The one constant in healthcare is that it evolves as scientific research expands the field’s body of knowledge. Innovative 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 care. All contribute to improved health outcomes, the ultimate goal of nursing professionals everywhere.

At Felician University, our Hybrid and On-Ground Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) programs prepare students to work with advanced medical technology. 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.

Combined with the ABSN coursework, which can be completed online in the Hybrid program, and clinical rotations, students are prepared to graduate in as few as 16 months with a foundation to successfully leverage future advancements.

As you consider entering the healthcare field, explore new technology in nursing and learn how it benefits everyone: nurses, patients, and healthcare organizations.

1. Wearable Medical Devices

Wearable medical devices like biometric rings are an example of an exciting new patient care technology. These devices allow patients to take control of their health and experience better health outcomes.

Patients can invest in fitness trackers and smartwatches to more effectively monitor their heart rates and rhythms and other measures of health. Many of these devices can connect to patients’ smartphones and send real-time data to their healthcare providers, allowing for remote patient monitoring.

One example is the continuous glucose monitor (CGM). This device, designed for patients with diabetes, tracks glucose levels via a sensor that reads the interstitial fluid under the skin, so patients don’t need to prick their fingers.

2. Automated IV Pumps

One of the most common nursing tasks is administering intravenous (IV) lines to deliver fluids and medications to patients. Today, automated IV pumps, or 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.

3. Electronic Health Records

Electronic health records (EHRs) contain all details relevant to a patient’s care, including their medical history, immunizations, lab results, and more. Once physical documents that required all updates to be done by hand, these records are now digital, making them more accessible, easier to search through years of information, and limiting errors made from messy handwriting.

EHRs are simpler to transmit across departments and facilities, improving communication and collaboration. They can also alert physicians to allergies and drug interactions. Ultimately, EHRs have greatly improved and streamlined physicians’ and nurses’ ability to treat and provide safe patient care.

4. 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 areas without nearby access to health services.

Telehealth also allows patients with limited transportation or mobility to receive the necessary healthcare. Furthermore, it protects immunocompromised patients by reducing their exposure to pathogens prevalent in healthcare settings.

5. Centralized Command Centers

In healthcare, a centralized command center is 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 hospital areas. 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.

6. 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.

AI software can predict and classify diagnoses and recommend personalized treatment plans by processing 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.

7. 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.

8. Collaborative Robotics

While not as widespread as other nursing technology, collaborative robotics have the potential to significantly support nurses. According to a recent study, about 33% of a nurse’s shift is spent performing non-nursing tasks.

Collaborative robotics can help relieve nurses of these tasks so they can focus on patient care, while reducing the spread of infectious diseases, and improving patient experiences.

In a recent study on mobile collaborative robots in healthcare, 25 logistics transportation robots assisted medical staff in transporting medications, supplies, and food throughout the San Francisco Medical Center. These robots can navigate the facility’s floorplan, identify and avoid obstacles, and control elevator doors through a wireless network.

Other collaborative robots can assist in patient transportation, disinfection and sterilization, and guide patients through the hospital, allowing nurses and other healthcare staff to focus on more pressing duties.

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

The benefits of nursing technology for patients are 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 and a better quality of life.

Some types of technology can also empower patients to become more active participants in their 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

Healthcare 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 alleviate nurses’ workload, 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 increase 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 to be skilled in healthcare technology and nursing practice. Along with virtual reality technology, our nursing students train on high-tech medical manikins, and our Hybrid ABSN students access coursework on our e-learning platform.

Additionally, 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, New Jersey, 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.