Nurses: Setting the pace with Technology

Nurses’ commitment to protecting, promoting, and improving care for patients around the country is recognized. But their contribution to the use of digital health in clinical practice can sometimes be overlooked.

“Technology and innovation in nursing are inextricably connected,” wrote Rhonda Collins, RN, Chief Nursing Officer, for mobile communications company Vocera for HIMSS.org.

Nurses now often sit at the epicenter of information exchange within the hospital setting, Collins told mhealthintellince.com in a piece entitled “Telehealth, mHealth Make Nurses Pivotal Presence in Healthcare.”

National Nurses Week 2018

National Nurses Week is celebrated in the United States during the week of May 6-12, and this year’s theme is “Inspire, Innovate and Influence.”

More than 4.1 million nurses are actively practicing in the US as of October 2017, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. While they inspire, innovate and influence every day, this week there are events and tributes all over the country and the media to celebrate them.

“Telehealth and mHealth technology have propelled the nurse from a note-taker and hand-holder to a controller and dispenser of information. And they’re using those skills to improve care management and coordination,” wrote mhealthintelligence.com.

The American Nurses Association is taking a look at the affect of technology on the nursing profession during their Nurses Week 2018 webinar called Technology and Its Impact on Nursing Practice.

Beyond the Bedside

Just like digital health technology, the industries and patients who need nurses today continues to evolve, as one hospital executive wrote recently in an Op-Ed piece.

“Nurses are influencing the development of new patient care models and the health care industry as a whole, across myriad roles and environments,” said Scott Lowe, CEO, Physicians Regional Healthcare System in Florida.

“Nursing skills and knowledge are now in demand by insurance providers, electronic health record and technology companies, pharmaceutical companies, and civic and government organizations,” Lowe continued.