Reflective Blogs: Nurses and Technology - Essay Example

Nursing and technology Nursing and technology Technology has the potential to lessen the burden on individuals in the medical field, as well as reduce the occurrence of medical errors. Nurses are among the most burdened in this industry due to the shortage in the number of qualified nurses (Cowen & Moorhead, 2011). The number of working hours for the current professionals is strenuously high and this affects the quality of services that they provide. Technology provides a temporary solution for the issue as it can be implemented in this field to lessen the strain and improve the quality of services (Cowen & Moorhead, 2011).

The paper will give an illustration on how technology can be implemented into the nursing field indicating the specific gadgets that can be utilized and their potential benefits. The most common gadget is the tablet, which can be used for storing information that can assist nurses in their activities. This can range from treatment protocols to patient records and reminders for when certain medication should be administered (Doswell et al., 2013). Many nurses have a problem with excessive amount responsibilities and they are vulnerable to forgetting in some rare cases.

Electronic data sheets for patients can also be implemented. Many cases of malpractice have been attributed to the misinterpretation of writing by different individuals involved in the evaluation and monitoring of the patient. Electronic data will reduce the amount of errors from this perspective. Computerized documentation also creates the possibility for easier storage of the patient’s record as well as better access for reference purposes. At times the patient needs the nurse but has no possibility to speak or call for help.

This issue can be resolved by creating a direct connection between the nurse and the patient giving him a device with a button which he can press and the nurse will see this need for assistance through her receiver. This technology has proven to be useful in many hospital settings. Another way that technology has been implemented in the nursing field is through telemedicine which is extremely helpful in the emergency department (Nagel et al., 2013). Telemedicine involves the creation of a virtual connection to the intensive care unit which enables the nurses and physicians to have constant access to the unit (Kowitlawakul, 2011).

This is helpful especially in the modern environment whereby there is a shortage of staff members. Implementing the technology would be expensive; however, this would save the hospital lots of money in the long term. The technology has been estimated to cost approximately $100 000 per bed. However, the technology would reduce the duration of patient stay in the hospital. One potential technological innovation is a blood monitoring device which assesses the nutritional status of the patient through his or her blood.

This device could be programmed to alert the nurse when there are some inconsistencies such as a depletion or increase in certain microelements. This device will give nurses a clearer indication of what to administer for the patient and in which exact quantities. This device can be specialized for certain conditions such as diabetes mellitus where it can be used to give a constant indication of blood glucose levels. The potential use of technology in the healthcare environment is limitless and the future of the profession seems to be one that resolves around new technological developments (McCormack et al., 2013). ReferencesCowen, P. S., & Moorhead, S. (2011). Current issues in nursing. Mosby.Doswell, W. M., Braxter, B.

, Dabbs, A. D., Nilsen, W., & Klem, M. L. (2013). mHealth:Technology for nursing practice, education, and research. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 3(10), p99.Kowitlawakul, Y. (2011). The technology acceptance model: predicting nurses intention to use telemedicine technology (eICU). Computers Informatics Nursing,29(7), 411-418.McCormack, B., Manley, K., & Titchen, A. (Eds.). (2013). Practice development in nursing and healthcare. John Wiley & Sons.Nagel, D. A., Pomerleau, S. G., & Penner, J. L. (2013).

Knowing, Caring, and TelehealthTechnology “Going the Distance” in Nursing Practice. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 31(2), 104-112.Phillippi, J. C., & Wyatt, T. H. (2011). Smartphones in nursing education.Computers Informatics Nursing, 29(8), 449-454.