Technology in Nursing: The Evolution of Patient Care

Technology in nursing continues to evolve, allowing nurses to continually improve standards of care. Nurses are lifelong learners and must remain at the forefront of advances in healthcare technology. From wearable medical devices to advanced imaging techniques, the way we deliver patient care is rapidly improving to meet the demands of the population’s changing health needs.

At Felician University, our Hybrid and On-Ground Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) programs prepare students to work with advanced medical technology and provide a solid foundation to successfully leverage future advancements. Our high-tech skills and simulation labs allow students to practice working in clinical settings and interact with hospital-grade technology in safe, simulated environments.

Here, you can explore new technology in nursing and learn how it benefits everyone — nurses, patients and healthcare organizations.

The Role of Technology in Healthcare

The one constant in healthcare is that it continually evolves as scientific research expands the field’s body of knowledge. New technology in nursing is essential for improving the quality of patient care, reducing the risk of medical errors and enabling patients to become engaged and active participants in their own care.

All contribute to improved health outcomes — the ultimate goal of nursing professionals everywhere.

Types of Patient Care Technology

As an aspiring nurse, it’s helpful to have basic tech literacy skills. You won’t be expected to know how to use all types of technology, but you should be adaptable and willing to learn. In some cases, you may also find yourself teaching your patients how to various technologies.

Common technology in nursing includes:

Wearable Medical Devices

Wearable medical devices are an example of an exciting new patient care technology. These devices are revolutionizing the patient care experience, allowing patients to take control of their health and experience better health outcomes. Wearable medical devices make better health more accessible, as many devices are available on the consumer market.

For example, patients can invest in fitness trackers and smartwatches to more effectively monitor their heart rates and rhythms and other measures of health. Some devices can connect to patients’ smartphones and send real-time data to their healthcare providers.

Another important medical device is the continuous glucose monitor (CGM). This device, designed for patients with diabetes, allows patients to avoid the constant finger pricking and instead receive their glucose readings on their smartphone at any time.

Automated IV Pumps

One of the most common nursing care tasks is administering intravenous (IV) lines to deliver fluids and medications to patients. Today, automated IV pumps, also known as smart pumps, serve as an alternative to manual infusions.

Automated IV pumps improve workflow efficiency and provide greater accuracy than manual infusions, reducing the risk of miscalculated amounts. For instance, automated IV pumps can alert nurses to blockages in the line or potential drug interactions.

In short, automated IV pumps have the potential to improve the quality of care, reduce the risk of medical errors and improve workflow efficiency for busy nurses.

Telehealth Services

Telehealth services are one of the most recognizable advances in patient care technology. Telehealth medicine allows patients to access a provider without traveling. This reduces health disparities, as many patients live in healthcare deserts without nearby access to health services.

Telehealth also allows patients with transportation issues and mobility impairments to receive the healthcare they need. Furthermore, it protects immunocompromised patients by reducing their exposure to pathogens prevalent in healthcare settings.

Centralized Command Centers

In healthcare, a centralized command center serves as an operations hub, equipped with communication tools and computer systems that enable staff and automated software to receive real-time data and coordinate responses.

For example, a command center will have details about current staffing levels across all areas of the hospital. When one department is understaffed, computer systems help identify an overstaffed department, so command center workers can send nurses to the department in need without compromising the quality of care.

Centralized command centers coordinate care effectively and efficiently. They provide a centralized hub where hospitals can closely monitor staffing levels, bed availability and patient journeys through the health system.

Predictive Analytics and AI Decision Support

Predictive analytics refers to using data to make projections about future outcomes. In healthcare, predictive analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) can be combined to provide decision-making support to healthcare professionals.

For example, AI software can predict and classify diagnoses and recommend personalized treatment plans by processing inputted data, such as patient medical records, genetics, symptoms and lifestyle.

AI’s ability to process large amounts of data can be instrumental in managing population health and predicting outcomes.

Advanced Imaging Techniques

Diagnostic imaging techniques like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerized tomography (CT) scans have revolutionized patient care and saved countless lives, and they continue to improve.

One example is new nuclear imaging technology that uses a much lower dose of radiotracer while allowing for higher-quality images. Another example is 3D medical imaging, which facilitates better visualization and procedure planning.

Benefits of Innovative Nursing Technology

Technology in healthcare can benefit all stakeholders, including patients, their nurses and healthcare organizations. Here are some examples of the benefits brought by technological advancements in healthcare:

Benefits for Patients

For patients, the benefits of nursing technology are quite clear. Medical devices can help them more effectively manage a chronic health condition (e.g., pacemakers), restore function (e.g., artificial joints) or keep track of their health status (e.g., CGMs). This can lead to improved health outcomes, which translates to better quality of life.

Some types of technology can also empower patients to become more active participants in their own care, such as online patient portals that allow them to easily access their health records. Other technologies, like telehealth medicine, allow patients to receive care regardless of geographic location.

Benefits for Nurses

Patient care technology also offers benefits for nurses. Some nursing technology allows nurses to monitor the health of their patients more closely and efficiently, for instance. Healthcare tech can also improve care coordination and streamline communication with other providers. Hands-free hospital communication devices, for example, allow nurses to communicate with coworkers throughout the hospital without picking up a phone.

Benefits for Health Organizations

Technology can also provide significant advantages for healthcare organizations. When patients achieve better outcomes and nurses make fewer medical errors, hospitals benefit from improved patient satisfaction and enhanced reputation. Advanced facilities that seek to streamline patient care and procedures may also see an increase in nurse job satisfaction, helping improve retention.

Technology can also improve care coordination, protect patient privacy and security and enhance workflow management.

Prepare for a High-Tech Nursing Career at Felician

At Felician University, our accelerated nursing degree programs are designed to thoroughly prepare our students for a high-tech career in nursing. Along with virtual reality technology, our nursing students train on high-tech medical manikins and our Hybrid ABSN students can access coursework on our e-learning platform. Plus, we’ve partnered with Atlantic Health System and other leading healthcare providers to give our students comprehensive clinical rotations.

At Felician, you can choose from two programs: our Hybrid ABSN program in Parsippany, which combines online coursework with in-person labs and clinicals, or our On-Ground ABSN program in Rutherford, New Jersey, which is entirely in-person. Regardless of their chosen modality, our ABSN students can graduate in as few as 16 months, ready to take the NCLEX-RN.

Ready to get started? Contact us today to speak with your dedicated admissions counselor.