Article Contents
Better Work Environment
Technology has improved nurses’ work environments in a number of ways. The equipment used to care for patients on a daily basis, not only leads to better patient outcomes, but also makes it possible for nurses to do their jobs more efficiently and effectively. Advances in technology have allowed for many diagnoses that were not possible at one time. It has also helped scientists to develop new treatments, many of which are administered using technological advances. In addition, information systems in nursing cut down on paper recordkeeping, help healthcare providers keep patient records confidential, and make it easier for healthcare professionals to share necessary information amongst themselves.
Workflow Management System
One aspect of technology that has impacted nursing in a significantly is the workflow management system. Workflow management systems help nurses with crucial information, like finding the status of lab results or checking the opening of a bed. A workflow management system is a tool that gathers information from many different sources and then integrates it so that the nurses can see all the relevant information for each day about bed and patient management. These efficient systems are helpful in communication and decision making, and free up time for more value-added tasks.
Wireless Patient Monitoring Systems
Another advance in technology that nurses have benefited from is wireless patient monitoring. These systems allow nurses and physicians to get information on patients’ conditions without being at the bedside. Wireless patient monitoring allows healthcare professionals to respond to emergencies and changes in patient conditions. Wireless patient monitoring equipment has also been created that enables patients to not be attached to machines by wires. This equipment is more comfortable for patients, and makes it easier for nurses to complete tasks such as dressing and bathing patients.
Electronic Administration
Electronic administration record and barcode reading equipment are two more technologies that help nurses do their jobs. These items let nurses record the process of administering medication to the patient. This process can be tracked electronically from the second that the doctor writes the prescription or order to the instant the nurse actually administers the medication to the patient. This technology features a safeguard whereby if an error does end up happening at some point in the administration process, a warning alert will appear, which has the effect of preventing the doctor or the nurse from going ahead and administering the incorrect medication.
Benefits of Technology in Nursing
Thanks to advances in nursing technology, nurses are better able to respond to patient emergencies. Technology eliminates some of the routine tasks performed by nurses and the need for constant bedside monitoring, creating more time for value-added nursing tasks. Technological advances also help to reduce errors in patient care and record-keeping by tracking and integrating information and helping with decision-making. Without the many technologies used in nursing, the high quality nursing care that has come to be expected would not be possible.