Nursing is a highly demanding sector that requires you to be quick on your feet, manage several cases at a time, and know how to keep up with the shifting technology. A case in point was Covid-19, where nursing staff devoted their lives to treating Coronavirus-infected patients around the clock.
However, nurses are now facing a whole new set of challenges and benefits that will reshape how their industry evolves. These include emphasizing new roles, better technological advancements, and enhanced techniques to look after patients.
The following is a quick guide to help you learn more:
Emphasis On Leadership Roles
Nurses are the backbone of the healthcare sector. As a nurse, your role in assisting and supporting doctors as they evaluate patients is vital in achieving positive health outcomes. But, as patient populations increase rapidly and doctors cannot fill in the gaps, registered nurses are becoming more prominent as medical industry leaders. These include taking up roles like a nurse executive, nurse manager, or working as a nurse practitioner.
However, you need the right educational credentials before working in managerial-level professions. You can reach this goal by getting a master’s degree and not limiting your career to a registered nurse. Rather than switching to a full-time nursing school, a master of science in nursing online is the best way to speed up your career. As a result, your career won’t be put on hold, and you’ll also gain the clinical and theoretical knowledge you need.
Greater Need For Geriatric Care Nurses
Baby boomers are steadily aging; by 2025, more than 20% of the American population will be older than 65.
It is a known fact that older patients need more care. They may suffer from multiple diseases simultaneously and have co-occurring conditions which severely impact their physical health. Thus, as a nurse, you’ll need to specialize in geriatrics and take on more responsibilities to provide adequate care.
In addition, it includes understanding chronic conditions like diabetes better, making more realistic treatment plans to manage the disease, and using tools like telehealth to stay connected with the patient and guide them in caring for their well-being.
Influx In Bilingual Nurses
Diversification is an ongoing and rapid process. As a healthcare worker, you may have met first, second, and third-generation immigrants from different countries. Some may be fluent in your native tongue, while others lean on the comfort of their spoken language. The US is home to over 60 million Hispanics, who comprise more than 18% of the population. So if you’re a nurse working in the US, you will encounter a Hispanic person who is more fluent in Spanish than English.
Therefore you must start learning and training yourself in languages and cultures outside the one you grew up with. Your knowledge and understanding of various languages will help you connect with patients on a deeper level.
As a result, you’ll be able to clear their misconceptions about the healthcare sector, allow them to autonomously ask you questions without needing a caretaker in the room, and remove most of their apprehension about potential treatment options. No matter where you’re located, learning a second language is always helpful in your career.
Use Technology To Assist In Looking After Patients
The nursing sector has changed from providing hands-on care to relying on technology for results. Technology has made it easier to care for patients on a larger scale. For instance, smart beds are much more comfortable for patients because they detect falls, maintain a constant temperature, and notify them when they need their next dose.
3D technology has also changed the landscape by making it easier to acquire a prosthetic and cartilage as a substitute for injuries. So patients who need immediate surgery, such as on their knees or legs, looked at it, the process is far smoother now.
Additionally, the first robot assistant uses infrared and image analysis to pick up a vein without the need to prick the body. As a result, it uses image analysis and detects the perfect vein for collecting a sample for a lab result. This is vital because it helps people frightened of needles to get blood drawn without wasting any. It is also helpful for senior patients because veins become harder to spot as they age, making pricking them even more difficult.
Increase in Telehealth
Telehealth is a virtual way of providing care to patients over the internet. This process catalyzes healthcare goals and gives you access to a broader community that cannot visit a hospital.
One of the key functions of telehealth is to ensure that patients receive their medication and treatment as soon as possible for their injuries. Doctors and nurses can check on patients confined to their beds and prescribe medicine or tests accordingly.
Moreover, telehealth has improved patient awareness tremendously. The use of telehealth allows medical personnel to educate the public about important health issues and shed light on issues like vaccine skepticism and antibiotic non-adherence.
Creating awareness is the first step toward preventing disease, detecting it early, and ensuring it is treated effectively. When individuals are aware of diseases’ symptoms and their causes, they are more likely to be proactive and take preventative measures, such as going for tests, screenings, and check-ups.
Final Thoughts
The nursing sector has changed rapidly due to technological innovations transforming the industry and reshaping roles. These changes aim to improve the healthcare sector but can be challenging to adopt.
One of the most significant changes is the need for more nurses who are natural-born leaders and ready to lead their departments. The population is also getting much older and needs more specialized care.
Additionally, nurses who speak more than one language are much more in demand to help ease communication. The technology department has also upgraded by introducing virtual assistants for patients, which makes checking on them easier. Finally, telehealth has played a significant role in facilitating online connections and monitoring patients’ health virtually.