How Technology Has Affected Nursing

How Technology Has Affected Nursing

It's safe to say that without technology, our world would come to a standstill. Lives and livelihoods would be paralyzed, and there would be chaos and panic all over the globe. Technology has revolutionized the way we do everything. It has made life much more convenient and made possible may new things. The field of nursing too is no different – technology has brought about many changes, and while some of them may not find universal appeal, most of them are for the better. Technology in nursing has served to:

• Make the jobs of nurses easier: With automated medical monitoring instruments being used more and more at hospitals, nurses find that it is now easier for them to do their job. No longer do they have to keep watching patients to see if their IV solutions have to be replaced or take their blood pressure at regular intervals. No longer do they have to stay glued to one patient's bedside and worry about the rest. They can provide care of increased quality simply because most of their routine jobs have been automated.
  
• Open up more opportunities for nurses: Some nurses prefer to switch career paths at some point of time, and if they want to stay on in nursing yet not want to involve themselves in the day to day care of patients and in other clinical aspects of nursing, they can choose to go into the field of information and technology. Nursing informatics is a much-sought after career choice for nurses who are tech savvy and who know that their expertise in nursing will come in handy in this field.
  
• Allow remote care and monitoring: This aspect of medicine is becoming more and more important, especially because of the shortage in the nursing industry. The increasing use of RFID devices to monitor the elderly and ensure that drugs are taken on time and correctly, the increasing dependence on telemedicine to provide diagnosis and follow-up consultations for people in remote locations, and the use of other forms of technology that allow medicine to be practiced offline and off-location have reduced the nursing shortage crisis and allowed the healthcare industry to continue providing quality care for patients.
  
• Facilitate communication on the go: Technology such as Bluetooth has allowed nurses and other medical professionals to communicate with their peers and superiors even as they are involved in other tasks. This allows for multi tasking and efficient use of time. When nurses are able to use their time more efficiently, they can provide patient care of better quality.
  

Technology has ensured that the nursing industry is a far cry today from what it was even a few decades ago, and even though the change may not be all good, it has made nursing much more relevant and provided more opportunities than ever before.

By-line:

This guest post is contributed by Maryanne Osberg, who writes on the topic of RN to MSN Online Degrees. She can be reached at mary.anne579(AT)gmail(DOT)com.

Local Author To Speak

Local author Theresa Brown discussing and signing her new book.

Critical Care: A new Nurse Faces Death, Life and Everything in Between


Tuesday, July 6 at 7:00 pm
Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Southside Works
510 South 27th St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
41-381-3600

An oncology nurse writes powerfully and honestly about her experiences during her first year on the job, shedding light on issues of mortality and meaning in our lives.

Maple Syrup and Diabetes

Little Known Ways to Prevent Diabetes with Maple Syrup

Are you looking for a natural solution to reduce the risk of diabetes and slow down the growth of cancer cells?

Your search is probably over because recent studies have shown that maple syrup holds the key to these problems.US researchers have found that maple syrup has the ability to substantially decrease the risk of diabetes. The syrup also showed great potential in slowing down the growth of cancerous cells. Maple syrup has thirteen active antioxidant substances.

These antioxidants were previously unknown but were discovered only recently. Because of these antioxidants, researchers have firmed up that maple syrup has a great potential in fighting cancer growth, diabetes, and infections.

Maple Syrup as an Anti Diabetic Food

Considerable amounts of the phytohormone, abscisic acid, are found in maple syrup. This acid is a powerful defense against diabetes and metabolic syndrome, because it encourages the release of insulin through pancreatic cells and enhances fat cells’ sensitivity to insulin. Seeram revealed the results of his tests on Canadian maple syrup during the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Francisco.

Maple Syrup as Your Best Chance against Cancer

A recent study by researchers in Quebec showed that maple syrup has the ability to slow down the growth of cancerous cells. The results of the study were published in the Journal of Medicinal Food. The study was an attempt to test the capability of maple syrup in inhibiting the growth of cancer cells.

The researchers proved that maple syrup is effective against cancer. More specifically, the syrup can significantly slow down cancer growth in the brain, lungs, and prostate. However, the effect of maple syrup on breast cancer cells was less significant.

Better Than Other Anti Cancer Foods

Maple syrup can serve as your tasty alternative in fighting cancer and diabetes. There are many anti cancer foods today like blueberries, tomatoes, broccoli, and carrots. However, recent studies have shown that maple syrup is more effective against cancer compared to other anti cancer foods. Laboratory testing results also show that the syrup is more potent compared to the maple sap.

It is also ideal to use the pure dark syrup rather than the lighter syrup. Dark syrup has high color oxidation.This is the reason why darker maple syrup should be preferred. So if you want a better alternative to fight cancer and diabetes, then your favorite maple syrup is a good option.

Reference: Journal of medicinal food. 01/02/2010; ISSN: 1557-7600, OI: 10.1089/jmf.2009.0029

About the Author - Sandy Harris writes for the diabetic appetizer recipes blog , her personal hobby blog focused on tips to prevent, cure and manage diabetes using healthy snacks and recipes.

The information was provided by a guest writer & not necessarily supported by Pittsburgh Nurse.

Memorable Moments in Nursing

What is your most memorable as a nurse or even as a nursing student?

Pittsburgh Nurse would love to hear from you. It's your memory, whether it is positive or negative. Leave your memory in the comment section or email.

I remember being a new nurse & getting ready to go out after work. I changed in the bathroom in the back hall of the floor. I walked passed one of my patients room & heyelled as I walked past. "Hey Dana, you got nice legs." Keep in mind I was a pediatric nurse. The patient was 8 at the time.