Electronic Health Reporter

Technology has advanced in leaps and bounds in almost all industries, but it’s not hard to see just how much has changed in nursing. Previously labor-intensive tasks like lifting patients and administering medication are now made much easier by using technology and innovative practices. If it has been some time since you stepped foot in a hospital, you might be amazed by the following incredible changes.

Online Nursing Programs

In the past, the only way to become a nurse was by attending a nursing school in person. You might have had to move to a new location and change your entire life just to partake in the program. Now, you can enroll in a nurse program online, and nothing else in your life has to change.

As long as you have a computer, an internet connection, and your chosen provider’s classroom software, you can study to become a nurse. Nursing programs are available for secondary school graduates and nurses looking to upskill. All classes, assignments, and grades are accessible anywhere in the world from the cloud.

Diagnostic Equipment

Diagnosing illnesses has always been challenging, especially when a wide range of symptoms can indicate an equally wide range of ailments. However, diagnostic equipment has advanced significantly, and it’s now no longer as challenging as it used to be. For example, nurses can use handheld biosensors that require a body specimen and receive definitive answers. They can also utilize ultrasound machines for the best chance of success while placing an IV.

Lifting Technology

Several years ago, many hospitals implemented safe patient handling – no manual lift policies to prevent back injuries in nursing staff. Now, they have gone one step further with lifting technology. While it took some trial and error to develop the right technology, nurses now have machines and correct lifting techniques to protect themselves while helping their patients.

Telehealth

Telehealth has been around for a number of years, but the COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly accelerated its prevalence in medical centers and hospitals around the world. Rather than having to see all their patients in person, nurses and doctors can use mobile devices like tablets to see their patients over a video call.

Patients can remain in the comfort of their own homes, and healthcare providers can check in without feeling stretched by commute times. Telehealth has also become commonplace in care homes, with registered nurses being able to guide workers in making the right healthcare decisions for their patients.

Drug Delivery Implantable Devices

Many nurses find themselves stretched for time, and this can sometimes mean that patients aren’t receiving medication at the exact time they require it to manage their ailments. Drug delivery implantable devices may be helping to solve that problem in chronic cases.

Drug delivery implantable devices allow patients to receive the correct medication dosage at specific times, with all data measured and set by registered nurses. Such technology allows patients to manage their conditions at home, with healthcare providers knowing they’re receiving as much medication as they need.

While technology still hasn’t reached its peak in the medical field, it’s interesting to see just how far it has come in such a short space of time. These are just a few of the many significant changes that have made the lives of nurses much more convenient, easier, and safer.