
