From making purchases to how you interact with friends and family, technology is changing the way of life by the day. The impact of technology on the healthcare system is evident. Below are some of the nursing technologies transforming medical care in 2022.

Electronic health records

Electronic health records allow nurses to enter patient data such as the care provided and retrieve essential information when necessary. Previously, healthcare providers used paper filing methods which were not reliable. Filing patient information in papers is not the safest way to store data since they can easily get lost amidst thousands of other files. It also poses a challenge when a provider needs to retrieve information that can help prioritize care.

Electronic health records make it easier for nursing professionals and the whole care team to access important information. They also allow patients to access the information themselves when necessary. However, privacy and security remain a concern for Electronic Health Records, but HIPAA laws ensure that healthcare organizations maintain security and confidentiality.

Further, electronic health records can inform nurses whether they need to take further steps for a patient. These real-time health updates improve the speed and accuracy of medical care, resulting in better health outcomes. Nursing professionals can learn to use software equipment on the job. Still, online nursing education helps them understand the meaning of different indications on medical records and know their course of action to promote improved patient outcomes.

Portable monitors

These are portable equipment that monitors vital signs such as oxygen saturation, ECG, and respiratory rates and transmits the information to a central monitor; they allow a nurse to check on patients while on the move or when tending to other patients. In an emergency, nursing professionals get an alarm notification, allowing them to check on the patient immediately.

Without portable monitors, nurses would have to check on their patients each hour. But mobile monitoring technology allows nurses to track and note statistics at the right time regardless of their workload. Therefore, they can check on patients; progress from anywhere in the facility; the alerts and alarms they receive through this equipment can save lives. Some hospitals train their nurses on using portable devices, and nursing schools teach students the value and general use of standard tech equipment.

Smart beds

Smart bed technology plays a significant role in ensuring patient safety and comfort during a lengthy hospital stay. They can help nurses track vital signs such as heart rate and blood pressure and inform them when a patient's health is deteriorating. Patients are less likely to fall off their smart beds since they have side supports than traditional beds. Nurses can monitor patients' activities with smart beds since they receive regular updates and communications. They can quickly identify patterns that may improve their understanding of a condition or lead to a new diagnosis.

Additionally, nurses spend less time in and out of a patient's room adjusting medical equipment and supplies because they can control that with smart bed technology. Therefore, nursing professionals can get back to other tasks that require human action.

Wearable devices

Providers can get a full range of information such as heart rate, sleep patterns, and respiration through electronic devices that collect, record and transmit vital signs. Therefore, they can track a patient's health and immediately note when a problem arises. For example, significant weight loss or gain may sign an underlying health problem. Wearable devices promote remote patient monitoring, whereby providers can offer care services to patients in remote areas or who can't get to a medical facility for one reason or another.

Because the data from a device gets directly to the provider, there is less risk of human error. Wearable devices also help faster record keeping and allow healthcare providers to monitor a patient's health continuously.

With the steady rise of the baby boomer population, the increase in life expectancy, and the nursing shortage, medical technologies remain crucial for the healthcare system. They make life easier for patients and nursing professionals and allow other providers to manage a larger patient load.

Although innovative medical devices and healthcare technology can help improve healthcare services, professionals agree that they should not replace day-to-day human interactions because directly working with patients is crucial for patient success. Most healthcare professionals continue to worry that technology could remove that human element, so it is essential to find the right balance between technology and the human nuances that promote the success of nursing and healthcare.