Current Information and Communication Technologies

Posted by Melda Research on April 24th, 2019

Overview

The integration of technology in nursing practice enhances the delivery of services. Technology provides nurses with the opportunity to streamline service delivery as well as improve the quality services nurses can offer. Technology also reduces the workflow burden associated with documentation, medication, administration and communication (McGonigle, &Mastrian, 2012). The paper below reviews some of the technology tools that enhance service delivery in my area of specialty: medical surgical.

The Early Sense System Monitoring Device

The system addresses safety and quality issues of patients. The technology enhances patient care as it allows the nurses to provide continuous monitoring. The system has been the best technological device, in relation to the continuing nurse shortage. The inadequacy of nurses in different departments put patients at risk. However, the introduction of technologies such as the early sense system monitoring device enables nurses to monitor patients and help them overcome potential healthcare challenges. The system enhances patient care delivery by providing nurses with alerts in case there is a change in the patient condition. The system transfers signals to the nurse’s cell phones or pagers (Fisher, & Moore, 2012). The system enhances service delivery as nurses make prompt responses to the alerts. The nurse immediately leaves the nurse station and helps the patient thus eliminating the health risk that resulted to the warning signal.

The system also enhances the quality of the patient receive. The system gives the nurse prompt alerts. The nurse then accesses the situation and quickly consults the physician or the surgeon if the need arises. The response time in case of emergency thus reduces in medical, surgical units that have the system. The system also enhances communication between the physician/surgeon and the nurses. In the event of complications, the nurse can contact the doctor in-charge through his pager. If the patient’s situation is not dangerous, the nurses can communicate the patient’s responses to the physicians through his mobile devices. The system thus ascertains that the doctor or a primary care provider remains in touch with the patient’s progress. The system is also comfortable for the patient as he does not have to be in contact with the machines. The device rests beneath the patient’s mattress from where it captures the patient’s progress (American Nurses Association, 2008). The rate of false alarms and failure of the early sense system is very small. The effectiveness of the system is high compared to other technologies such as the pulse oximetry and telemetry.

The early system is suitable for the medical-surgical unit. Unfortunately, the application of the system faces many challenges. First, the system is complex for most nurses who lack basic computer skills. Nurses who lack computer literacy skills struggle to operate, as well as interpret the functions displayed on the screen. Secondly, the overall cost of implementing, managing and maintaining the system is quite prohibitive. Healthcare facilities appreciate the existence of the system to enhance patient care; however, the cost put them off from implementing it.

In conclusion, the practical adoption of the system requires the management of the hospital to train the nurses on how to read, interpret and utilize the system. When the hospital prepares its nurse, they will be receptive to the new technologies. Additionally, the hospital can budget for the purchase of a few of the system. The nurses will use the systems as they train on their utilization (Fisher, & Moore, 2012). Later the hospital will purchase an additional system according to the budget and the availability of funds.

Reference

McGonigle, D., &Mastrian, K. G. (2012). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

American Nurses Association. (2008). Nursing informatics: Scope & standards of practice. Silver Springs, MD: Author.

Fisher, K. & Moore, A. (2012). Healthcare information technology. Computer informatics nursing. Vol. 30(3): 157-163

 Sherry Roberts is the author of this paper. A senior editor at MeldaResearch.Com in urgent custom research papers. If you need a similar paper you can place your order from nursing school papers services.