DQ1
Technology is essential for the successful implementation of many projects in health care settings. Despite the importance of health care and medical technologies for improving the quality of care delivery, reduction of health care costs, and enhancing working conditions, Veer et al (2011) found that the introduction of new technologies can actually be met with resistance, and calls for analyses of the factors that may impede or enhance the introduction of technological innovations prior to its introduction.
My evidence based project is based on the need to educate nurses and management of the effects of burnout on nurses’ and patients’ outcomes. According to Cishahayo et al (2019), burnout is highest among Intensive Care Unit and Emergency Department nurses, and that addressing working environment, nurses staffing and training needs, operational materials, and social engagements are necessary for ensuring nurse productivity, and patient safety and satisfaction. Other research demonstrates that if not properly addressed, burnout can result in negative outcomes such as reduced job performance, poor quality of care, increased medication errors, infections, and increased nurse turnover intentions (Liu et al, 2019; Dall’Ora et al, 2020).
Considering the need to decrease nurse burnout, easing nurses’ workloads during shifts is very important; and one way to do so is to decrease the burden of documentation by introducing the electronic nursing documentation and the electronic health record. Documenting and retrieving patients’ health care records can be tasking and time consuming; however, with the introduction of e-documentation and health care record technology, the nursing staff at PowerBack Acute Center will no longer have to waste time and energy consulting with one another, trying to decipher someone’s dreadful handwriting, and fewer errors related to misinterpreted orders should follow. Nurses also like being able to find information about previous episodes of care (hospitalizations or visits) easily and having all information about a patient integrated in a single place. To a greater extent, this technology can go a long way in reducing nurse fatigue and stress, and by extension impact positively on nurses’ and patients’ outcomes.
References
Cishahayo, E. U., Tuyisenge, M. J., Mwiseneza, M. J., Sego, R., Bhengu, B. R. (2019). Perceived effects of burnout on patients and its management among nurses in the intensive care unit and emergency department of a Rwandan university teaching hospital. Rwandan Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2(2). https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/rjmhs.v2i2.10
Dall’Ora, C., Ball, J., Reinius, M. et al. Burnout in nursing: a theoretical review. Human Resources for Health, 18(41). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-020-00469-9
de Veer, A. J., Fleuren, M. A., Bekkema, N. Francke, A. L. (2011). Successful implementation of new technologies in nursing care: a questionnaire survey of nurse-users. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 11(67). https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6947-11-67
Liu, J., Zheng, J., Liu, K., Liu, X., Wu, Y., Wang, J., & You, L. (2019). Workplace violence against nurses, job satisfaction, burnout, and patient safety in Chinese hospitals.Nursing Outlook, 67(5), pp. 558-566. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2019.04.006
DQ2
Technology helps to improve education and engagement of asthma reduction. In the school setting nurses have access to a program called ASHR, this system allows any health care provider to see children health records and its continuity through case management and follow-ups. Nurses are not the only ones with ability to chart in a child’s health record, in the school setting there are physicians, social workers, speech and occupational therapist that can provide information relevant to a child’s health and progress. A major concern in helping children learn and maintain healthy regimens are for those children who are learning remote. Time must be set aside to implement asthma education for those with diagnosis, who may have forgotten to keep up with their asthma care plan since being in the home. As nurses we advocate for all children, and part of that requires inquiring of the causes of the lack of adherence (for those it applies). As well as coming up with or reinforcing new and improved systems, apps, and resources that can help parents and children make asthma more manageable in the home. To begin, make sure that all students have computers provided to them and access to the Internet to facilitate education. Usage of links or apps that can be accessible through cellular phones, where they can access pictures and videos is one way to deliver education an information. Technologies that could assist families with asthma self-management and care are remote monitoring technologies that help with managing asthma in the home. These monitoring techs are Propeller Health, Cohero Health, and Adherium (Sundar and Costanzo, 2019). These have the potential to help explain and reduce differences in asthma outcomes. Propeller Health – helps users monitor their asthma and stick to a plan by becoming aware of triggers, it works by allowing users to connect their inhaler medication, as the student uses the inhalers it will store data use and frequency to the phone is connected to (Propeller, 2020). Cohero Health, like Propeller health, helps user keep track of asthma health and medication usage but in addition, provides a Bluetooth enabled medication inhaler tracker with a sensor. This tracker is designed for both control and rescue medications and fit most metered dose inhalers and Diskus inhalers (Cohero Health, 2019). I also like that it automatically tracks the use of the medication, and measures lung function over time, with a Bluetooth mobile spirometer. Then there is Adherium, an international respiratory electronic health company which focused on patient adherence, remote monitoring and data management solutions for patients, physicians, payers, and providers (Adherium, 2020). These are great tools to implement in my change proposal and consider presenting to help increase management of asthma in the home, school, and the community. Barriers that I would see here, are for those who are not tech savvy, and may not have the tools necessary.
References
Adherium. (2020). About Adherium. https://www.adherium.com/about
Cohero Health. (2019). Smart technology and smart design. https://coherohealth.com/products/
Propeller. (2020). About. How it works. https://www.propellerhealth.com/how-it-works/
Sundar, K. & Costanzo, S. (2019, October 16). The role of health technology and incentives in improving asthma care for high-risk children. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Research Institute. Policy Lab. https://policylab.chop.edu/blog/role-health-technology-and-incentives-improving-asthma-care-high-risk-children
