Modern medicine requires nurses to be aware of new technological developments that deliver a holistic approach to healthcare. Health informatics combines informational science with health care and computer technology in an effort to help better track patient treatment and progress. Health informatics can lead to greater improvements in nursing specifically. The Technology Streamlines Patient Care This new technology allows for greater efficiency in current data processes which streamline patient care. Keeping digital records is a way to reduce medical expenses and errors, as well as help eliminate the unnecessary repetition of clinical procedures. Better Nursing Care through Mobile Technology Registered nurses (RNs) have always been on the front-line of patient…
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One of Those Days!!!
Not too long ago we experienced what at the time seemed like an unusually busy day. (Worth noting it had been a full moon the night before.) One patient was out of specialty supplies and we had scrambled to get some only to find out that morning that it wasn’t all that urgent after all.. The caregiver had found some in another closet. OK we could stop and take a breath and not be rushing around so much. However, about a half hour later we had a situation with a patient who was not scheduled to be seen that day. Suddenly this patient was reporting new issues with pain that…
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Beyond Scrubs: Utilizing your Nursing Career into Other Fields of Health Care
Kathryn Norcutt has been an active member of the health care community for over 20 years. During her time as a nurse, she has helped people from all walks of life and ages. Now, Kathryn leads a much less hectic life and devotes much of her free time to writing for RNnetwork, a site specializing in traveling nurse jobs. Forensic Nurse This field is certainly not for the faint of heart. Nurses in this line of work are in contact with victims or perpetrators of violent crimes, so their jobs can be very challenging. However, for those who are passionate about justice, being a forensic nurse can also be rewarding.…
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Relative Crude
Can a DNA test be wrong? 97.7% DNA match is overwhelming evidence of paternity. That explains why Eden Braverman, RN, vacillates with her capacity to trust her brother-in-law. Rachel Westbrook, the child’s mother, propels Eden on a journey to find the truth behind the DNA results and Rachel’s suspected ulterior motives. After all, Jarod Fairgate is a multimillionaire. Eden suddenly finds her own life compromised with accusations of drugs, patient abuse, and the final insult, her sister’s murder. To find answers, she traverses a winding road of paternal sins and fraternal passions that will ultimately end with her fighting for her own life. Relative Crude, the first is a series,…
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Shared Decision Making
We are in the midst of a paradigm shift from a sick care model to a health care model. Nurses (and all other health professionals) are helping patients learn to share the decision making aspects of their care and learning to assume responsibility for their own health status and outcomes. This is a complicated process and a new role for nurses; especially those who are accustomed to doing for the patients. This often stems from time constraints that prohibit nurses from teaching patients. It’s just easier to do it yourself. But as we move towards patient responsibility, patient education becomes much more important. Preventative care and reducing the risks and…