Healthcare Technology & Nursing Leadership

Nurses need to remain informed of changes and advances in healthcare technology and one of the best ways to ensure that is successful, is to have a leader who is the driver of that knowledge. New technological advances are being created daily and added into the already busy and often times overwhelming days of nurses. Changes are coming fast and we cannot slow down. If we do, we will not be successful. For the first time, hospitals are becoming competitive and patients are taking charge of their healthcare. Financial incentives are now tied to not only the implementation but the meaningful use of the electronic medical record and soon, penalties will be given to those organizations who have not successfully implemented an electronic system. Nurse leaders must work with the IT department to develop, adjust and implement technology to improve the quality and safety of patient care as well as support staff with the use of the technology (Nickitas,  & Kerfoot, 2008). Nurse leaders must spearhead these new advances and serve as cheerleaders for staff that are reluctant to adopt the different technologies. Having a leader who is enthusiastic and interested will trickle to staff that perhaps do not share the excitement and together, the leader and the team will work toward the improvement of healthcare. As time moves on and more technological advances are introduced, nurse leaders will also be able to take data collected and interpret it as it relates to patient care. Leaders will be able to utilize this data to make changes within the organization to better manage patient care. According to Schyve (2009), leaders have the resources, control and influence to provide different factors that contribute to the quality and safety of patient care within an organization. Leaders within an organization must work together and utilize the available technology to improve care and lead by example to their staff. Leaders have the responsibility to ensure the overall safety and effectiveness of the technology that is in place within an organization. Without gathering all necessary data related to the purchase of a new piece of equipment for example, patient care may have a negative effect rather than an improved one that was expected. Leaders must fully examine workflow processes and look for areas for potential improvement and once found, involve staff members who are immediate members of the workflow to solicit meaningful feedback as well as ideas for improvement (Schyve, 2008). As changes continue to occur in healthcare and new technology being introduced almost daily, it is imperative for the nurse leader to keep lines of communication open between leadership and staff (Vogelsmier, & Cawiezell-Scott 2009). This will ensure an improvement in healthcare delivery as well as safer care. Equally important is the need for ongoing feedback from the team to the leader so that care can continue to improve as technology does


References
Nickitas, D., &  Kerfoot, K. (2008). Nursing informatics: why nurses need to stay informed. Retrieved February 27, 2015 from  http://www.nursingeconomics.net/cgi-bin/WebObjects/NECJournal.woa/wa/viewSection?tName=newsArticle&od_id=805323027&s_id=1073744453
Schyve, P. (2009). Leadership in healthcare organizations. A guide to joint commission leadership standards. Retrieved February 27, 2015 from http://www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/18/WP_Leadership_Standards.pdf
Vogelsmeier, A., & Cawiezell-Scott, J. (2009). Technology: the role of nursing leadership in successful technology implementation. Journal of Nursing Administration (39).7/8. 313-314. Retrieved February 27, 2015 from http://www.nursingcenter.com/lnc/JournalArticle?Article_ID=927674

Work Flow

In health care, there is always room to improve how we are doing things. We can improve procedures, patient outcomes and how care is provided. Cain & Haque (2008) describe workflow as a set of tasks and the processes necessary to accomplish those tasks as well as the people available to carry out the task. Just as health care is constantly changing, work flows must also change. By doing this, patient outcomes will improve, make care more readily available, and decrease health care costs (Chaiken, 2011). As a response to a problem concerning how a process is done, a revised work flow is necessary and there are many reasons this is necessary. According to Cain & Haque (2008) some of these reasons include the introduction of new technologies and treatment, Medicare and Medicaid incentives, pressure to keep health care costs down and the collaboration of a multi-level care team. By adapting the utilization of a web based software system to track patient care and progress, the entire health care team is able to have full access to care the patient has received regardless of where it was received. It is important to note this is not the same as an electronic health record since the EHR contains all patient information. This software is specific to the treatment of cancer, from diagnosis through either survivorship or patient demise. The information obtained and stored using this software can be uploaded to the EHR but it is not the same as the EHR itself. Receiving a cancer diagnosis is a difficult and overwhelming experience and patients are often left without guidance and are at risk of receiving fragmented care. Patients often seek second, third and even fourth opinions regarding the proposed treatment depending on their age and specific diagnosis. Naturally, these opinions they seek and treatment they ultimately receive are often not within the same organization. With the introduction of this software, the current workflow will change dramatically. Patients will now have a complete record of their diagnosis, treatment plan, surgical outcome and overall prognosis. Each member of the health care team will have easy, web-based access to this information and a printed copy is available for the patient's personal use. Adjusting the current workflow will improve the efficiency of care and improve the quality of patient care (HealthIT.gov, 2013).

References
Cain, C., & Haque, S. (2008). Patient safety & quality: An evidence-based handbook for nursing. Retrieved February 20, 2015 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2638/

Chaiken, B. (2011). Transforming healthcare through improved clinician workflows. iHealthBeat. Retrieved February 20, 2015 from http://www.ihealthbeat.org/perspectives/2011/transforming-health-care-through-improved-clinician-workflows

HealthIT.gov (2013). What is workflow redesign?  Why is it important? Retrieved February 20, 2015 from  http://www.healthit.gov/providers-professionals/faqs/ehr-workflow-redesign

Nursing Leadership and Technology

  

Advancing technology and nursing informatics are changing how health care is delivered and how nurses deliver that care. Current and future nurse leaders have a responsibility to both understand and utilize technology in order to ensure those they are leading are taking full advantage of it as well. According to Troseth (2012), some ways for a nurse leader to help support the ever-changing field of technology include focusing on the skills of the nurses such as communication, strategic thinking and their ability to understand and adapt to technology. Leaders should also work to build a culture of support for nursing informatics as well as encourage professional development and performance. In addition, professional organizations (such as the American Organization of Nurse Executives) have begun to see the value in advancing technology and have issued guidelines aimed at helping nurse leaders to incorporate technology into their practice and those they are leading. Some of the guidelines set forth by the American Organization of Nurse Executives include to define clear and measurable outcomes for each project and making sure there is a system in place that oversees the technology initiative (AONE Guiding Principles, 2009). In an editorial written by Nickitas and Kerfoot (2010), the authors discuss the importance of nurse leaders remaining informed, remain responsible for informatics changes within their organization while working to maintain top level, efficient care. In 2004, the TIGER (Technology Informatics Guiding Education Reform) Initiative was formed with the intention to bring nursing together to develop a vision to improve patient care through technology (TIGER Initiative, n.d). Nurse leaders are in an important position to set examples to their staff when faced with changing technology and how to incorporate it into the work environment. Technology can improve the safety and effectiveness of patient care as well as alter patient outcomes for the better. Nurse leaders need to lead by example by forming strong, collaborative working relationships with those in informatics. Nurse leaders who have accepted and implemented technology into their clinical practice will have greater success in obtaining equipment that is needed by staff simply because there is a greater understanding of what will provide better patient care. The nurse leader is in a unique and powerful position to help form relationships across the organization and change patient care for the better.

References
 AONE Guiding Principles, 2009.
 Nickitas, D., & Kerfoot, K. (2010). Nursing Informatics and why nurse leaders need to stay informed. Nursing Economic$.. Retrieved February 14, 2015 from https://www.nursingeconomics.net/necfiles/news/MJ_10_Nickitas.pdf
 Troseth, M. (2012). Informatics and the future of nursing practice. Advanced Health Care Network for Nurses. Retrieved February 14, 2015 from http://nursing.advanceweb.com/features/articles/informatics-the-future-of-nursing-practice.aspx

Human-Technology Interface

Human-Technology Interface

 Human-technology interfacing is where we as healthcare providers are headed. With the implementation of electronic health records, interoperability and meaningful use, being able to interface humans with technological advances is vital. In this article, the author discusses a patient that was able to climb flight of stairs using a mind-controlled prosthetic leg. Nerves from the amputated limb allows the patient to have full control over the muscles and movements. This can be seen in this video. Artificial limbs are not what they once were, they are now becoming fully operational and function just as well, if not better, than real limbs. Patients are now able to function without the restrictions that were once imposed on those with prosthetic limbs. They are able to regain independence and function fully within society. The mind controlled limb is just one example of how the human-technology interface is enhancing patient outcomes while allowing the continuation of a caring relationship to exist between the nurse and patient. The Human Interface Technology Laboratory is currently working on many projects to improve the lives of patients. As nurses, we are on the forefront of the many medical advances that are happening. Nursing will have a great deal of responsibility in providing patient education and support for patients. It is important for us to remain up to date on the advances in health care and continue to educate ourselves as well. As noted by Bolton, Gassert, & Cipriano (2008), it is also important that nurses view technology as a supportive method to providing care. An example of technology supporting nursing care is the utilization of the bar code system for medication administration. Nurses scan the patient identification bracelet as well as the medication prior to administrating medications and are immediately aware of patient allergies or possible drug interactions (Barcoding, 2012). In situations such as the bar code scanning method, potential errors are eliminated and correct patient identification is virtually foolproof. Technology and the relationship it has with humans can and will transform care. Nurses rely on the human-technology interface to reduce the demand on nursing time, yet help them to provide safe, effective care.

 References

Barcoding Incorporated (2012). Barcoding Hospital Data Solutions. Retrieved February 7, 2015 from http://www.barcoding.com/industry/healthcare/hospitals.shtml

Bolton, L., Gassert, C., & Cipriano, P. (2008). Smart technology. Enduring solutions. Technology solutions can make nursing care safer and more efficient. JHIM, (22). 4. 24-30. Retrieved February 6, 2015 from http://www.aannet.org/assets/docs/fall_jhim.pdf

Nursing Informatics

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid utilize several minimum data sets that which are minimum sets of information with uniform definitions and categories. Data sets are clusters of information regarding a particular disease, intervention or treatment (Sewell & Thede, 2012). Until recently, these data sets did not contain any nursing sensitive data despite the fact that clinical decisions were made based on these data sets and nursing documentation was seen as a method to prove that physicians had been carried out. In response to this, The American Nurses Association (ANA) has accepted the nursing minimum data set in 1999 and the nursing management minimum data set in 2003 (Sewell & Thede, 2012). The nursing minimum data set is defined as the minimum set of items of information with uniform definitions and categories concerning the specific dimension of professional nursing, which meets the information needs of data users within the system (Woodsen, 2015). The nursing management minimum data set is defined as Data variables categorized into environment, nurse resources,and financial resources that are needed to inform the decision making process of nurse executives related to leading and managing nursing services (Woodsen, 2015). Having minimum data sets in place will benefit nursing now and in the future because these data sets create a more universal language that will undoubtedly improve overall patient care, communication and data collection (Rutherford, 2008). Further information to support the benefits as well as the data sets can be found by reading this brief summary. References Rutherford, M. (2008). Standardized nursing language: what does it mean for nursing practice? The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, (Retrieved January 31, 2015 from http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ThePracticeofProfessionalNursing/Health-IT/StandardizedNursingLanguage.html Sewell, J. & Thede, L. (2012). Informatics and nursing: opportunities and challenges. Retrieved January 31, 2015 from http://dlthede.net/Informatics/Chap16Documentation/anarecterm.html Woodesen, B. (2015). ANA recognized terminologies and data sets. Retrieved January 31, 2015 from http://www.scribd.com/doc/54800799/ANA-Recognized-Terminologies-and-Data-Element-Sets#scribd