BSN-FP4017 Using Technology to Support Teamwork Essay

Using Technology to Support Teamwork

Role of Telemedicine, Electronic ICU, and Other Virtual Modalities

There is a massive shift of virtual patterns especially in the medical field which has created a big difference in the way different stakeholders interacts. Telemedicine and electronic ICU are some of the newly adopted technologies which provide an opportunity to transform healthcare services through quality collaboration with other professionals and management of medical activities. One of the biggest benefits of virtual modalities is that they facilitate effective communication. Telemedicine expressly provides an opportunity where clinical health care can be performed across distances with the help of telecommunication facilities. It makes it possible to assist patients who are not in a position to visit the hospital premises (Blandford et al., 2013)

Virtual modalities are beneficial in enhancing patient safety by Re-engineering hospital discharges. These virtual modalities have made it possible to reduce readmission through follow up of the patients and assigning a staff to carry out the necessary test even in the absence of the doctor. Also, the virtual modalities make it possible to use good hospital design principles which are evidence based to offer safety to patients. Such designs include decentralizing nurses to attend to different patients in different stations and keeping the patients in different rooms to avoid some patients infecting others with new diseases. The electronic ICU creates an amazing environment where patients from multiple hospitals are able to receive specialized care. The main goal of having this type of system is to create an optimal clinical expertise which offers 24-hour care to ICU patients. Virtual modalities are therefore useful in creating alternative modes of providing care for the hospitals and they also provide the most helpful forum where the healthcare givers can share ideas and help each other in making the most appropriate decisions.

How Nurses Can Use Current and Emerging Technologies

Both current and emerging technologies are essential in building teamwork, collaboration, and enhanced patient safety. Virtual simulation technologies and augmented reality are mainly considered critical in giving the nurses a chance to foresee results before making key decisions. These emerging technologies enable healthcare givers to determine the causes of a particular condition and identify the appropriate treatment plan. This is achieved through teamwork and collaboration, usually interdisciplinary, that motivates other professionals to look into the issue and provide their contributions. At the end of the day, with the help of these technologies, nurses will make more informed decisions through the participation of other professionals, and this will enable them to offer quality and safe treatment. 

When it comes to sensitive issues like surgery, the current and emerging technologies come in handy. The safety of the patient highly depends on the effectiveness of the communication between the surgeon, nurses, and the other professionals. Using the modern computer technologies, nurses can take and give instructions even when located in different rooms. Moreover, the nurses may use current and emerging technologies such as mobile phones to follow-up discharged patients which increases the effectiveness of the treatment plan and the safety of the patient.

Benefits and Limitations of These Types of Virtual Modalities

The benefits of virtual modalities take many forms. First, these kinds of technologies create a positive impact on the economy because of transformed healthcare services. There are better returns when using the modern technologies because the administrative costs are significantly reduced. It is also no doubt that the patients benefit greatly from this type of technology.  Virtual modalities have improved the way healthcare services reach the patients regarding quality, speed, and safety. Inter-profession collaboration has become possible making the organization to work as a team through quality communication (Levine, DeMaria Schwartz, & Sim, 2013). They ensure patient safety through less shifting of the medical residents and other healthcare givers. The patient does not have to risk waiting for the availability of the healthcare givers. There is also rapid response system. 

Virtual modalities have some limitations as well. One of the most obvious flaws is that adopting this type of technology is expensive to install and maintain. Many hospitals may not have the chance of enjoying the benefits of collaboration merely because they cannot afford. Secondly, there is the problem of adaptation. The nurses and other caregivers are expected to adapt to the technology so that they can have the capacity to use it. The technology can also pose a problem in the case of connection failures. Such a failure can occur in a critical situation such as critical surgical operation which can cause very destructive consequences especially as far as patient safety is concerned. Finally, the privacy of the patient might be infringed through cyber-crime.

Legal and Ethical Implications of Using Social Media

The use of social media in creating inter-professional collaborations has overtime raised legal and ethical issues. First of all, poor professional conduct can amount to a legal battle if a person violates the code of ethics or if one speaks negative things about other caregivers on social media. Additionally, patient confidentiality must be observed but some caregivers might be tempted to violate this requirement through social media posts. No one has the right to share private issues about the patient without an informed consent of that patient regardless of the motive. This can result in serious legal implications which ultimately frustrate interprofessional collaborative efforts (Quinn, 2014).

Conclusion

Technology is increasingly being embraced in the healthcare systems. One of the main reasons behind this phenomenon is that the healthcare givers seek to maximize patient safety. They also wish to create inter-professional collaboration within and out of the hospital which facilitates advanced ways of offering healthcare services. Different types of virtual modalities have taken root in the healthcare system and this makes it possible to bring together different professionals to create teamwork, all for the benefit of the patients. Moreover, the clients receive specialized attention from the different professionals which also escalates their safety significantly.