One of the biggest challenges facing the healthcare industry today is the nursing shortage, with demand far outstripping supply in many regions. With an aging population and growing demand for healthcare services, the need for qualified nurses is more critical than ever. Technological advancements have emerged as a powerful tool for addressing this shortage and improving patient care.
In today’s rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, technology plays a crucial role in improving patient care and outcomes. As frontline healthcare providers, nurses are vital in successfully integrating and utilizing these technologies in their practice. From electronic health records to telemedicine, technological dynamics in nursing have revolutionized patient care and improved efficiency.
The shortage of nurses is a pressing issue in the healthcare industry, requiring innovative solutions to address it. In addition to understanding technology essential to the nursing field, a solid foundation in nursing education and practice comes in handy to foster necessary skills. To develop these kinds of skills and stay updated on the current nursing trends, interested individuals can enroll in a nursing program at an accredited university like Spring Arbor University. This will equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills to meet the demands of the constantly evolving healthcare landscape. The comprehensive nursing program also incorporates the latest advancements in technology aimed at enhancing nursing skills to provide optimal patient care.
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What has caused a shortage of nurses?
The shortage of nurses is a pressing issue that has plagued the healthcare industry for years. Despite being one of the most rewarding and in-demand professions, the number of nurses has failed to keep pace with the growing demand for healthcare services. This shortage has been attributed to various factors that have contributed to the challenges of attracting and retaining qualified nurses. Some of the common reasons include an aging workforce, the COVID-19 pandemic, high demand, and great acuity.
An aging nursing workforce
The aging of the nursing workforce has been an observed phenomenon since the early 2000s. According to the Nurse Journal, more than 50% of registered nurses I the United States are over 50 years old. With an aging population and continuing health concerns, employers have become desperate to recruit younger nurses.
COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic subjected healthcare workers, especially nurses, to immense pressure and stress that caused anxiety and burnout. Aside from the front-line professionals that lost their lives in the line of duty, these challenges made many young nurses leave the profession.
High demand for healthcare services
As the US. population continues to age, the demand for healthcare services will continue to increase, thereby increasing the demand for qualified nurses. According to the US Census Bureau, over 83 million Americans will be older than 65 by 2050. This will significantly boost the number of individuals requiring nursing assistance at home, leading to a massive increase in the demand for nursing services.
Higher hospital census and greater acuity
The growing demand for healthcare services has led to hospitals increasing their bed capacity, hence a higher hospital census. This has resulted in higher patient acuity that leaves nurses working under extreme pressure with little time to tend to their patients.
Impact of digital and AI solutions on nursing
The advancement of technology has greatly impacted the nursing profession, improving efficiency, accuracy, and patient care. In particular, artificial intelligence (AI) influences humanity in many ways and is revolutionizing the healthcare industry by providing advanced technology solutions that help nurses provide higher-quality care to patients. For example, AI can effectively analyze vast amounts of data and generate differentiation insights that can guide nursing care plans. In addition to providing clinical insights, AI solutions can also act as virtual assistants for nurses, allowing them to easily manage their workflows.
As the healthcare industry continues to evolve and embrace technology, digital and AI solutions are becoming increasingly important in nursing practice. These solutions help nurses meet the growing expectations of patients who are seeking more convenient and personalized healthcare experiences too.
Nursing is a demanding profession that requires nurses to juggle multiple tasks and responsibilities daily. With the advancements in technology, nurses now have access to tools and systems that can greatly improve their daily workflows and enhance patient care.
Technology tools also allow nurses access to advanced clinical information that improves patient outcomes. This information helps nurses provide better and more targeted care, while also reducing errors and minimizing adverse events.
Technology that improves daily workflows
The role of nurses is crucial in providing quality healthcare to patients. However, the demands and responsibilities placed on nurses can often be overwhelming, leading to increased stress and burnout. Fortunately, advancements in technology have introduced innovative solutions that can greatly improve daily workflows and enhance patient care. From electronic health records to patient monitoring systems, these technologies streamline processes, reduce errors, and empower nurses to deliver efficient and effective healthcare.
Telehealth
Telehealth is an important part of healthcare delivery today. Nurses have access to technologies that allow them to remotely monitor patients and provide real-time support from afar. Telehealth solutions can effectively communicate vital health information to nurses, providing them with valuable insights into patient status and care. These solutions can also provide immediate notifications in case of emergencies or adverse events. This allows nurses to intervene at the earliest possible moment, helping improve patient outcomes and safety.
Telesitting
Traditionally, patients at risk of different kinds of injuries such as falls would be assigned a nurse, sitter, or caregiver for close supervision. But amid the current nursing shortage, a one-to-one ratio of nurses to patients is not practical, not to mention the extra staffing costs that would be incurred. Using technology, nurses can provide near-real-time remote patient care. With telesitting technologies, a nurse can monitor different patients through live video and audio using cameras.
With this service, nurses can conveniently monitor and diagnose patients in remote locations while receiving timely notifications in case of emergencies and adverse events. Using these services allows nurses to provide personalized healthcare to each individual patient, especially seniors, without having to physically be present at the location.
Artificial intelligence
As healthcare moves toward value-driven and team-based care, the integration of AI is crucial in providing higher-quality, more personal healthcare. While the role of RNs remains to be highly humanized, AI tools will continue to advance in a way that will complement nurses’ workflows. These tools will continue to assist nurses in managing their workloads, improving patient care, and integrating data from other sources to improve clinical outcomes.
AI helps clinicians identify trends that enhance better patient outcomes by making sense of clinical data. Algorithms in AI technology can help detect tuberculosis in chest X-rays or assess fall risk, for example. AI also allows nurses to focus on more complex cases even as it handles routine tasks that are time-consuming for nurses.
Electronic health records
Nurses play an essential role in the digital transformation of healthcare simply because they ensure the proper implementation of electronic health records (EHRs). EHRs are systems that collect, organize, store, and streamline medical information about patients, allowing easier access to medical records and patient files.
Nurses can use EHRs to access information about patients, which saves time and improves patient care. EHRs also allow nurses to compile vital medical information about a certain patient in one spot, which is easy for all professionals to access. EHRs increase the speed and accuracy of clinical data-gathering and provide better patient outcomes in terms of quality, safety, and cost efficiency.
Benefits of technology in nursing
Integrating technology into nursing practice has positively impacted patient outcomes and nursing workflows. Here are a few ways how technology benefits nursing.
Reduced errors
Nursing workflows are becoming increasingly complex. This complexity increases the potential for errors and adverse events. Artificial intelligence and other technology tools are helping to reduce nurses’ errors and increase patient outcomes, thus increasing nurses’ efficiency.
Increased communication
Technology has helped facilitate communication between nurses, physicians, and other providers. This includes the electronic transmission of information.
Streamlined user interfaces
These are digital health user interfaces (UIs) that help in streamlining the work of nurses, which makes accessing patient data seamless. Here are some of the benefits derived from streamlined UIs according to the Health Tech Magazine:
- Language processing tools for dictation
- Reduced screen time
- Access using voice or vision prompts through gestures
Besides, nurses and their care teams can communicate in real time using these UIs. This frees up time for the healthcare providers to help them handle other day-to-day responsibilities more efficiently, including administering medication, charting, and reviewing lab test results together and make informed decisions.
Ease of use
Technology makes it easier for nurses to find required information about a particular patient and connect with the right people when needed.
Entering the fascinating world of nursing
Technological advancements in healthcare have broadened the scope of nursing practice while providing solutions that improve patient care. Technology helps nurses become more efficient and effective in their roles, thereby enhancing patient outcomes. With the opportunities that these tools provide, nursing is on a path toward a new level of innovation with technology. For both nurses hoping to increase their career opportunities and students enthusiastic about the nursing profession, it is integral to adopt the technology that will play a huge role in the future of nursing.
