Like it or not, technology is changing everything, even health care practices. The manual approach is becoming too old-fashioned and inefficient as the new techy ones.
Some of these technologies are becoming a crucial part of our health care services. They contribute to the quality of health care we receive, and most are now being included as part of the health school curriculum.
Electronic Health Records (EHR) make it a hundred times easier to access and analyze patients’ biodata. The EHR is a digital copy of the patient’s medical history. It can include previous medical complications, allergies, and progress notes. With it, doctors or health practitioners can quickly make informed and accurate decisions.
The Automated IV pump calculates the dosage administered to the patient, which makes regulating and changing drips quicker and precise.
The technological impact on health care services is far and wide. Some of these impacts are good and very promising, and others feel too threatening and likely to put many out of their jobs.
Should you be worried? Well, let’s find out!
How Will Technology Change the Future of Nursing?
Smart technology is becoming the new normal in many hospitals today. That’s not going to change. Nurses would always want and use technology that makes it possible to attend to many patients effectively. Some people have reservations about these technologies, but so far, these technologies do not pose a threat to kicking people out of their jobs. It helps nurses do a better job.
Nurses today can wear a smart device that would make communication between colleagues possible. These devices also help keep track of patients’ conditions prompting the nurses when needed.
This technology makes uploading and updating patients’ medical data.
And, that’s is not all; there are smart beds that help monitor patients’ movement and record patients’ weight.
There are also monitors on display that helps watch the patient’s vital and alarm the nurses when anything goes out of place.
Medication error is a thing when the human factor is considered. When you’ve got to dig through a truckload of files to find the medical record of your patient, the chances are that you might miss something. Although an honest mistake, it can cost some patients their lives. Technologies like the EHR offers to take away the inaccuracies.
These are shown advancements in medical applications. It reduces the workloads and the need for nurses to move around all day to watch all patients in the ward.
This changes everything. Our approach to work as nurses increases efficiency and improves the lifestyle of every nurse. As technological advancement continues, life as a nurse becomes less stressful and inspiring. You won’t have to get home tired every day if you don’t want to.
Isn’t that a promising future for a nurse?
How Does Telehealth Impact Nursing?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: About 500,000 seasoned nurses would retire in 2022. That’s worrisome because it implies that only a handful of nurses would be available to take on the nationwide influx of patients. How? Just how would any nurse who intends to remain sane take on that overwhelming influx?
Telehealth!
Since its invention, telehealth has been about helping nurses mitigate the pressure and stress that comes with the present and future shortage of nurses in America.
According to a survey report by American Hospital Associations, about 70% of patients prioritize quick and seamless access to the health care service they need over the chit-chat relationship with their nurses. As a result, Telemedicine has been embraced with full arms, and many people are eager to jump on the trend as it suffices.
Telehealth assures ease for many nurse professionals – Alongside a load of benefits, it positively impacts the nursing profession.
5 Impacts of Telehealth in Nursing
Firstly, telehealth nursing is not limited by location. It can be practiced anywhere, and it offers a medium that can help strengthen the patient-nurse bond with the need to travel 1000 miles to see your favorite nurse.
All those long hours of waiting until the nurse gets to you are out the window too. You are on to your nurse with one call, and you can get the burning answers you want.
It also compliments the shortage of nurses as it allows nurses to attend to a more significant number of patients more quickly and efficiently. Here are the five significant impacts Telehealth has on nursing:
- Telehealth makes learning therapeutic medicine possible. You would have to narrow it down into a tiny known area of traditional nursing. Who knows what your next patient might complain of, right? The Telehealth program would help you broaden your professional perspective.
- Telehealth has improved privacy. Unlike regular hospitals, that’s filled with constant intrusions and distractions. You can have a personal experience with your Telehealth nurse.
- Telehealth makes it possible for nurses to be supportive and educative towards parents. With their specific approach, they could now help most parents understand some critical health issues and symptoms they should treat early in the wards.
- Telehealth nurses have the luxury of spending more time with patients, and they do. This helps build the patient’s trust and reception to medications provided.
- Telehealth helps nurses see the business aspect of their profession. As a result, they could build a business from it and stay independent if they want for themselves.
Overall, telehealth lowers reasonable health costs without sacrificing good attention and better patient administrative care.
Conclusion
There’s so much technology in play each has contributed to the success of nursing as a career by easing at least one pain point and struggle.
But, It did not end there.
Communication technology spreads its wings as a crucial factor in propagating good health services. We see in Telehealth how telecommunications devices are used to bridge the distance gap between patients and nurses. Telehealth is reshaping health care services and now more than ever, making it a lot more accessible.
