1 Nursing Information Technologist Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) are nursing professionals who have advanced their education to masters and post-masters level or attained the doctors of nursing practice degree. APRNs have clinical competencies, expert knowledge, and competent decisionmaking skills necessary for expanded practice (Smigorowsky et al., 2020). These professionals can tackle complex casework and practice with independence and high discretion. Healthcare organizations are relying on APRNs to meet the demand for specialized care. The government has also implemented measures to support the role of APRNs as primary care providers. The role of APRNs is defined in practices that include nurse practitioners, certified nurse anesthetists, and certified nurse-midwives. APRNs can also practice as clinical nurse specialists among others.
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2 The Nurse Practitioner Nurse practitioners are healthcare professionals that have gone through advanced clinical training to improve their capacity to offer primary acute and specialty health care services to different patient populations. Smigorowsky et al. (2020) pointed out that to become a nurse practitioner, the nurse must have a master’s degree or a Doctor of Nursing Practice. The APRN consensus model governs the practice of Nurse Practitioners. This model highlights the regulations for preparation, accreditation, licensure and certification of independent practitioners. Nurse practitioners often specialize by patient population. For instance, they may specialize in geriatric care, women’s health, family care, and adult-gerontology. These professionals can also subspecialize in different areas including cardiovascular health, dermatology and oncology. Since the creation of nurse practitioners' positions in 1965, these professionals' roles have been evolving. Some of the activities carried out by nurse practitioners include diagnosis and treatment of diseases, provision of evidence-based patient education, and participation in research and policymaking. Martin-Misener et al. (2015) noted that NPs function in complementary or alternative roles. Alternative roles mean that they provide services similar to those of physicians. Complimentary roles, on the other hand, mean that they offer additional services to extend those provided by doctors. Evidence shows that the collaboration between nurse practitioners and other care providers at different care points leads to high-quality care for patients and improved outcomes. Patients served by these professionals report higher satisfaction, fewer readmissions to the hospitals, and fewer unnecessary hospital visits than patients served by doctors (Martin-Misener et al., 2015).
3 The level of training and skills allows NPs to practice independently. However, these professionals often collaborate with other care providers to offer excellent care services to their clients. This collaboration helps ease the pressure on other nurses to offer quality care to a huge patient population base. Nurse practitioners can offset the deficit of general practitioners in primary care settings. The Impact of Technology on Nurse practitioners practice The integral role played by technology in nursing has contributed to the transformation of the health industry. Technology has introduced novel diagnostic and cutting-edge treatments. Nurses across the continuum have embraced technology to support healthcare delivery initiatives. Technology is beneficial since it allows nurses to improve efficiency and communicate more effectively with other stakeholders. Technology enhances efficiency by improving the accessibility of patient data (Mantas, Šendelj & Ognjanović, 2020). For instance, nurse practitioners can capture patient health data and share it with other care providers to enhance decision-making. Technology helps to reduce delays in treatment and duplication of tasks. NPs use technology systems to perform various activities such as timekeeping, research, ordering medications, follow-ups and communication with colleagues and clients (Wanderer & Ehrenfeld, 2014). Other tasks performed by using electronic systems include documentation, retrieval and analysis of patient data. Technology platforms have proven to be effective in improving the accuracy and clarity of patient health records. The use of health technology in nursing practice has also reduced medical errors (Daim et al., 2016). The technology establishes a strong foundation on which NPs can make accurate medical decisions. NPs can analyze health data electronically and make decisions that suit the health needs (Wanderer & Ehrenfeld, 2014).
4 Studies have shown that the integration of technology into patient care improves the outcome of care. Although the healthcare industry has benefited immensely from health technology, there are several disadvantages of this noble initiative. For instance, the implementation of health technology is costly. The complex nature of health technology requires sufficient training of all users. Nurses and other providers may require time to adapt to new systems. Another disadvantage is that healthcare professionals may over-depend on technology (Wanderer & Ehrenfeld, 2014). In case health systems experience technical errors, care providers may experience challenges in delivering care to patients. Such problems are critical in emergency and accident departments. The interconnectedness of the healthcare system implies that once a single department is down the others might also be affected (Wanderer & Ehrenfeld, 2014). Services in the whole hospital may be affected if care providers cannot access the health system. Health technology is also susceptible to hackers. Medical data may be leaked to third parties if technology-savvy individuals hack health systems. Strategies to Improve Patient Outcomes, Safety, or Patient Engagement Quality and safety of care services provided to patients are crucial for better care outcomes. Nurses have the responsibility to identify the best strategies to improve care delivery and promote patient safety. These professionals can apply a range of strategies, including adopting patient-centered approaches, integrating technology into care, patient involvement in care processes and collaboration with other care specialists to enhance patient safety (Vincent & Amalberti, 2016). Patient participation in care enables the care provider to identify their health needs and interests. Patients also give feedback on various treatments, thus, making it easier for the care provider to make appropriate adjustments (Graffigna, Barello & Triberti, 2015). The use
5 of technology improves safety by preventing duplication of tasks, besides ensuring that patients are provided with the right services for their conditions (Sharma et al., 2018). Nurses can also create a safe hospital environment to improve patient safety. A safe hospital environment includes implementing infection control policies, fall prevention measures, and patient education interventions. A safe space for patients improves their experiences and satisfaction (Vincent & Amalberti, 2016). nurses can also enhance patient safety can through proper scheduling and follow-up. Patient follow-ups enable the clinicians to detect Conclusion APRNs are specially trained nursing professionals who can practice independently providing patients with high-quality care. The roles of these professionals include diagnosis, treatment patient education, policy development and research. Nurse practitioners have embraced technology to facilitate care processes and enhance outcomes. These professionals employ patient-centered approaches, evidence-based interventions, health technology, and collaboration with other providers to improve patient safety and care outcomes. References Daim, T. U., Behkami, N., Basoglu, N., Kök, O. M., & Hogaboam, L. (2016). Healthcare Technology Innovation Adoption. Innovation, Technology, and Knowledge Management. Graffigna, G., Barello, S., & Triberti, S. (2015). Patient engagement: A consumer-centered model to innovate healthcare. Warsaw/Berlin: De Gruyter Open. Mantas, J., Šendelj, R., & Ognjanović, I. (Eds.). (2020). Health Information Management: Empowering Public Health (Vol. 274). IOS Press. Martin-Misener, R., Harbman, P., Donald, F., Reid, K., Kilpatrick, K., Carter, N., ... & DiCenso, A. (2015). Cost-effectiveness of nurse practitioners in primary and specialized
6 ambulatory care: a systematic review. BMJ Open, 5(6). http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2014-007167 Sharma, A. E., Rivadeneira, N. A., Barr-Walker, J., Stern, R. J., Johnson, A. K., & Sarkar, U. (2018). Patient engagement in health care safety: an overview of mixed-quality evidence. Health Affairs, 37(11), 1813-1820. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2018.0716 Smigorowsky, M. J., Sebastianski, M., Sean McMurtry, M., Tsuyuki, R. T., & Norris, C. M. (2020). Outcomes of nurse practitioner-led care in patients with cardiovascular disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of advanced nursing, 76(1), 81–95. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.14229 Vincent, C., & Amalberti, R. (2016). Safer healthcare: strategies for the real world (p. 157). Springer Nature. Wanderer, J. P., & Ehrenfeld, J. M. (2014). Benefits and drawbacks of health information technology. In Monitoring technologies in acute care environments (pp. 385-390). Springer