The world is evolving every day with new advancements in technology and its increasing usage in our daily life. These developments have impacted the healthcare sector and ultimately improved the quality of nursing. With the increasing age of the baby boomer population and other challenges such as the global pandemic, the nursing industry is forced to evolve and adapt advanced measures to fulfill healthcare needs.
Today, in the US alone, approximately 2.9 million nurses are working in the healthcare sector. This figure is expected to increase in the upcoming years due to the increasing need for healthcare services. Several health organizations now focus on ways to retain competent nurses who are confident and capable of providing quality care to patients. Nurses are further expected to remain aware of the latest trends and clinical practices in the healthcare industry.
For this, several hospitals encourage nursing staff to enhance their knowledge and clinical expertise by progressively opting for online advanced education programs. These programs are flexible and specifically designed for practicing nurses to keep them abreast of the recent developments in healthcare. Given the increasing scope of nursing, several students and practicing nurses are enrolling themselves in MSN to NP programs to improve their career prospects.
This article discusses some of the major trends that have positively influenced the healthcare industry.
- Telemedicine
Since the pandemic hit this world, there has been an unprecedented shift to contactless delivery of health care. And fortunately, healthcare has already found a way to limit patients’ visits to hospitals by introducing telemedicine. Several reports and research have indicated that telemedicine has significantly influenced healthcare costs. Patients can now communicate with their doctors and nurses through virtual appointments, which reduces the chances of contracting health diseases.
Presently, more than 20% of hospital visits were held online through Chatbots and virtual appointments. This new technology has allowed nurses to access patients’ documents and their reports through online mediums. In addition, both patients and nurses now use online portals to access their test results and request appointments. It further enables them to educate people regarding the prevailing health issues and their preventive measures. Undoubtedly, this new development saved valuable time for nurses and doctors while fulfilling patients’ healthcare needs.
- Improved Work Environment
During uncertain times such as the recent pandemic, nurses have strived to deliver maximum healthcare services. It has further enabled them to provide direct care to patients, specifically those acquiring DNP program online degrees. Giving their increased contributions, doctors and researchers are coming up with initiatives to help nurses find ways to prioritize self-care. Hospitals allow flexible breaks to nurses and arrange activities like daily exercise, yoga, and group meditation to give them a more relaxing environment.
Moreover, the healthcare leaders have emphasized on closely monitoring nursing shifts and restructuring their timing not to feel burdened. Besides, hospitals seek ways to increase monetary benefits for nurses to motivate them to provide improved healthcare services.
- Improved Mobility of Nurses
The pandemic has rightly proven the need for increasing mobility of nurses. When COVID-19 was at its peak, we saw nurses arriving at hot spots to deliver health services in rural areas or areas with fewer medics. Although they were careful enough to wear protective gear to avoid contracting diseases, they were still risking their lives to help their patients. It shows that many nurses are eager to travel around and work in different environments to fulfill their job responsibilities. Interestingly, most of the travel nurses in the US earn $3,000 per week, which is equivalent to $50 per hour.
- Improved Patient Education
Another development that has impacted the healthcare industry is that more and more people are taking ownership of their healthcare. This has enabled them to develop behavioral changes that might positively affect their health outcomes. Other than providing patient care, health professionals expect nurses to educate patients about deteriorating health conditions and the preventative measures to follow during and after the treatment process.
Today, educating patients about their health conditions has become even more important since most of their health issues are due to an unhealthy lifestyle. Several pieces of evidence suggest that patient counseling and education positively influences health outcomes. It further develops positive behaviors among patients and empowers them to participate in their own healthcare. It further eliminates the chances of the spread of false information related to the prevalence of various diseases.
Conclusion
Several new developments took place in the field of nursing over the past few years, which have increased the scope of this profession. Today, the healthcare sector prefers to hire nurses who are well acquainted with the latest trends and developments in this sector. It has further encouraged nurses to opt for advanced education programs to upskill their career prospects. Telemedicine, improved work environment, mobility, and patient education are a few developments that positively affect healthcare quality.
