A new year means more technological advancements are on the way! Technology has made a dramatic impact on how we live our daily lives, with many of us using technology every day. We for one would be lost without our smart phones. But beyond the running of our day-to-day lives, technology plays a vital role in healthcare and nursing.
The advancement in health informatics and technologies has enabled the USA and other countries across the world to deliver quality driven healthcare systems. For example over the years, tablet computers, electronic charting, along with other more advanced efficient medical technology has been introduced.
There is so much that technology can do not only for patients, but also to improve the working lives of registered nurses.
For the Patients:
With their medical history and details instantly accessible through the use of electronic patient records, and better, less invasive monitoring tools patients are receiving the best course of treatment possible.
For Nurses:
Technology makes nursing tasks more efficient and streamlined. For example, technology allows data such as paperless patient charting and medical records to be shared smoothly. Lab results can be accessed online in a much timelier manner. Specialist equipment helps prevent medical errors, whilst wireless communication means nurses and other healthcare professionals, can communicate on the go instead of using the old fashioned pager. All of this gives RN’s more time to focus on what really matters, their patients.
Whilst we believe that technology should never replace the human element of nursing, it is still enormously important in a healthcare environment, setting up the future success of the profession. Nurses must play a leading role when advocating the benefits of technology and must be trained to adapt to new technologies so that they can develop new skills sets. Our US Ready learning program concentrates on health informatics and technology, allowing our nurses to be tech savvy and to excel at using the best technology available.