Abstract
As a whole, the Society is currently going through a lot of considerable changes, and most of them influence health care and nursing education. Nursing education and care is increasingly turning out to be more complex, and the function of registered nurses is becoming more demanding necessitating nurses to become more lively participants in critical decisions in health care (Skiba, 2014). Nurses require being efficient and effective in the process of understanding how educational, societal as well as health care changes that tend to influence outcomes in healthcare. Nursing thinking, knowledge including a broad array of skills all are important to the type of nursing care provided by nurses, and they influence ways through which nurses react to changes in families, patients as well as in communities during periods of need (Skiba, 2014). As a result, nurse educators are increasingly required to be attentive in learning regarding such changes so as to appropriately integrate them within nursing curriculum. Also, student nurses have to be conscious of developing trends as well as issues with the aim of learning how such trends influence nursing practice and learning (Skiba, 2018).
Appropriate Professional Competencies and Standards
Present developments and ever-growing communication technology and electronic information, the volume of data and information is increasing exponentially on an international scale. Informatics profession and competencies within nursing profession have become a critical element of nursing practice and education (Nelson & Blenkin, 2017). Societal trend in advancement in technology have enhanced the ability of developing, access as well as distributing unlimited data and information quickly, which carries vast benefits. As a result, nursing students have been able to communicate fast and more frequently with increased contact through complex research documents, e-mails as well as telemedicine across international platforms (Nelson & Blenkin, 2017). Through enhanced internet speed nursing students use blogs, multiple digital chat rooms as well as social network systems that have been incorporated in nursing education or curriculum.
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More important to note is the fact that social media has developed into an ordinary phenomenon in nursing, whereby code of ethics and guidelines statements are now being developed and implemented by national nursing organizations and by employers (Nelson & Blenkin, 2017). Today, the use of social media has grown to be a concern for nursing students, nurses as well as nurse educators. However, the use of such digital forum for the purposes of communication needs an understanding regarding potential legal implications and prevailing policies (Nelson & Blenkin, 2017). For instance, technology trend has enabled the development of websites, which permits rapid access towards printed and online nursing material. In addition, digital health-associated materials are now updated quickly, thereby allowing nursing educators to develop and amend online assignments, course content including examinations.
Advancement in technology has positive impacts in nursing education since using devices such as computers for written tasks or assignments has the tendency of highlighting the development of efficient writing skills. In addition, the use of computers reinforces the utilization of standard protocols, which is necessary in professional and academic documents (Skiba, 2018). More importantly computers assist students to be aptly prepared as far as computerized licensure examinations are concerned. However, there are several studies that have indicated that nursing students consider that they normally inadequately prepared in regards to necessary information technology competencies. Nevertheless, other studies have established that growth in computer use or information technology, as an element of nursing workflow and patient care process, has negative influence concerning direct patient care time (Skiba, 2018). Essentially, computer use allows nurses to obtain or access and assess patient information easily and quickly, thus responding to patients needs more effectively and efficiently.
Strategies of Enhancing Positive Impacts and Minimizing Negative Impacts of Technologies
Enhancing Positive Attributes of Advancement in Technology
Additionally, HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) was able to recognize that nurses’ at all educational levels require health informatics competencies (Skiba, 2018). Therefore, nursing students who grow to be literate and competent in the usage of computers as well as other digital devices are more likely to become more successful in practice and in their programs. The Internet thus, creates opportunities in regards to distance-learning students, from global to local sites, to take part in team projects, networks as well as research capable of expanding the appreciation and understanding of cultural differences and universal health needs (Nelson & Blenkin, 2017). Changes in nurse educators’ point of view as well as Internet use has made it possible for nursing curriculums, entire degree programs or courses to be delivered online. Moreover, various mobile digital technologies, laptops, as well as personal digital assistants, versa-tile smart phones and MP3 players assists nursing students, nurses and faculty obtain important up to date information capable of managing complex patient information and data thus, decreasing the risks of stress and errors during nursing practice (Nelson & Blenkin, 2017).
Minimizing Negative Effects of Advancements in Technology
Current fast electronic advances unfortunately generate or create several negative effects or issues. Technology has brought about unlimited information that is available and accessible. In this case, students possess a high probability of taking excess time when navigating online resources as opposed to instances when utilizing traditional print-based resources (Nelson & Blenkin, 2017). In this context some students may over engage themselves to networking, following links as well as utilizing chat rooms.
For this reason, there is a need for encouraging students and faculty to work together in the process of promoting effective and efficient use of electronic learning instruments and networking. Additionally, there is a need for disciplined focus when reducing overload as well as the level of frustration when using electronic devices such as by observing clear guidelines including learning outcomes (Nelson & Blenkin, 2017). Acquiring education through the use of Internet has the capability of assisting students build up skills such as in decision making, analytic thinking and reflective judgment, skills that are considered to be necessary for choosing reliable and valid resources. Although such skills are thought out to be challenging or difficult, they are crucial competencies in regards to evidence-based practice (Skiba, 2014).
Using blogs has been referred as a viable method that can be used to increase the level of communication amongst nursing students as established by several research studies. Blogs are efficient because they create a forum or platform for sharing medical information across targeted communities. Learning the use of electronic-based information systems successfully, enables nursing students to acquire competencies needed for up to date, information-intensive nursing practice. However, despite such advances in technology, research studies indicate that health literacy levels among nursing students is deficient and therefore requires more emphasis. On the other hand, some study established that students tend to be skillful in health literacy because they understand that devoid of health literacy, the significance of evaluating patients’ understanding regarding education is often unsuccessful.
References
Nelson, D. L., & Blenkin, C. (2017). The Power of Online Role-Play Simulations: Technology in Nursing Education. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship , 4 (1). doi:10.2202/1548-923x.1263
Simpson, R. L. (2013). The virtual reality revolution: technology changes nursing education. Nursing Management (Springhouse) , 33 (9), 14-15. doi:10.1097/00006247-200209000-00007
Skiba, D. J. (2014). The Connected Age and Wearable Technology. Nursing Education Perspectives , 35 (5), 346-347. doi:10.5480/1536-5026-35.5.346
Skiba, D. J. (2018). Student and Faculty Views of Technology and Academic Success. Nursing Education Perspectives , 39 (2), 126-127. doi:10.1097/01.nep.0000000000000296
