The nursing field has advanced significantly, evolving along with the development of technology, which has fundamentally altered healthcare delivery. Patients want healthcare to address their needs rapidly and, when possible, be customized to their demands in an increasingly crowded society. Due to the complexity of healthcare, most clinical research emphasizes cutting-edge methods of treatment and diagnosis.
Technological advancements assist in delivering these elements, placing the control back into the patient’s hands. They also provide nurses with enhanced training and education opportunities, improved accuracy and safety, data access and better communication. Keep reading for an overview of the key technology developments in nursing and their impact.
Systems used to improve patient care
Nursing technology is developing quickly in the search for better patient care. Below are some technical advancements that help nurses deliver better care and enhance job satisfaction:
- Electronic health records (EHRs)
The practice of manually putting notes on a patient’s paper chart is a thing of the past. Electronic health records (EHRs) have digitally replaced conventional paper-based health records. They make it easier and faster than ever for healthcare professionals to keep and retrieve patient data.
EHRs give nurses immediate access to patient information that they may employ to monitor a patient’s medical history, request tests and deliver care. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) laws require that healthcare institutions maintain the confidentiality and safety of electronic records. However, there still exist security concerns for EHRs.
New technologies such as cryptography and blockchains are reducing these concerns. EHRs may alert registered nurses (RNs) of any additional measures they may take, track minor patient changes and provide them with feedback immediately in the form of reminders or alerts. Real-time health updates affect the accuracy and speed of medical care.
Although RNs pick up computer skills on the job, their training and education will enable them to promptly comprehend the meaning of various symptoms on medical records and the most appropriate response to guarantee better patient outcomes.
- Electronic medication administration records (eMARs)
Electronic medication administration records, or eMARs, is a system that employs radio frequency identification and other electronic tracking devices. It automatically records the delivery of medication into authorized EHR technology.
In essence, eMAR systems can assist nurses in controlling drug inventory costs and decrease drug interactions and medical errors. They can more properly charge for medications by accurately recording the duration, dosage and specific type of prescription a nurse provides to a patient.
- Medical apps and telehealth
Similarly, telehealth is a crucial and more recent component of healthcare. Patients can virtually video chat with a nurse or medical professional in clinics and hospitals to describe their conditions or show them health issues such as lumps or rashes. Patients benefit from speedy diagnoses without having to leave their own homes.
They can acquire a prescription for medication, receive medical advice or learn if they need to visit for more diagnostics or testing. Patients and doctors save both money and time by using telehealth. Similarly, it stops sick people from visiting public areas and potentially infecting others. It has positively altered how clinics are run and the ways healthcare professionals care for patients.
Wearables and medical apps support clinicians and people in enhancing their health. Nurses and doctors can check patients’ vital signs even when not in the office. Nurses can use medical apps for general wellbeing and health, or more specific medical conditions, including diabetes or seizure disorders. Moreover, apps can educate individuals about when to seek medical attention and when a specific over-the-counter drug may be helpful. Furthermore, they help clinics conserve resources while saving time and reducing patient frustration.
Using applications can help with issues related to mental health. Apps for mindfulness educate users about their psychological and physical wellbeing and serve as a constant reminder for them to prioritize these vital components of wellness. Thanks to app and telehealth technology advancements, patients, medical professionals and nurses have more control over their health.
- Automated IV pumps
It takes a lot of effort to administer an infusion by hand. You must be able to gauge the dosage appropriately, and occasionally check the configuration to ensure that the system is operating correctly and safely. Automatic IV pumps aid in streamlining nursing procedures and may be essential when a quick change is required.
It should not be up to guesswork to administer the proper IV fluid dosages to patients. Therefore, an automated approach to changing medications eliminates potential human error hazards for hospitals and clinical patients. Rather than measuring and administering medication or meals, automated IV kits allow nurses to concentrate on other aspects of their jobs.
They raise the standard of services provided and improve the working environment for healthcare personnel. Using an infusion pump such as the Sigma Spectrum or a comparable model does not require you to be a tech guru. Not even complete computer literacy is required.
Using the user interface is easy. Also, it is simple to read, making rushing through IV administration simpler. These various IV pump types are an ideal choice for almost any medical facility due to their accuracy and simplicity of usage.
- Portable monitors
Thanks to portable monitoring technology, nursing staff can check on patients, whether they are on the go or taking care of someone else. Portable devices feed data to a central monitor while monitoring vital indicators such as oxygen saturation, respiratory rates and ECG. It implies that nurses will receive an alarm notification in an emergency.
Nurses regularly monitor levels in hospitals, usually every hour. Even when many other things happen, portable monitoring technology enables nurses to monitor and record statistics at the appropriate time. It allows them to review patients regularly from any location within the hospital.
The portable monitor can send alarms and alerts to nurses, potentially saving lives. Nursing schools assist in educating future nurses on the importance and broad application of numerous everyday equipment items. Nurses learn how to use portable monitors at their hospitals.
- Smart beds
Smart hospital beds have become the most crucial components in healthcare facilities. Smart beds are made to help restore patients’ normal movement more quickly and help them move more efficiently. It is possible through monitoring devices that notify medical personnel when a person moves and leaves the bed.
Moreover, sensors can keep an eye on older adults’ health. Other wireless gadgets, such as wearable heart monitors, can motivate users to live healthy lifestyles. Smart beds are essential for keeping patients secure and comfortable during a lengthy hospital stay.
Given the high rate of patient injuries and falls in hospitals, these beds are crucial for patient safety.
With smart bed technology, nurses have a permanent in-room monitor that continuously updates them on a patient’s actions. Also, the beds can aid in discovering patterns, which may result in a revised problem assessment or a new diagnosis.
Nurses also spend less time coming in to modify supplies and medical equipment for comfort or safety because they can assist in controlling that with their smart beds. They enable service providers to concentrate on other crucial human-only tasks.
- Wearable devices
Wearable technology includes any electronic gadget worn on the body, such as smartwatches and Fitbits. They are intended to gather information about users’ respiration, sleep, exercise and heart rate. With more people accessing iPhones, nurses also gain from tools and apps that improve patient care.
For instance, the Steth IO smartphone stethoscope, simply a stethoscope app, enables doctors and nurses to obtain breathing sounds and view heart rates using their smartphones. Using a phone can be less scary and provides physicians with a broad spectrum of information and simple monitoring of healthcare issues, especially for younger patients.
Wearable technology is frequently called the future of healthcare, from health tracking to patient monitoring. Wearable devices can aid the overall healthcare process, from assessment to recovery, with their access to vast volumes of data.
The fact that data is transmitted immediately via a wearable device helps nurses avoid some types of human error. It enables quicker maintenance of data and aids patients and staff in maintaining regular health assessments.
- Centralized command centers
Centralized command centers are among the newest concepts for hospitals. They promise better patient experiences and demonstrate efficient ways doctors and RNs manage capacity, clinical technology and supplies.
This is accomplished with real-time updating software programs such as dashboards. Doctors and nurses can actively monitor schedules or room availability. Command centers can monitor what specific individuals need before being released with shorter or absent delays between transfers of care.
Everyone can work more effectively and assist patients better as a result. Command centers, which were initially designed for capacity management, are working well across the nation. Many hospitals claim to be running at higher capacity and providing better patient care overall.
The impact of technology on nursing
The adoption of technology in nursing has significantly changed the field. Technology development has allowed nurses to treat patients more quickly, accurately and efficiently.
Technological advancements have enabled nurses to enhance their practices and give their patients better care. They provide them with access to excellent training, data and communication possibilities, as discussed below.
- Data access and improved communication
The ability of nurses to interact and obtain patient data has been significantly enhanced by technological improvements. Nurses can quickly locate and maintain patient details using electronic health records.
EHRs can speed up care delivery and result in more precise diagnoses. Besides, wearable innovations have enabled nurses to monitor patient data remotely, while telehealth technology has allowed nurses to deliver remote treatment in underserved or rural locations.
- Improved accuracy and safety
Technology in nursing has made it possible for nurses to deliver safer and more precise care. Nurses can now guarantee that medications are provided precisely and securely due to eMARs.
Nurses may now help with challenging procedures because artificial intelligence (AI) and robotic technology are used to automate complex jobs and diagnose illnesses. Each of these technologies has significantly increased the efficiency and safety of patient care.
- Enhanced education and training opportunities
Compared to the past, technology has allowed nurses to access more possibilities for education and training. Nursing professionals can now access more advanced and customized training from virtual reality simulators and online learning portals. Nurses now have access to more specialized education due to using artificial intelligence (AI).
- Improved patient care
Technology in nursing has made it possible for nurses to deliver more effective, precise and individualized care than ever before. Nurses can easily access and maintain patient details using EHRs, which can accelerate care delivery and result in more accurate diagnoses.
Wearable technology has allowed nurses to monitor patient data remotely, while telehealth technology has allowed nurses to deliver remote treatment in underserved or rural locations. AI has freed nurses to focus on more complex patient care by automating routine chores like disease detection. These new technologies have significantly enhanced patient care.
- Remote patient monitoring
Patients managing chronic conditions such as hypertension, asthma, COPD, stroke and heart failure may benefit from remote patient monitoring. Healthcare professionals can monitor a patient’s status and analyze data collected remotely to determine the best medical strategy required for treatment by putting patient data management systems (PDMS) into place.
PDMS supports current patient medical record systems and aids clinicians in decision making. It has enabled healthcare professionals to spend more time treating patients than keeping records or doing paperwork.
- Improved communication
Because of technology, medical professionals can interact more efficiently with patients about their conditions. Patients may now examine their medical information, get in touch with their doctors and make appointments online due to the growing popularity of patient portals. These portals enhance engagement, which affects how well outcomes are achieved.
Patients are more likely to find quality care and be able to control their medical issues if actively involved in their own care. Collaboration between doctors enhances patient treatment. For instance, online conferences are helpful if practitioners are in several time zones.
A vital aspect of the healthcare sector is the reliance on technology to eliminate communication gaps between providers. Growing the number of collaboration tools available to the healthcare industry may compensate for the country’s apparent severe nursing shortage.
Challenges of nursing technology
There are often drawbacks to anything positive. When implementing several technological systems in their facilities, institutions should be aware of the difficulties posed by rapidly developing and evolving technology.
They should also ensure their personnel are informed about the danger of cutting-edge technology, and put in place a backup plan just in case.
- Minimal interpersonal interaction
Technology may jeopardize the human connection between nurses and their patients. Nurses must develop relationships with their patients because it enhances the patient’s entire experience at the facility.
Patients count on their nurses to provide emotional support, explain their medications and take vital signs. Technology is not capable of completing the majority of this.
- Security and privacy issues
Privacy and security issues are continually in danger as new technologies emerge, particularly when handling individualized patient data. Digital records are stored on a device’s data system or the cloud, which is more vulnerable to hacking.
Patient records offer vital information that may be sold and it can be possible to hack into. Healthcare providers must establish a strict security system to prevent anything from happening to their data.
- Reticence to developing technology
The development of new technologies will widen the generational gap among nursing workers. Most registered nurses (RN) working in hospitals today are baby boomers, who may be less willing to adopt new gadgets and innovations. Older nurses may decide to retire due to these technological developments because they believe a lot may change.
- Occupational impact
The scope of practice is going through continuous transformation with new technologies being developed. This will keep reducing the amount of work that nurses must do. Their regular activities will continue to integrate more technology. The use of more technology will enable nurses to handle more patients daily, give prescriptions more effectively and track patients more skillfully.
While technological advancements continue to grow, questions surrounding advanced qualifications in nursing grow as well. One of the main questions nurses have is ‘what can you do with a master’s degree in nursing?‘ Though there are many benefits of pursuing an MSN degree, the career opportunities it opens and the competitive edge it gives at the hiring stage, top it all. Rockhurst University’s MSN degree for example equips the students with adequate clinical & IT skills making them future-ready and allows transitioning into senior roles easily.
Conclusion
The security, precision, and caliber of patient care have all been significantly enhanced through the use of EHRs, eMARs, telehealth technology, wearable technology, smart bds and AI. Technology has enabled healthcare professionals to enhance their practices and give patients better care by giving them greater training options, data, and communication. Recognizing this will help professionals to focus on their professional development targeting the right areas to add to their skill set.