Personal Communication Devices in Patient-care
Hospitals are increasingly becoming electronically dominated environments. Clinicians have been confronted by personal communication devices distraction as an emerging concern in healthcare settings. Personal communication devices in a patient care setting can have benefits like providing instant access to clinical information, medical references, and patient information. They can also be used for consultation, patient education, and documentation of important clinical information. On the negative side is that personal communication devices can cause a distraction to nurses, which can result in clinical errors, thus raising critical safety issues.
Personal communication devices like mobile phones and computers allow users to access a vast range of electronic media like the internet, instant text messaging, and emails. In a patient care setting, the probability of distraction by personal communication devices can be hazardous (Ventola, 2014). Distraction by personal devices can negatively affect patient care and the general performance of nurses. Nurses can easily fail to capture important medical information or make a medical error when they use personal communication devices at work. The use of personal communication devices in a patient care setting can also lead to significant safety concerns.
Personal communication devices can be beneficial in the patient care setting in that; nurses can access clinical information instantly. The instant access to a vast variety of information makes the work of clinicians easier. Personal communication devices also enable clinicians to conduct patient education smoothly. The documentation of medical information is also made easier by personal communication devices. Personal communication devices can also make clinical communication and workflow easier.
Using personal communication devices in a patient-care setting can have both legal and ethical implications. By using personal communication devices in professional settings, nurses violate the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics, federal laws(HIPAA), and clinical security policies. Sending protected medical information using personal communication devices violate patients’ right to confidentiality and privacy. Sending protected healthcare information violates the state nurse practice acts, and it can lead to loose of jobs, imprisonment, or loss of nursing license.
In their book, Handbook of Informatics for Nurses & Healthcare Professionals Hebda, Czar, and Hunter say that personal communication devices in the nursing practice can be beneficial to both nurses and patients. The devices help in managing clinical data, enhancing knowledge for improving patient care and nursing practice ( Hebda et al. 2014). Personal communication devices can also help clinicians track patient performance, find new medical trends and patient intervention, and help nurses keep in touch with patients.
In conclusion, personal communication devices can be helpful in the nursing and patient care practice in that they enable communication flow, patient monitoring and tracking, and instant access to clinical information. However, personal communication devices can cause distraction, which could be hazardous to nursing and patient care practice.
References
Hebda, T., Hunter, K., & Czar, P. (2019). Handbook of informatics for nurses & healthcare professionals. Retrieved from https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781323903148/epubcfi/6/26[;and.vst.idref
Ventola, C. L. (2014). Mobile devices and apps for health care professionals: uses and benefits. Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 39(5), 356.