The pace of technological innovation has accelerated over the past few decades, and that development is rapidly changing the nursing field. Technology enables registered nurses to be more efficient than ever and maintain more in-depth dialogue with their patients and patients’ families.
Advantages of tech in nursing
Devices and software advances have improved the quality of life for many people in the healthcare field, including nurses. For example, electronic records have improved the ease with which nurses can access a patient’s medical past. These records are also highly accurate and secure.
This innovation has many benefits, including faster test result processing and better scheduling. There also is the ability to have a deeper dive into performance analysis.
As well, tech can make administrative processes more streamlined and reduced errors with fewer humans involved. The process also becomes one that is standardized when technology is deployed across an entire healthcare system. Redundancy can be reduced too.
Here are some examples of tech you can expect to use as a future nurse practitioner:
Tech-savvy beds
Smart beds enable nurses to track many important metrics, such as weight and movement. The goal is to provide a better way to keep patients comfy and safe. For example, it can reduce falls and other injuries by alerting nurses of the patient’s actions.
These cutting-edge tech beds also can track vitals. That means nurses can obtain new information, such as patterns, that are insightful about how to treat illnesses and understand them on a deeper level.
Telehealth
In addition, telehealth provides nurses with the ability to have conversations with patients who are not in the same building or even the same neighborhood. Being able to electronically talk via video conferencing software, as well as using health apps, is convenient for both nursing professionals and patients.
As a result, RNs are still able to provide a high standard of care to their patients, even when they are not able to be in the same room. Patients, meanwhile, can stay in their homes while receiving care, which is helpful when they are sick and would risk infecting themselves or others by venturing into a healthcare setting. Given its usefulness, telehealth will be a mainstay in healthcare.
For those who have mental health issues, healthcare apps can be very helpful. They can address techniques to reduce anxiety, for example. Other apps are designed to provide people with indicators of symptoms to look out for so that they know when it is necessary to reach out to a doctor or nurse for help.
These types of apps can reduce visits to urgent care clinics and hospitals, as well as provide important information to people. Tech is clearly changing how people understand their health and their relationships with medical professionals, with positive results.
Electronic Health Records (EHRs)
As discussed earlier, electronic health records are an important advancement in nursing. These records are stored on computers and other secure devices in healthcare institutions, taking up much less physical space than traditional paper files.
They also provide a fast way to access patient information, which is especially helpful in urgent care environments. The overall goal is to improve patient outcomes.
Also, there is no need to decipher bad handwriting or to be on guard against spilling liquids on paper files. The records are there for doctors and nurses to update and to see immediately the latest information on a patient. Being able to communicate quickly is a great benefit here.
Portable monitors
Monitoring equipment is now conveniently portable, which enables RNs to check on patients even when they in a different part of the hospital. Being able to do this on the go saves nurses from having to go to the patient’s room every time they need to check up on them.
If an emergency were to occur, the nurse would get an alarm notifying them that there is an urgent situation. The monitoring can occur around the clock, and it can, therefore, save lives.
In college, you can start to learn about healthcare technology that you will use in certain settings, such as hospitals. Highly-regarded BSN accelerated programs will provide you with the information you need to go after your dream of nursing and achieve it confidently. The program, which is under a year, focuses on providing you with the principles of professional nursing practice, as well as helping you strengthen your therapeutic communication skills and other ways to strengthen the nurse-patient bond.
Furthermore, Baylor uses an online course format, using tech to teach students. The online learning environment is one that many students favor because it provides them with the flexibility to study when and where they want, as well as work on projects when it’s convenient for them. That is as opposed to having to attend on-campus classes on a certain day, which may not fit with family obligations or your job.
The future of technology and nursing
Tech continues to change, which is great to both healthcare professionals and those they treat in hospitals and other settings. What will likely occur is that patients will feel more in control of their health when they can use tech like telehealth to communicate with their doctor or nurse.
Having access to care for the entire population is essential, and it becomes easier to do, even in remote areas when technology is involved. It also frees up nurses’ time for other tasks, so they feel more productive in the workday. With that said, tech will never completely replace human-to-human communications; instead, it will enhance those relationships.
As more technology enters the nursing field, it will be included in programs like Baylor University’s accelerated BSN program. The accuracy and efficiency of RNs are sure to increase as tech advances penetrate the nursing field. The result will be a higher level of care for patients of all ages.
Being a part of the tech-savvy future of nursing is what you can look forward to when you enroll in an online BSN program. As a registered nurse, you will have many opportunities ahead that will only expand as technology advances, making for an ever-evolving and exciting career path.
