Nursing Leaders and Technology

The utilization of technology has led to a great transformation of the health care industry. New advances in health care delivery, high quality of care and better patients’ outcomes are all considered as benefits of leveraging technology. Successful technology adoption has to trickle from the top down. Nurse leaders and administrators support of technology play a pivotal role in its integration. Leaders have the ability to empower and influence staff nurses to move forward and implement changes that improve care delivery and enhance patients’ outcomes.

However, health care organizations should develop programs for nurse leaders that stress the value of information technology and empower them to use technology in their daily work. Additionally, strengthen collaboration between leaders at all level to share their experiences with technology and create ideas that facilitate technology utilization. Sharing experiences with technology will help leaders realize the benefits of technology and accelerate the development and adoption of such innovation into practice. Moreover, health organizations should expand and integrate informatics competencies into nursing leadership role. These competencies include the emphasis on evidence-based practice utilization and the use of data analysis techniques. However, leaders who leverage technology will have a great influence on nurses. Continuous staff monitoring and engagement change the way nurses deliver care to patients. Further, The American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) has developed several tools to assist nurse leaders in incorporating technology into their work.

Citations:

Amendola, M. (2008). An examination of the leadership competency requirements of nurse leaders in healthcare information technology.

Poe, S. S. (2011). Building nursing intellectual capital for safe use of information technology: a systematic review. Journal Of Nursing Care Quality, 26(1), 4-12. doi:10.1097/NCQ.0b013e3181e15c88

Human-Technology Interface

Nowadays, health care organizations have different types of technologies in place. Since, technology has become involved in patients' care, health care providers encounter a wide variety of technology on a daily basis. Every time a human interacts with different types of technology, such as computers, phones, and monitors, this interaction is called human-technology interface. Moreover, human-technology interfaces are vital to nursing practice and patient care. In health care settings, nurses encounter many human-technology interfaces, including; utilizing defibrillators, intravenous pumps, patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pumps, electronic thermometers and cardiac monitors. All these technologies are necessary to provide patients with high quality of care. Additionally, the nursing leaders job requires them to interact with technology frequently. Leaders use databases to obtain information about quality measures, and the latest technology advances. In addition, leaders have to stay up to date with technology to support HITECH Act integration. Here is a video as an example of human-technology interface.

Further, the Barcode medication administration system is an example affirms that the human-technology interface is enhancing patient outcomes; while maintaining a connected and caring relationship between the nurse and the patient. The Barcode systems reduce medication errors because the nurse has to scan the patient’s identification bracelet and the unit dose of the medication at the bedside. At the same time, the nurse should ask the patient to identify himself and explain to him/her about the medication. The nurse and patient conversation and frequent communication is the best way to maintain a caring relationship while utilizing technology.

Citations:

Funk, M. (2011). AS HEALTH CARE TECHNOLOGY ADVANCES: BENEFITS AND RISKS. American Journal Of Critical Care, 20(4), 285-291. doi:10.4037/ajcc2011810

Hill, T. (2013). Invited Editorial: Caring and Technology. Online Journal of Nursing Informatics, 17 (3). Retrieved  http://ojni.org/issues/?p=2856.