NURS FPX 5005 Assessment 4 Patient Care Technology

NURS FPX 5005 Assessment 4 Patient Care Technology

Student Name

Capella University

NURS-FPX 5005 Introduction to Nursing Research, Ethics, and Technology

Prof. Name

Date

Analysis of Technology in Nursing Practice

This paper explores various dimensions of patient care technology, encompassing its applications, advantages, and challenges. Among the myriad technologies pertinent to patient care, this study centers on electronic health records (EHRs) and their implications for patient care and nursing practice, encompassing their utility, benefits, limitations, as well as ethical and regulatory considerations.

Effects of Technology on Patient Care and Nursing Practice

Electronic health records (EHRs), defined as digitized repositories of patients’ medical data accessible through healthcare organizations’ computer systems or mobile devices, serve as guardians of comprehensive medical histories. These histories encompass diagnostic information, treatment plans, allergies, infections, laboratory findings, billing details, radiology images, vaccination records, and physical and mental health indicators, such as blood sugar levels, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and pulse oximetry (Grewal et al., 2019).

Effects on Patient Care

EHRs expedite and enhance patient treatment by enabling nursing staff to swiftly discern patients’ needs, thereby facilitating more effective clinical interventions (Abul-Husn & Kenny, 2019). EHRs systematically aggregate and disseminate patient data to all caregivers, ensuring comprehensive information sharing.

Effects on Nursing Practice

Nursing professionals perceive EHRs as tools to contextualize patient data and facilitate interprofessional communication, particularly for patients in critical conditions or under close observation (Wisner et al., 2019). Accessible through a secure portal, EHRs empower nurses to efficiently retrieve patient information, leading to improved intervention planning.

NURS FPX 5005 Assessment 4 Patient Care Technology

Advantages and Disadvantages

EHRs offer several potential advantages:

• Facilitation of evidence-based medicine
• Precise documentation
• Streamlined preventive care
• Secure storage of medical records
• Enhanced data management

However, drawbacks include concerns about malpractice liability, high implementation costs, and potential decreases in overall productivity (Upadhyay & Hu, 2020).

Communication of Data

EHRs facilitate structured and unstructured communication channels. Structured pathways, such as computerized provider entry (CPOE), convey medication and allergy information, while unstructured pathways employ clinical notes (Zhang et al., 2020). Additionally, EHRs contribute to secure communication by integrating encryption algorithms into conventional medical cloud models.

Identifying Criteria to Evaluate Data

EHRs exemplify medical technologies benefiting from the commercialization and development of 5G technology, enabling nurses to communicate with patients via messages, emails, or phone calls from anywhere. Healthcare organizations establish online portals to engage patients, particularly those from remote areas, collecting and evaluating patient data before disseminating it to the broader medical team (Zhang et al., 2020).

Controls and Safeguards to Maintain Patient Safety and Confidentiality

Modern technologies facilitate patient-staff communication and access to intervention updates while deepening the nursing staff’s understanding of patients’ conditions. Safeguarding data entails granting portal access credentials to relatives or family members of patients with mental or visual impairments (Lee, 2017). Privacy concerns necessitate open dialogues with patients to prevent unauthorized data use. Proper staff training in data storage and monitoring is essential to ethically optimize patient health information within EHRs.

Evidence-Based Strategies to Improve the Application of Patient Care Technology

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 mandates national standards to protect patients’ medical information from unauthorized disclosure (Shachar, 2022). Compliance with HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules ensures patient consent before data disclosure. Upholding HIPAA principles enhances patient care technology by enhancing health insurance portability and safety standards.

NURS FPX 5005 Assessment 4 Patient Care Technology

Conclusion

Patient care technology plays a pivotal role in healthcare, fostering communication between healthcare organizations and patients through devices like blood pressure monitors, blood glucose monitors, and patient location trackers. While these technologies offer benefits, challenges such as staff training, data security, and patient privacy considerations must be addressed to ensure ethical and effective utilization.

References

Abul-Husn, N. S., & Kenny, E. E. (2019). Personalized medicine and the power of Electronic Health Records. Cell, 177(1), 58–69.

Bani Issa, W., Al Akour, I., Ibrahim, A., Almarzouqi, A., Abbas, S., Hisham, F., & Griffiths, J. (2020). Privacy, confidentiality, security, and patient safety concerns about Electronic Health Records. International Nursing Review, 67(2), 218–230.

Grewal, D., Hulland, J., Kopalle, P. K., & Karahanna, E. (2019). The future of technology and marketing: A multidisciplinary perspective. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 48(1), 1–8.

Lee, L. M. (2017). Ethics and subsequent use of Electronic Health Record data. Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 71, 143–146.

NURS FPX 5005 Assessment 4 Patient Care Technology

Shachar, C. (2022). HIPAA, privacy, and reproductive rights in a Post-Roe era. JAMA, 328(5), 417.

Upadhyay, S., & Hu, H. (2020). Clinicians’ lived experiences on the impact of Electronic Health Records (EHR) on quality and safety. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2020(1), 12928.

Wisner, K., Lyndon, A., & Chesla, C. A. (2019). The Electronic Health Record’s impact on nurses’ cognitive work: An integrative review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 94, 74–84.

Zhang, J., Liu, H., & Ni, L. (2020). A secure energy-saving communication and encrypted storage model based on RC4 for EHR. IEEE Access, 8, 38995–39012.