No workplace has escaped the touch of technology, including nursing. Nursing is still, and will always be, a field where technology has had a huge impact on the way that nurses do their job. Some of the technological advances have made the nurse’s job easier. While others have been implemented as a price saving measure, and still others are used to improve patient safety. In some ways these technologies help nurses and in other ways it puts them at more risk for an error and a TBON investigation. Nurses should always be very aware and question the technology when they feel something might be off.
How do nurses feel about technology?
Like those in other industries, nurses are often reluctant of using new technologies. With the desire to remain within the process they are familiar with, nurses are often unwillingly pulled into newer technologies. Generally, once nurses become familiar with new technology, they grow to like it. One side effect of the new technological advancements in healthcare is the increase in jobs related to the field. Before ultrasounds, there was no need for someone trained to perform them. Respiratory therapy, nuclear medicine and many other branches of healthcare have created new jobs by the advancement of technology.
Advancements in technology
Advancements in technology have led to improved healthcare and patient care. Before the development of electronic IV monitors and IV pump infusions, anyone who received an IV had it administered under the watchful eye of a nurse. Because manual IVs were susceptible to stopping or flowing too rapidly, a nurse remained by the patient’s side every time they received an IV. When you consider how common IVs are, it is easy to see how much time is saved with the electronic IV monitor.
Technology and medical equipment
All nurses are familiar with the sphygmomanometer. This is the technical name for a blood pressure cuff. Having an electronic blood pressure cuff that also records the patient’s heart beat is probably one of the greatest time-saving tools that technology has brought to nursing. At the same time, nurses need to stay diligent and recognize that there can be technical malfunctions and they should question when they feel the technology isn’t performing correctly.
Technologies such as ultrasound and sonograms have given the medical community the ability to look inside of the human body. Allowing medical professionals to see unborn babies and cancerous tumors. While a nurse does not perform or read the ultrasounds and sonograms, their effect has touched the nursing community. This allows more invasive diagnostic procedures to fall by the wayside.
Nursing care is important
Nursing care is very important for the patient. It is also only one part of the nurse’s job. The nurse is responsible for maintaining an accurate record on each patient under her care. While many hospitals continue to use pen and paper charting, technology can make the record keeping process less cumbersome. There are computerized programs available for medication dispensing, hospital occupancy and insurance and payment programs. Patient records can be maintained in a computerized database which allows the physician, nurse or other medical professional to pull up the patient’s medical history in seconds. Portable computing equipment allows the nurse to update the information on the fly, rather than at the end of each shift. Internet access allows medical personnel to have instant access to databases to search for symptoms and drug interactions.
Computerized drug management
Computerized drug management software reduces the chances of a patient receiving the wrong drug. It also prevents the patient from being given two drugs that should not be given together. Portable defibrillators only work when they are needed and properly applied. Many of the improvements in technology are aimed at reducing the risk of errors and mistakes that can lead to injury or death. This not only makes the hospital a safer place for patients, but helps ease the stress nurses and other medical professionals are under.
Will nurses need to become more comfortable with technology?
As the nursing field becomes more specialized, the need for nurses that are comfortable with new technology will only increase. While many of the therapies for disease involve drugs, a growing number include medical devices. Technology is focused on the healthcare industry right now for a variety of reasons. Recent drug interactions of approved drugs have made more healthcare development firms look at device development as a safer and less litigious area of development.
The growing needs for medical care and the shortage of healthcare workers also drive the development of new technology. Innovations that make it possible for a nurse to perform duties more efficiently, or allow them to hand over duties to an aide or administrative personnel increases efficiency and increase the number of patients that can be cared for with the same number of nurses. This is good and bad as nurses are taking on more patients while learning new technology. Again, this can produce additional stress during the learning process. As well, it is putting nurses at risk for investigations by the Texas Board of Nursing.
The desire to reduce mistakes that can cause harm to the patient also drive the development of technology. Devices that have built in safeguards that prevent misuse are one example of this technology. This can be a huge help for nurses when the technology has built in security for misuse. In many highly computerized hospitals, a patient cannot be dispensed the improper medicine. This is because the computer checks current medications the patient is currently taking, and the patient’s diagnosis, before allowing the medication to be removed from the pharmacy. If the doctor wants the medicine, he must manually override the system.
Technology is a great tool, but is it safe?
Though technology is a great tool for nurses working in modern medicine, they are not always perfect. Nurses that are not properly familiar with new technology may have a tough time- it is always very important to have proper and rigorous trainings. Computer systems are also prone to bugs and glitches, so they are not always perfect. Internet connection is also a huge must when using electronic devices, such as digital charting, so if the WiFi crashes, so does the system.
It is important to not be overdependent on technology as well. Our nurses still need to know how to do everything offline in case of an emergency. While technology is great, it can be broken, worn down over time, or malfunction in a severe time of need.
Security is always a fear when using online resources. Although there are intense security measures taken, it is always possible someone could hack a database and leak patient information. It is important to follow all guidelines and to have properly protected data so patients are not at risk.
While nothing can totally remove the pressure of working as a nurse, many innovative solutions have made the job much more manageable. While the learning curve is often steep, the savings in time and worry are your compensation.
What nurses should do about technology mistakes
Should you find yourself overwhelmed by the technology or have questions, seek additional training. If during training or on the job you have made a mistake or someone has accused you of a mistake, and you have received a letter from the Texas Board of Nursing, contact Texas Nursing Lawyers for a consultation.
You can reach Texas Nursing Lawyers, Buck Johnson and Deborah Goodall via our contact us form or by calling us at (214) 623-6015.
If you have received a letter from the Texas Board of Nursing visit our TBON Investigations page for information.
To learn ways to deal with stress see our blog, Taking Control of Stress in 3 Easy Steps.