Technology and monitoring patients at the bedside

Hospital technology has aggressively improved over the past 50 years. With the primary intent of making health care more efficient and safer, the bedside nurse has been impacted by all of these changes. The growth and utilization of point-of-care testing, automated dispensing systems, electronic medication records, electronic health records, mobile and digital radiography, and computerized provider order entry have continued to foster the growth of Nursing autonomy and the expectation of nurses' critical thinking. The usability and utility of these advancing technologies are key components to end-user satisfaction and ultimately the adoption of the technology by the bedside nurse.