Evolving Nursing Trends: How Technology is Enhancing Care.

Healthcare is in the midst of a technological revolution, and few clinicians feel its effects as much as nurses. From mobile devices to automated medication delivery systems, innovative healthcare solutions are helping RNs, LPNs, and other nursing professionals care for their patients more effectively than ever.

Technology is Making Health Care More Accessible and Efficient

Telehealth technology is having a pronounced effect on the healthcare sector, especially in the age of Covid-19. Thanks to state-of-the-art video conferencing platforms, doctors and nurses can now deliver care to patients unable to leave their homes and attend in-person appointments due to disability or illness. Mobile apps that allow patients to enter medical data in real-time are also helping nurses monitor their conditions from afar and receive real-time alerts when an emergency arises. 

Finally, the widespread adoption of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) has made information far more accessible across the entire healthcare space. From eliminating the need to store and preserve paper records to improving data accuracy and easing the transmittal of vital information among clinicians and facilities, EMR technology is streamlining workflows for nurses and improving patient safety.

Leveraging Tech to Reduce Medical Errors

Medical errors are more likely when nurses work long hours or on understaffed units, and both are a fact of life in today’s healthcare sector. 

Fortunately, new technologies like automated IV pumps that mechanically measure the medication dosage administered to patients, are helping to simplify routine procedures and reduce the burden on nursing staff. 

Smart beds that enable remote monitoring of patients’ weight, movement, and vitals help prevent bedsores, injuries, and misdiagnosis. Electronic prescribing reduces medication errors by digitally transmitting easy-to-read prescriptions directly to the pharmacy. And thanks to EMR tech, the most up-to-date information is always accessible from the patient’s bedside.

Technology is Expanding Access to Underserved Populations

Telehealth applications are also helping nurses expand access to rural and other underserved populations. 

From virtual appointments to mobile vaccination and screening clinics, nurses and other medical professionals are employing a range of platforms to reach patients who would otherwise forego care due to distance, transportation issues, and clinician shortages.

Tech to Address the Nursing Shortage

Innovative technology also provides new pathways to address the chronic shortage of nurses.

Telehealth applications are allowing fewer clinicians to see more patients each day and automating mundane tasks result in the burnout that may eventually drive nurses to leave the profession. Telesitting technology frees hospital staff from in-room bed-sitting duties by allowing a single observer to monitor several patients at once from a remote workstation.

Mobile staffing apps give nurses more control over their schedules and help healthcare providers make the most of their available workforce. Staff augmentation tools allow medical facilities to connect with third-party staffing services when the need arises.

Technology Can Lead to More Patient-Centered Care

A patient tracking their own data via a wearable monitor is more aware of the impact behaviors have on their overall health. That awareness may lead them to become more proactive and involved in their care, resulting in greater compliance with treatment plans and improved outcomes.

Online portals and other telehealth apps can also facilitate communication between patients and nurses and increase access to medical information contained in EMR, leading to improved self-monitoring and greater patent convenience.

Facilitating Communication Between Staff

Team collaboration tools, instant messaging, and headsets allow nurses to communicate with their colleagues in real-time, greatly easing care coordination. 

This technology can also provide quicker access to test results, reduce the time needed to identify and diagnose illness, and facilitate more efficient patient handovers between departments.

Harnessing Technology to Expand Nursing Education

Video conferencing, online tutorials, virtual chatrooms, and other digital tools allow nurse education programs to offer distance learning and expand into underserved areas, potentially alleviating nursing shortages in some regions of the country. 

More and more programs also rely on patient simulation platforms to provide student nurses opportunities to train in and practice skills through various real-life situational scenarios they might not otherwise experience in routine clinical training.  At the same time, the increasing availability of mobile apps and online guides are giving future nurses greater access to the most up-to-date drug references, medical textbooks, and more.

First Products: Improving Life for Nurses and Patients for Over 50 Years.

First Products has provided high-quality, innovative solutions to help nurses and other clinicians improve patient care and achieve workflow efficiencies for more than 50 years. Whether you’re in the market for telemedicine or telesitter carts, tablet roll stands, or mobile workstations, we’re confident that our perfect-fit and fully customizable solutions can improve life for your nursing staff and their patients.

To learn how First Products can help your nurses thrive in today’s increasingly challenging healthcare environment, please call 800.854.8304 to arrange for your COMPLIMENTARY DEMO today.

To learn more about how our perfect-fit telehealth solutions can help your facility reduce falls and improve overall patient safety, please contact: First Products at 800.854.8304 to arrange for your COMPLIMENTARY DEMO today.