Current and emerging technologies to support safe practice environments
- The technologies in the sphere of medicine are used for three reasons. First and foremost, patient safety should be optimized. Secondly, the issue regarding the costs should be taken into consideration. Finally, the technologies should improve the health outcome of the clients;
- Genetics and genomics. The information in genes can be used beneficially in the process of treatment; however, the majority of nurses is not aware of the fundamental principles of genetics and genomics, and thus, require further education and development;
- Robotics is an example of the emerging technologies that are being researched and tested now. Robotics is created in order to improve the quality of care and reduce the possibility of the mistake in the process of treatment to the minimum;
- Electronic healthcare records support a safe practice environment by providing 24/7 access to critical client’s information;
- Biometrics contributes to better confidentiality.
Communication technologies and improvement of the health outcomes
- Engagement of the client’s family and the patient itself in the process of treatment;
- Telemedicine as an important element that should be used for providing hospitals and physicians with appropriate support with the help of video conferences;
- 3-D printing;
- Artificial intelligence;
- Robotics.
The human factor in the unsafe practices
Human factors in the sphere of healthcare involve environmental, organizational, and work aspects that might impact the health and safety of the client. In order to provide the patient with safe practice, the following elements should be taken into consideration (Velthuis, Malka, & Richards, 2013).
- Organizational culture;
- Managerial leadership;
- Communication;
- Teamwork;
- Team leadership;
- Situation awareness;
- Decision making;
- Stress;
- Fatigue;
- Work environment.
Healthcare systems and organizational relationships
- Finance;
- Organizational structure;
- Delivery of care;
- Budgeting;
- Cost analysis;
- Variance analysis;
- Social marketing.
Quality of care
- The gap between the expectations of the patients regarding the quality of service and the care they receive should be reduced;
- Improvement of the patient outcomes through the nurse work;
- Accreditation of the staff;
- Reduction of the fragmentation of the healthcare;
- Providing clients with a safe and secure environment in order to improve the outcome.
Quality improvement approaches
- Responsiveness and support;
- Effective and efficient care;
- Equitable;
- Patient-centered approach;
- Reduction of the time the patient waits for the consultation with the professional (Forster, Dervin, Martin, & Papp, 2012).
Training
- Educational events;
- Annual conferences;
- Practices;
- Engagement in educational projects;
- Organizational meetings
Patient safety issues and concerns
- Medication errors;
- Diagnostic errors;
- Cyber insecurity of the healthcare system;
- Safety of the facilities;
- Workplace safety.
Possible ways to build a safer IT system
- The accent on the protection of the system;
- Improvement of the safety of the cyber environment;
- Limited access to the system;
- The implementation of the system of punishment for breaking the rules;
- Educational programs for the staff.
Informatics and healthcare technologies
- Implementation of the computers and other devices into the segment of medicine in order to foster development and improve the quality of the provided service significantly (Kim, Farmer, & Porter, 2013);
- Computer-based records;
- Data standards;
- Password control;
- Limited access.
References
Forster, J., Dervin, G., Martin, C. & Papp, S. (2012). Improving patient safety through the systematic evaluation of patient outcomes. Canadian Journal of Surgery, 55(6), 419–425. Web.
Kim, J., Farmer, P., & Porter, M. (2013). Redefining global health-care delivery. The Lancet, 382(9897), 1060-1069. Web.
Velthuis, E., Malka, E., & Richards, M. (2013). ‘Big data’ in health care. What does it mean and will it make a difference? Value in Health, 16(7), 32-45. Web.