Critical Information Literacy Technology in Nursing

Technology in Nursing

Introduction

I possess a caring nature, and the decision to pursue a career in nursing was informed predominantly by the suitability of this characteristic in the nursing profession. While my caring nature was the fundamental drive for the pursuit of a career in nursing, other elements that contributed to this decision were the nature of the work and the perks that come with being a nurse. For example, the supportive work environment required to coordinate patient care effectively facilitates a cordial relationship with colleagues and continuous learning from more experienced practitioners in the field (Pepito & Locsin, 2019). With such exposure, one can choose different areas of specialization in the nursing career, such as critical or emergency care, pediatrics, geriatrics, or specific disease care.

The nursing work extensively involves offering care for patients that involve administration of medication, meeting the needs of patients, and documentation of the proceeding of care for each patient during working hours that is handed over to the incoming nurse after a shift to carry on. The flexibility of working hours and the accommodation of nurses’ learning goals in the assignment of duties also drew me into the nursing field (“Seven Nursing Technologies Transforming Patient Care,” 2022). Notably, the ability to work in the nursing profession with the accomplishment of different academic milestones offered a unique opportunity to earn an income while still learning.

Impact of technology

Technology has transformed the nursing profession with the implementation of electronic health record-keeping, easy coordination of care among different care providers, automation of some care processes, such as monitoring patients with portable monitors, and increased speeds of generating lab results. According to Hofmann (2015), medical organizations rely upon up to 30 different technological solutions across organizational operations. These solutions vary from managing human resources, finances, quick books, and medical practices. The introduction of electronic health record-keeping resulted in increased efficiency in the delivery of care due to the ease of access to medical records eliminating the need for patients to carry their health records every time they visit a care center (Bailey, 2021). With a centralized management system being implemented, there was an improvement in scheduling nurses’ working shifts using resource-demand management that examines the caseload information and staff availability. These functions are built into the systems with workforce management solutions that facilitate managers’ ability to control operating costs.

According to Gottlieb (2003), the main applications of technology leveraged in the healthcare environment render benefits, such as fewer appointment delays, lower cancelations, and improved operational efficiency. Since the nursing profession is information-based, technology facilitates access to information where it is needed, instantly supporting the nurse’s decision-making process. Consequently, there is increased accuracy in the care process by eliminating errors initially caused by discrepancies in the information sharing process and human errors (Fox, 2016). For example, the remote monitoring process and point of care alerts alarm the nurse in case of an emergency or the patient requires assistance. The introduction of automated measurement tools and graphical representation of core patient care assessments also assist the nurses in adhering to evidence-based standards of care, resulting in better patient health outcomes.

Amidst the technology integration into healthcare, nurses can use the “head, hand, and heart” approach that blends practical knowledge, technical skills, and empathetic understanding to provide humane and sensitive care. Consequently, this approach results in the optimization of patient safety and quality of care. Further, this approach makes it possible for the nurse to dedicate more attention to the patient and examine other factors that influence their welfare, such as social, environmental, and economic factors, to render patient-centered care. For nurse leaders, technology serves a core function in promoting a vision and facilitating monitoring of the accomplishment of milestones towards the realization of the goal.

Importance of Remaining Current

As established, integrating technology in different care settings has transformed the care environment. Consequently, remaining current on new technologies that are FDA approved for implementation in the care environment is critical to ensure the nurse’s competence to deliver care using the technology to aid the nursing process. Proficiency in emerging technology is critical for nurses to adhere to the evidence-based requirements in delivering care to patients and the ethical conduct requirements of the profession. For example, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) calls for a tiered approach to access data where staff members access data that they need to perform their responsibilities (Huston, 2013). These measures are implemented to provide the needed confidentiality and security of patient data (Hofmann, 2015). Remaining current on technology integrated into the care environment is essential for nurses to execute their mandate competently and adhere to the professional standards of conduct.

The theory of technological competence in caring for patients as a nurse involves three core nursing processes: mutual designing, participative engagement, and technological know-how. Technological know-how involves the competent use of technology to treat and care for the patients as a participant; thus, technology should come second in the caring process with the nurse as the principal (Garcia-Dia, 2020). Mutual designing involves the nurse and patient involvement in designing a care plan and determining where technology is necessary. Participative engagement requires implementing the care plan and evaluating the patient’s response concerning the desired health outcomes. Optimizing patient health outcomes is a core objective in the delivery of care, as well as integrating technology in the care environment. Familiarizing oneself with new technologies equips nurses with the critical technical know-how required to balance care with the use of technology.

Notably, some patients might be skeptical about using technology in their treatment. It is upon the nurse’s judgment to determine if the use of technology is critical or could be avoided without compromising the patient’s health outcome. Where it is critical to rely upon different forms of technology, it’s the nurse’s responsibility to educate the patient on the efficacy and the importance of using technology in due process to make sure they make an informed decision (Garcia-Dia, 2020). Without the technical know-how of the technology in the work environment, the nurses are limited in executing their role concerning their responsibility to educate the patient and determining if the technology delegated is critical for the nursing process.

According to Henk (2020), the ethical considerations related to the use of data, security, and overall training are lacking in the medical field. The Software programs and applications deployed in care environments are often antiquated, and the training is insufficient. These issues are exacerbated in scenarios when their use is heightened, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were frequent cases of data insecurity due to the urgency of other matters during the pandemic and were often disregarded during these challenges. Consequently, there was rampant fraud related to insurance claims, medical loan applications, and government assistance.

The familiarity with the emerging technologies in the care environment facilitates nurses’ contribution to technological development and implementation in the care environment. Nurses must determine the roles where technology is necessary to improve patient care rather than use the technology ubiquitously without the evolution of the implications in different care scenarios.

With the firsthand experience of the outgoing technologies and the differences in the delivery of care for different patients, they are equipped with the knowledge to evaluate the efficacy of technology and contribute to the development of technologies that facilitate the accomplishment of care objectives (McNamee & Edwards, 2006).

The determination of where it is critical to implement different technologies is critical; such are routine tasks or areas where extreme accuracy is necessary; it is essential to ensure the costs incurred in the implementation of technology reflect in patient outcomes as well as the efficiency in the operation of the care environment (Huston, 2013). However, these skills and judgment can only be accomplished when nurses are conversant with the technologies implemented in healthcare.

Ways to remain current in the field

Technology in nursing is dynamic, and the need for professionals to remain technologically cannot be overstated. Some of the strategies that nurses can rely on to remain current on the technologies in this discipline are: joining a professional organization, taking advantage of nursing applications, subscribing to technological journals in the nursing profession, using online resources, and advancing one’s academic qualifications. Joining a professional organization gives one access to technological developments in the nursing profession and boot camps that focus on the technological training of their members (Garcia-Dia, 2020). Professional organizations constantly monitor for potential changes that could impact their members. Determining the organizations one can join can be based on one’s area of specialization. For example, nursing leaders can join the National Association Directors of Nursing Administration/Long Term Care.

The recent development in nursing care can be accessed on nursing applications, such as nursing centers, which are available across different platforms. This application is designed to keep nurses up-to-date with all nursing news. Nursing Central is considered the leading source of breaking news in the nursing profession and offers news on recent technological developments, diseases, and drugs. MedPage can also be accessed from one’s phone or computer and offers information on these developments. Subscribing to journals and magazines also offers dedicated sections that focus on familiarizing nurses with technological developments (Pepito & Locsin, 2019). For example, HealthTech Magazine and The American Journal of Nursing (AJN) are recognized among professionals as leading sources of technological changes in the nursing field.