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Who Does What: Determine who is responsible for approving new technology. What are the responsibilities of senior managers, managers, and heads of unit? Who will be included in the process? Will nurses on the floor play an active role? Nancy Cobble, MA, RN, Clinical Analyst - Information Systems at St. Peter's Hospital in Helena, Mont., says having staff nurses involved in the process helped the hospital with the transition to a state-of-the-art computer system. "A team of nurses who worked on the floor was responsible for learning how the new equipment functioned. Then, they were sent back out to act as mentors to the other nurses." Training: Constant training is necessary in keeping up-to-date on system changes. Cobble says St. Peter' requires 16 hours of mandatory computer training, as well as offering ongoing continuing education classes. Support Groups: Diane Corcoran, Ph.D., RN, senior health care consultant for Kelly Anderson and Associates in Alexandria, Va., which is developing smart card technology, says talking it out can work wonders. "Get educated first and then have a brainstorming session," she says. "We tried this when discussing the smart cards to a group of nurses. They came up with 61 ways to use it that they wouldn't have believed before." Patient and Family First: Madge-Buus Frank, MS, RNC, ARNP, a neonatal nurse practitioner at the Children's Hospital at Dartmouth and Southern New Hampshire Medical Center in Nashua, N.H., says the technology should be as unobtrusive as possible. "How do you think a parent feels when they see 37 devices attached their baby? Technology should be blended into the background. The family's reaction to what they first see when they walk into that [operating room] should be taken into consideration." Integration: Computer A needs to be able to talk to computer B. "There needs to be an incredible amount of standardization so that all the devices can communicate with each other," says Frank. Understand the Risks: There must be solid research dedicated to safety before new devices are integrated into the patient environment. The term "unexpected difficulties" should never be used to justify an unforeseen situation. Technology is not infallible, but as long as you have thoroughly researched all possibilities and constructed plans of action, technical glitches can be troubleshot more thoroughly. Too Much Tech Can Be Overwhelming: Nurses should not abandon their clinical skills because a new machine can do it for them. "There should never be an over reliance on technology," says Frank. Technology should be used accordingly, not just because it's "neat" to use. Touch Heals Most: There is no substitute for human touch, which will be remembered by the patient long after he or she has recovered. |
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