Safety, Quality, and Informatics
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BSN-FP4004_TallarineSamantha_Assessment3-2.docxRunning head: TECHNOLOGY CONTINUUM 1
TECHNOLOGY CONTINUUM 4
Technology Across the Care Continuum
Samantha M. Tallarine
Capella University
Nursing Research & Informatics
Technology Across the Care Continuum
May, 2019
Technology Across the Care Continuum
Nurses are the most trusted healthcare professionals within the healthcare continuum. They spend the most time with the patients, and are constantly doing assessments and charting. This is especially true when it comes to the home care setting, where patients are basically only seeing their nurses. Technologies like patient and portal access being introduced by the healthcare care system to keep the patient at the center of the healthcare. The portal will help the nurses to perform better by having the information about their patient on previous admissions, and their routines at home. These patient portals will also help to have an accurate and detailed history, especially with medications, all in one spot so that all interdisciplinary team members can access it.
Some of the services needed for home care include therapy, and short-term nursing or rehabilitation. Licensed nurses, medical social personnel, psychotherapists, physical therapists, and speech and linguistic pathologists offer different medical treatment needs. Home care can help recovering seniors or pediatric patients who require care, but do not necessarily need hospitalization. This allows patients to receive care in the comfort of their own home, and also keeps them away from the hospital where they are more likely to contract an infection. In order to effectively treat the patient, all members of the interdisciplinary team need to be up to date on the patient’s care. Electronic medical records allow for this, giving all healthcare members the same information and also ensuring that the patient’s privacy is protected.
Electronic health records allow the use of technology for nurses and other healthcare members to record the patient history. Through this, the work of nurses is now more efficient and they can spend more time doing actual patient care. Also, with the implementation of wireless computers nurses can scan both the patient and medications being administered to ensure the patient is receiving the right medication and right dose. This adds to patient safety, and also convenience for the nurses because they can bring their computers with them to each room and chart on their patient while doing an assessment. These electronic health records make it easier to save the patient data, which is non-erasable and easily accessible to any member of the healthcare team. Charting can also be done in real time so in case of an emergency, all team members can have up to date information. The evolution of technology is a “patient engagement tool” which enhances the patient’s autonomy, and that is gained through the use of e-Health tools and resources. Patient engagement increases the rate of positive feedback automatically.
Improving patient outcomes goes hand in hand with improving technology used by healthcare workers. Medication administration has become much safer with the implementation of medication dispensing Pyxis machines, and also being able to scan the patient and medication. It allows nurses to practice the five rights of medication administration (right patient, right drug, right time, right dose, and right route) effectively. This helps to decrease the chance of making medication errors, and keeps patients safe. Also, as stated before, implementing EMR’s allows for the protection of patients privacy, as well as keeping all team members up to date. The patient can receive optimal and safe care when technology is utilized.
Kurt Lewin had a change theory that involved three stages of change – unfreeze, change, refreeze. In this theory the basic idea is that in order to implement change you need to do away with current practices, implement the change, and then continue on with the new changes. In breaking down the system to see what technological advances are needed to help both the nurses and patients, and implementing new guidelines and procedures to correct this problem, we are benefiting both the patients and the facility. The main focus is to optimize the patient’s health, and to also provide quality care to as many people in need as possible. In dealing specifically with informatics, the organization needs to get rid of their current practices, train the staff effectively and timely, and then roll out the program that is implemented based off of evidence-based practice.
There are also some weaknesses that can be identified with using technology. Newer nurses may be more fluent in technology, but unlike seasoned nurses, they have never worked without it. When a company rolls out a new program such as these, it has the potential to receive a lot of backlash for the above stated reason. Nursing is a career that requires a lot of time management, so for nurses to have to learn a new program and face potential roadblocks to their work, it can cause high anxiety in the work place. In order to help ease this anxiety, the company should implement mandatory training sessions in simulation labs before the program is actually rolled out. In doing so, nurses can become comfortable with the new program in different scenarios without the high pressure of patients or other team members waiting on them. Without gaining the support of the nurses and helping to make them feel comfortable there can be a dramatic drop in staff members due to them leaving.
Patient portals are the platforms where patients can be regularly updated about their health. It allows the patient to schedule appointments, review test results, and provide feedback on their experiences. EMR’s allow for real time assessment data and test results, and helps to ensure patient confidentiality. Patient engagement tools are working on increasing the patient engagement in their health related issues, and making sure they remain autonomous. Technology is making healthcare system more composed and efficient, but it can be improved. Software companies can make the technology more user-friendly, and also dispatch representatives of the company to their partners to ensure they are teaching the use effectively.
Resources
Alan Barnard Rn Ba Ma Phd Mrcna. (2002). Philosophy of technology and nursing. Nursing Philosophy, 3(1), 15-26. doi:10.1046/j.1466-769x.2002.00078.x
Barnard, A., & Sandelowski, M. (2001). Technology and humane nursing care: (ir)reconcilable or invented difference? Journal of Advanced Nursing, 34(3), 367-375. doi:10.1046/j.1365- 2648.2001.01768.x
EarlySense. (n.d.). Post-Acute Nursing Shortages? Technology May be Your Best Solution. Retrieved from https://blog.earlysense.com/post-acute-nursing-shortages-technology-may-be-your-best-solution
Psqh. (n.d.). Transforming the Continuum of Care With Technology. Retrieved from https://www.psqh.com/analysis/transforming-the-continuum-of-care-with-technology/
Tiffany, C. R. (1994). Analysis of planned change theories. Nursing Management, 25(2), 60. Retrieved from http://library.capella.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.library.capella.edu/docview/231415471?accountid=27965
