The Benefits of New Technologies in Nursing

The study of genetics and genomics stands to change the future of nursing, as the diagnosis of common diseases begins to occur at the molecular level. This will particularly impact the care of patients with cardiovascular conditions, metabolic disease, and cancer.

As healthcare practitioners learn more about the outcomes of certain therapies on specific diagnoses, nurses trained in these technologies will be equipped to deliver more effective, individualized treatments.

While robotics has been part of the healthcare landscape for many years, new technologies in nursing continue to improve the diagnostic and surgical abilities of robots. That provides a challenge to nurses who want to keep their technical skills up to date.

The greater consideration, however, is experimentation with robot caregivers. While technology changes for nursing likely won’t replace the need for human workers any time soon, you should be willing to prepare yourself to work alongside medical robots. Learning the practices and procedures of handling and working with robots and robotic instruments may become commonplace for both experienced nurses and those just entering the field.

Because of these advances, new avenues may open for your career — both in and out of the clinical field. For example, you may have the opportunity as a nursing professional to serve as an educator in the area of nursing technologies.

Healthcare professionals are using locator tags, tracked by either ultrasound or infrared technology, to track equipment and patients.

Not only can nurses find the right equipment quickly and easily, but they can also keep better tabs on patient flow and bed management. In the future, this technology will allow facilities to automatically track different phases of the patient care experience, from admission to discharge.

A central system may allow for a single-screen look at overall unit activity — effectively streamlining administrative processes and allowing for better overall patient care.

In the future, it’s possible that all clinicians will be equipped with smartphones on the job. Not only can this technology take the place of current badging and paging methodologies, but it can also give nurses the ability to access electronic patient charts and reference tools on the spot.

Texting and other messaging functions can also facilitate the sharing of information among several members of a patient care team. Future smartphone applications and developments will likely be some of the new technologies in nursing that practitioners can most easily implement — so it’s a good idea to get used to implementing this technology into your practice wherever you can.

Today’s nurses are receiving training in new and exciting ways through online learning, webchats, and even simulation technology.

Simulator programs can allow you to learn in a dynamic, interactive virtual environment — where you face clinical challenges that can test and improve your skills. These technologies also help make online learning more effective than ever.

Simulated patients, with lung and heart activity and realistic weight and skin texture, are replacing non-responsive mannequins. These new nursing technologies can help you better prepare for your clinical exams and future work with real human beings.

Additionally, simulator programs can potentially help experienced nurses develop new technology specialties and provide guidance to those just entering the field.

The healthcare industry is evolving, and with that high-tech transformation comes exciting career opportunities for nurses.

Want to prepare for the exciting future of nursing? Your first step is to pursue higher education with an accredited online nurse practitioner program. If you’re a registered nurse looking to work with new technologies, check out Maryville University’s online Master of Science in Nursing program and see how it can help prepare you for the healthcare technologies of tomorrow — as you build your foundation today.