Technology and the role of the Nurse Leader

Introduction

Emerging technologies in healthcare are impacting and changing the delivery of nursing care. These new technologies are being introduced into nursing practice at a rapid rate.  As a result, nurse leaders are challenged with implementing technology that will improve care delivery, improve patient safety, improve outcomes, create efficiencies, as well as, provide data for future purposes.  The nurse leader wears many hats in relation to their responsibilities regarding healthcare technology.  Responsibilities of the nurse leader include:

1. Act as a mentor or coach
2. Define a common goal for the purpose, implementation and use of healthcare technology
3. Research new technologies
4. Test technology and allow the end-user (nursing staff) to do the same
5. Develop an implementation timeline which includes an educational plan
6. Encourage appropriate and ethical use of available technology
7. Ensure that confidentiality is maintained
8. Monitor for breaches in use and discipline appropriately
9. Elicit staff feedback and facilitate open communication
10. Analysis of data to support quality measures, improved patient outcomes, and areas requiring improvement
11. Advocate for staff by working collaboratively with organizational leadership to select technology that meets the needs and demands of nursing
12. Ability to understand how implementation will affect current workflow

Nurse leaders play a critical role in achieving patient safety, quality outcomes, and staff satisfaction through the use of healthcare technology.                                      (Vogelsmeier & Scott-Caziewell, 2009).

Ethical Concerns

Critical Thinking

Concerns have been raised regarding the impact that healthcare technology has on our ability to think critically.  Bar code medication administration scanning systems, clinical decision support systems, and the future use of artificial intelligence to diagnose illness, are all designed to create efficiencies and promote improved patient safety and quality outcomes.  However, use of these systems becomes routine which can hinder critical thinking capabilities and prevent us from truly looking at and laying hands on our patients (McBride et al., 2018).  Image a computer in the ICU that can predict when your patient will die? What would you do with that information? Would it cause to you spend more time caring for that patient than the others on your assignment? What about a similar system that helps manage patients in the ambulatory setting by providing differential diagnosis and treatments. Who should have access to this type of technology and who should be using it? People practice medicine, computers don't (Goodman. 2010). These systems should be used in adjunct to education, skills, and experience. 

Privacy, Confidentiality, & Safety

The use of technology in the healthcare setting brings along with it obvious concerns for the privacy and confidentiality of a patients electronic medical record.  These concerns extend beyond patients to include clinicians and include alternate forms of technology such as social media.  Inappropriate posts on social media violate the privacy, safety and confidentiality of patients and practitioners alike.  It is unfortunate that regardless of policy and guidelines, nurses continue to post about their professional lives and interactions. These posts which include HIPAA violations, demeaning of patients, intra-professional aggression, and demeaning of patients put patients and nurses at risk for potential harm and could lead to an increase in workplace violence or undesired patient outcomes (De Gagne et al., 2019). 

Isolation

When does the implementation of technology go too far? While technology has it purposes, it can not replace human interaction and human contact. Will patients begin to feel isolated,lonely, and experience depression as a result of receiving their care through the newest and latest technological trends such as video visits or remote patient monitoring? Technology should not replace the nurse-patient or patient-provider relationship, rather it should enhance it. 

Learn more by visiting the links below

Nurse Leaders & Technology Decisions

e-Health Implementation Strategies RNAO Best Practice Guideline

Management Strategies for Nurse Leaders


Week 3 Reflection

I have gained a new appreciation for the role of the nurse leader as it relates to healthcare technology.  In order to be an effective leader in healthcare today, the nurse must be competent in numerous areas of business and human resource management, but more importantly, competent with the rapidly changing field of healthcare technology.  This week has brought to my attention a personal realization that I still have an enormous amount to learn and become proficient with in the area of nursing informatics. These skills are essential for success in order to be a knowledgeable and capable leader. I look forward to the challenge that lies ahead and plan to take advantage of some of the course offerings through nursing-informatics.com (when I have spare time). 

References

De Gagne, J.C., Hall, K., Conklin, J.L., Yamane, S.S., Roth, N. W., Change, J., & Kim, S. S. (2019). Uncovering cyberincivility among nurses and nursing students on twitter: A data mining study.  International Journal of Nursing Studies, 89, 24-31. DOI: 10.1016/ijnurstu.2018.09.009

Goodman, K.W. (2010). EHR's create startling new moral quandries. Retrieved from https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/734193

Hirsch, A.(2014). Technology management strategies for nurse leaders. Nursing Management, 45(2), 41-43. doi: 10.1097/01.NUMA.0000442645.01325.fe

McBride, S., Tietze, M., Robichaux, C., Stokes, L., Weber, E., (2018). Identifying and Addressing Ethical Issues with Use of Electronic Health Records. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 23(5). DOI: 10.3912/OJIN.Vol23No01Man05

Vogelsmeier, A., & Scott-Cawiezell, J. (2009). The role of nursing leadership in successful technology implementation. JONA: Journal of Nursing Administration, 39(7/8), 313-314.