The world of healthcare is changing – how are nurses changing with it?

The field of healthcare is evolving, with new technologies, methods and advancements coming into play. But what about the people behind it all? How are the doctors, nurses and hospital staff, who are all focused on treating patients and making them much better,dealing with these changes?

This article is going to show how nurses are adapting to the various changes in the world of healthcare, as well as how their work is leading to healthier patients all round.

Healthcare is making the jobs of nurses easier

One of the most important things that nurses do is check on their patients. They make sure that their patients’ vitals are good, that the proper medication is given at the correct time, and that the patients are monitored to see if their condition improves or gets worse. In large hospitals where a nurse might have several patients to check up on, this can quickly become tiring and mistakes can be made as fatigue sets in, even with a support group around the nurse.

However,new technology is making the lives of nurses much easier. For example, the practice of nurses ‘making the rounds’ has been made easier by portable monitors. These monitors allow for all of the data about a patient to be transmitted electronically to a nurse’s device, and they can then see all of the needed data at a glance.

Then, if a patient’s vitals change or they require urgent attention, the nurse will receive an alert to the device and can get to the patients who need them the most.

Additionally, changing out IVs for medications is also becoming a thing of the past, with smart IV technology managing the medication and fluids for the patients. The nurses are then able to set how much medication or fluid the patient is supposed to receive, and they can get alerts if a problem arises.

Other forms of technology such as smart beds and instant collaboration tools also make the jobs of nurses easier, and many nurses and hospitals are taking advantage of this technology in order to treat their patients better.

Nurses will need to find a balance between hands-on and hands-off care

While all of this technology is making the lives of nurses a lot easier, there is still some adapting to be done. One of the biggest benefits of having a nurse around is their bedside manner and the hands-on skills that come with that. Sometimes, all that a sick patient needs is to see a confident nurse walk into the room and lay out a plan for what their hospital stay will look like, or just to tell them that everything is going to be okay and answer some questions.

Nurses will spend less time going room to room on various tasks, which can save them time and allow them to respond quicker to emergencies. However, going room to room allowed patients to connect with the nurse and allowed the nurse to be fully present with the patient. A good bedside manner is one of the most important skills taught at every nursing school, including at Holy Family University, and it shouldn’t be forgotten.

Nurses are allowing patients to take on more self-advocacy

With more and more resources both in and outside of the hospital that patients can use to monitor their own health and wellness, the patients are able to take on more advocacy for their health. Already, nurses are encouraging patients to ask questions and speak up when something doesn’t feel right or they have a medical need that has to be addressed.

Nurses are changing as advocates, as many patients are starting to take more responsibility for their health and working with companies and resources outside of a traditional hospital. They need to remain on top of these new resources and continue to provide advice to their patients about how best they can support themselves and their own health.

Nurses are adapting to the changes and the rise of Telemedicine

Finally, nurses are having to adapt to the rise of telemedicine as a practice that many patients are using. Rather than coming to the doctor or seeing a medical professional whenever they encounter a problem or need a checkup, many patients are starting to use telehealth services to talk to their doctor at any time and from anywhere.

While this does save time and allows people who wouldn’t normally visit a doctor in person to see a medical professional about their problems, it does lead to some issues for nurses. They won’t be able to see the patient in person or run tests in person, and this is often vital to providing a proper diagnosis. Additionally, many patients don’t know how to communicate with doctors and nurses, further making things muddled when it comes to communication and providing an effective diagnosis.

Nurses will continue to adapt, and the world will benefit from it

The field of healthcare, as well as the various illnesses and ailments that are attacking our health, will continue to change and grow as time goes on. This means that nurses and doctors will continually have to adapt to these new changes as they provide care for their patients. However,for every single nurse who adapts, lives will be saved, and this is something that everyone can be happy about.