Technology in nursing has been touted as a means for promoting the free exchange of information as it protects the privacy of patients and improves efficiency and quality of care (Agrawal, 2009). However, the potential benefits of technology have not yet been realized fully largely because of lack of adoption of standardized technology for creating the needed infrastructure for attaining these goals (Blumenthal & Tavenner, 2010). Some nurses have only seen the various technological changes in the nursing profession as just normal changes but have not utilized these changes for the benefit they come with (Carayon et al. 2010). The compelling reason to undertake a research in this topic is due to the perceived lack of utilization of technology that is known to have invaluable benefits in the healthcare system.
Preliminary Argument
Suppose that technology is broadly implemented in a meaningful manner, it would prove invaluable in addressing challenging and convoluted issues like the increased errors made by the nurses (Kelley et al. 2011). Use of technology in the nursing profession would be useful in reducing errors made by nurses at various levels of providing of care. Nurses signify the largest workforce within the system of health care delivery and ought to be at the front line on any redesigning of care based on the meaningful use of the novel technologies. Reduction of errors would be attained if technology is utilized in health care records and storage of medical data. It is crucial that as nurses rethink on how to record data and deliver care using health information technology (HIT), they should come up with processes which are more patient centered (McBride, Delaney, & Tietze, 2012). The objective is not instituting technology for the sake of technology but creation of a more effective and safe system of healthcare that gives nurses a chance to take care of the patients more efficiently ultimately reducing errors.
References
Agrawal A. (2009). Medication errors: Prevention using information technology systems Br J Clin Pharmacol. 67(6): 681–6
Blumenthal, D., & Tavenner, M. (2010). The “meaningful use” regulation for electronic health records N England Journal of Medicine, 363(6) p.501–4
Carayon P, et al. (2010). ICU nurses' acceptance of electronic health records J Am Med Inform Assoc. 18(6):812–9
Kelley T.F., et al. (2011). Electronic nursing documentation as a strategy to improve quality of patient care J Nurs Scholarsh. 43(2) p. 154–62
McBride, S., Delaney, J.M., & Tietze, M. (2012). Health information technology and nursing, American Journal of Nursing, 112(8), P.36-42
