Patient care technologies, information systems, and communication devices that support safe nursing practice.
Today, Information technology is regarded as the most important aspect of healthcare. In the last couple of decades, a lot of emphases has been placed on technological expansion, particularly in the healthcare sector. In healthcare technology, the primary focus has been put on patient care and technological development in clinical applications. The development of new knowledge and concepts in this sector has focused on improving the quality of patient care and in so doing decreasing patient recovery time as well as helping patients cope with their illnesses positively (Mott & Bowman, 2014). The care of patients involves sharing important information as well as managing their conditions. Consequently, there has been an increase of interest in the use of information and communication technologies and communication systems. This paper seeks to identify the patient care technologies, information systems, and communication devices that support safe nursing practice. It also addresses the value of best evidence as a driving force in instituting change in the delivery of nursing care.
Patient Care Technologies
‘Patient care technologies can be defined as clinical protocols and other ‘paper' based tools' used in caring for patients (Rouleau, Gagnon & Côté, 2015). Technologies used by nurses are a means of preventing adverse events and errors. Such errors include delays in treatment, medication errors, and miscommunications. Adverse events, on the other hand, are issues such as pressure ulcers, nosocomial infections, failure to rescue, the complication of immobility and falls. Patient care technologies range from simple devices such as syringes and catheters to highly complex devices such as electronic health records and barcode medication administration systems.
Today, the complexity of patient care technologies has transformed the manner in which nursing care is perceived and delivered. Before the onset of technology, patient care relied heavily on the nurse's senses to detect changes in patients. However, technology has today replaced such simple and traditional methods. The use of oximetry to determine changes in oxygen saturation has taken over-reliance on skin color and mental state. Today, pulse oximetry allows nurses to identify cases of decreased oxygenation before any symptoms appear.
Monitors are other technologies that have played an important role in patient care. Nurses rely on these devices to detect important changes in clinical status of a patient. Instead of relying on their sense of touch and sight, nurses today rely on monitors to identify and act on internal changes on a patient.
Information Systems
The electronic patient record has become a key aspect of the information workflow. The use of Information technology will in this connection improve the quality and efficiency of patient care. An electronic patient record documents patient's information. This documentation comes in handy in communicating a patients medical condition as well as organizing the patient's care in line with his/her needs. The practice of nursing is guided by the needs of patients. Based on a patient's needs and environment, specific theories can be applied for different individualized care.
Another useful and equally important information system is the electronic charting. Through this system, nurses are able to quickly and effectively access and utilize information to improve the quality of patient care. With the help of nurse informatics specialists, nurses can apply theories directed at better and effective patient care (Rouleau, Gagnon & Côté, 2015).
Communication Devices
Communication technologies support the electronic capture and exchange of information towards the promotion of health, treatment of diseases, prevention of illnesses and management of chronic illnesses. Communication devices such as tablets computers and enhanced mobile phones have today become commonplace in the healthcare sector. These devices have increased the efficiency of transmission of communication.
Patient education is gradually becoming a major concern in healthcare facilities. Hospitals today want to engage in better education for patients and their families. Studies have shown that knowledge on the part of patients can reduce chances of readmission, decrease the time taken to heal and improve mental comfort. Today, with the help of technological devices patients are educated on their illnesses and the relevant care.
Through my healthcare experience, I believe that technology has contributed positively to the healthcare sector. My last visit to a healthcare facility was marked by a high quality patient care as a result of less time dedicated to documentation. Additionally, being made aware of my condition decreased my recovery time. I became an active rather than a passive participant in the healing process by doing what I needed to do to ensure I became well.
Discuss the value of best evidence as a driving force to institute change in delivery of nursing care
In the past, healthcare delivery was a trial and error practice. Practices that worked were passed down to other generations while those that proved ineffective were discarded. Nurses employed a variety of unresearched methods for many centuries. While some were grounded on solid interventions such as hand sanitation, others were practiced simply for the sake of nursing activity.
Over time, nursing care has recognized the importance of research in patient care. Research has made it possible to investigate how effectively different interventions work in both nursing and medicine. Interventions that have been proved ineffective have been abandoned while effective ones have been accepted into nursing care.
Best evidence in nursing means that nurses are able to research nursing questions and conduct their own research or carry on other people's research (Webster, 2013). They then base their patient care on interventions that have proved to bring the best possible results. Best evidence requires of nurses to become informed consumers of research. Nurses should, in this case, be in a position to evaluate different studies and spot out bias or inconsistencies. The best evidence in nursing requires of nurses to give patients the best-researched care that corresponds with their medical needs.