Effects of Technology on Patient Care and Nursing Practice NURS-FPX 5005 Introduction to Nursing Research, Ethics, and Technology ​​​​​​​Analysis of Technology in Nursing Practice

 

Electronic health records (EHRs), which store patients’ medical data digitally, play a crucial role in maintaining comprehensive medical histories. These records include diagnostic information, treatment plans, allergies, laboratory findings, and more (Grewal et al., 2019).

Effects on Patient Care

EHRs expedite patient treatment by providing nursing staff with quick access to patient data, thus facilitating more effective clinical interventions (Abul-Husn & Kenny, 2019). They also ensure comprehensive information sharing among caregivers.

Effects on Nursing Practice

Nursing professionals view EHRs as tools to contextualize patient data and improve interprofessional communication, especially for critical patients (Wisner et al., 2019). Accessible through secure portals, EHRs enable efficient retrieval of patient information, leading to better intervention planning.

Advantages and Disadvantages

EHRs offer advantages such as facilitating evidence-based medicine and precise documentation. However, concerns include malpractice liability and high implementation costs (Upadhyay & Hu, 2020).

Communication of Data

EHRs facilitate structured and unstructured communication channels, including computerized provider entry (CPOE) and clinical notes. They also contribute to secure communication through encryption algorithms (Zhang et al., 2020).

Identifying Criteria to Evaluate Data

EHRs benefit from advancements like 5G technology, enabling nurses to communicate with patients remotely. Healthcare organizations establish online portals to collect and evaluate patient data before sharing it with the medical team (Zhang et al., 2020).

Controls and Safeguards to Maintain Patient Safety and Confidentiality

Technological advancements improve patient-staff communication and access to intervention updates, but safeguards are necessary to protect patient data. This includes granting portal access credentials to relatives of patients with impairments (Lee, 2017).

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

Compliance with regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) enhances patient care technology by protecting medical information (Shachar, 2022).

Conclusion

Patient care technology, including EHRs, facilitates communication between healthcare organizations and patients. While offering benefits, challenges such as staff training and data security 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.