HealthTech: Redefining the Nursing World?

Nursing technology has transformed and continues to evolve the way nurses work, as well as the
roles that nurses play in today's health care arena. The continuous transformation of the health
care field through the introduction of latest technology tools has contributed to the necessity for
nurses to remain current with new trends and keep track of what's on the horizon. According to
various studies and surveys, technology within the nursing world has accumulated patient
satisfaction and overall outcomes, reduced clinical errors and bated the quantity of work that
nurses were once needed to perform.

Today, the technology involved in nursing would likely surprise even the most devoted gadget
freak. Some technologies have already made headlines recently as they ease and streamline each
nurse’s workload to help them focus on what matters most- their patients. These includes the use
of point-of-care technologies, electronic health records (EHR), electronic lift systems, smart beds
computerized staff schedules, and patient and staff identification systems. Emerging technology
such as: 1) mobile technology, 2) 3D printing, 3) nanotechnology, 4) robotics, and 5) genetics
are also on trend to watch out for from this year and beyond.

Mobile technologies are bringing huge benefits to the healthcare sector. By 2020, usage of
mobile devices is expected to grow by 40% for all hospital workers. Also, it could reduce 46 %
of preventable medical errors and care issues caused by the breakdown of communication by
2022. Additionally, 98% of alarms or alerts from patient monitoring equipment, electronic health
records (EHRs) and biomedical devices will be accessed through a mobile device. In
approximately four years, 91% of Nurses could access EHR, medical and drug database
references (92%), and lab diagnostic results (88%) using a mobile device.

Medical 3D printing was once an ambitious pipe dream. However, time and investment made it
real. Nowadays, the 3D printing technology represents a big opportunity to help pharmaceutical
and medical companies to create more specific drugs and enabling rapid production of medical
implants. Researchers at Harvard University were the first to use a custom–built 3D printer and a
dissolving ink to create a swatch of tissue that contains skin cells interwoven with structural
material that can potentially function as blood vessels in the future. Similarly, James Yoo at the
Wake Forest School of Medicine in the US along with the researchers from University of Madrid
has developed the prototype of a 3D printer that can create synthetic skin which is adequate for
patients who suffered from burn injuries and other skin issues. In February 2013, doctors and
engineers in Netherlands collaborated on the 3D printing of a prosthetic lower jaw, which was
subsequently implanted into an 83-year-old woman who suffered from chronic bone infection. In
the same year, scientists at Cornell University used 3D printing to create an ear remarkably
similar to a natural one. On the other hand, back in 2018, the FDA approved an epilepsy drug
called Spritam that is made by 3D printers which are printout pills from powdered drug that are
more soluble than average pills.

The success of nanotechnology in the healthcare sector is driven by the possibility to work at the
same scale of several biological processes, cellular mechanisms, and organic molecules; for this
reason, medicine has looked at nanotechnology as the ideal solution for the detection and
treatment of many diseases. In connection to this, by the early 2020s, molecular manufacturing
will enable the first nanobots to be inexpensively produced for use in medicine. Theoretically, it
could become the effective end of aging as well as the reversal of one's current biological age to
any new age that is desired. Other applications of nanotechnology include fluorescent biological
labels, drug and gene delivery, bio-detection of pathogens, detection of protein, probing of DNA
structure, tissue engineering, tumor detection, separation and purification of biological molecules
and cells, MRI contrast enhancement and phagokinetic studies. For example, an MRI with hybrid
probes of magnetic nanoparticles and adenovirus can detect target cells and monitor gene
delivery and expression of green fluorescent proteins optically.

Robots are everywhere from science fiction to your local hospital, where they are changing
healthcare. They serve as medical assistants by relieving medical personnel from routine tasks,
by making medical procedures safer and less costly for patients, performing accurate surgery in
tiny places and transport dangerous substances. One such example is the mental service robot
named Paro, the seal. This robot is equipped with sensors beneath its fur and whiskers and it
responds to petting by opening and closing its eyes and moving its flippers. Paro is used in
Japanese nursing homes and by autistic and handicapped children as a therapeutic robot. There
are also astonishing seven technologies gracefully portraying a scientific rainbow in hospital
environment. First is the robot of infertility- the da Vinci Robotic System. This enables the
surgeons to perform high precision surgeries with three-dimensional (3D) vision and is a moral
boon in infertility associated with uterine fibroids performing the minimally invasive
myomectomy. Second, is the robot of blood investigation- the Veebot. The Veebot utilizes an
infrared light source that explores a suitable vein and uses an ultrasound that analyses the aspects
of sufficient flow of blood for efficient drawing of blood. Third is the robotic dental patient- the
Hanako. This 165 cm tall robot can verbally express pain, roll her eyes, blink, shake her head in
pain, perform movements of jaw, tongue, elbow and wrist, and even simulating a vomiting reflex
with an uvula sensor as well as inducing bleeding and saliva flow. Fourth is the round the clock
physician- the RP-7. Standing about 5 feet tall, RP-7 robot has been functioning as around-the-
clock physician, letting the patients and staffs communicate with the off-duty doctors wirelessly
via the video screen and camera. Fifth is the robot for body assistance- the RIBA. Weighing
about 180 kg including the battery, the RIBA helps to lift patients up to 61 kg from out of their
beds and wheelchairs. Sixth is the brilliant surgeon robot- the Bush. They play a significant and
sensible surgeons role in cardiac surgeries and many more surgeries including those related to
other systems of the body. Seventh is the robot in forensic imaging- the Virtibot. This is a
multifunctional robotic system that serves to perform 3D surface scanning and automatic
postmortem image guided biopsies.

Genomic technology is now being utilized globally in a wide range of contexts to provide
diagnostic, prognostic and treatment information for patients in a way that is predicted to
transform healthcare. Researchers are already beginning to grow individual tissues, tendons, and
cartilages from stem cells and several years ago, a kidney-like organ was grown from scratch in
the lab and used successfully in animals (Coghlan, 2012). In January 2013, Japanese researchers
announced that they had succeeded in growing human kidney tissue from stem cells for the first
time; a potential breakthrough for millions with damaged organs that depend on dialysis
(Japanese Researchers Grow, 2013). Similarly, thyroid cells can now be grown in the lab, a new
ear has been grown in the skin of a woman’s arm, and cells are being reprogrammed so that they
can turn into a variety of cell types.

Modern technology in the nursing profession is in its infancy. As new technologies continue to
emerge, nurses’ roles will continue to evolve, with each advance, bringing a safer and healthier
future for both nurses and the patients in their care. Whatever developments are made,
technology certainly has the power to transform medicine and health for the better. But, one
thing should remain intact- the balance between maximizing the benefits of using the technology
that exists while not devaluing the human element.