Technology solutions can make nursing care safer and more efficient

The shortage of registered nurses in hospitals threatens to cripple healthcare delivery in the next three to five years. The demand for nursing care has increased while the willingness of nurses to stay at the bedside in acute-care settings has decreased. The American Academy of Nursing Workforce Commission developed and tested a process called Technology Drill Down in more than 200 medical-surgical patient care units in a study supported by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The process identified workflow inefficiencies that could be addressed through the deployment of technology. Findings from the study indicate the need for smart, portable, point-of-care solutions that are interoperable across devices and systems. Nurses believe that technology can reduce waste and workflow inefficiency and enable nurses to provide safe, reliable, quality patient care.