NR 361 Week 7 Discussion: Use of Personal Communication Devices in Patient Care Settings (graded)
Sample Answer for NR 361 Week 7 Discussion: Use of Personal Communication Devices in Patient Care Settings (graded) Included After Question
NR 361 Week 7 Discussion Use of Personal Communication Devices in Patient Care Settings (graded)
Purpose
This week’s graded discussion topic relates to the following Course Outcome (CO).
- CO6 Discuss the principles of data integrity, professional ethics, and legal requirements related to data security, regulatory requirements, confidentiality, and client’s right to privacy. (PO 6)
Due Date
- Answer post due by Wednesday 11:59 PM MT in Week 7
- Two replies to classmates and/or instructor due by Sunday 11:59 PM MT at the end of Week 7
Directions
- Discussions are designed to promote dialogue between faculty and students, and students and their peers. In discussions students:
- Demonstrate understanding of concepts for the week
- Integrate scholarly resources
- Engage in meaningful dialogue with classmates
- Express opinions clearly and logically, in a professional manner
- Use the rubric on this page as you compose your answers.
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Discussion Question
This week, we will discuss personal communication devices and their use in healthcare. As we focus on this topic, please address the questions below in the discussion.
- How can the use of the nurse’s personal communication device(s) impact patient care positively and/or negatively?
- What are the ethical and legal implications of the use of personal devices?
- What does the professional literature say about how communication devices can support safe nursing practice?
Grading
To view the grading criteria/rubric, please click on the 3 dots in the box at the end of the solid gray bar above the discussion board title and then Show Rubric.
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Class,
Happy Week 7! This week, we will discuss the use of personal communication devices in healthcare. This will be an interesting conversation, especially when it feels like we are attached to our phones 24/7.
This week’s graded discussion topic relates to the following Course Outcome (CO).
- CO6 Discuss the principles of data integrity, professional ethics, and legal requirements related to data security, regulatory requirements, confidentiality, and client’s right to privacy. (PO 6)
This week, we will discuss personal communication devices and their use in healthcare. As we focus on this topic, please address the questions below in the discussion.
- How can the use of the nurse’s personal communication device(s) impact patient care positively and/or negatively?
- What are the ethical and legal implications of the use of personal devices?
- What does professional literature say about how communication devices can support safe nursing practice?
I look forward to more exciting discussions!
Week 7 Discussion Post:
Nurses using their cell phone at work can both positively and negatively affect patient care. A nurse using their cell phone for personal reasons can be a distraction, therefore leading to delay in patient care. On the other hand, I have used my cell phone for work-related reasons and it has positively affected patient care. Many of times as an ER nurse have I done home medication histories from patients using their pills in unmarked containers (such as a pill organizer). I have an app on my cell phone from “Drugs.com” that has a helpful function called “Pill Identifier”.
The ethical and legal implications of the use of personal devices are all centered around preserving patient confidentiality. The debate is, can a nurse use their personal device without interfering with patient confidentiality. I do believe that if a nurse violates a patient’s rights, they should face legal repercussions.
The article, Calling on smartphones to enhance patient care, states that the greatest benefit of nurses using their personal devices at work was improved communication by members of the healthcare team (VanDusen, 2017). At my hospital, we use an Android mobile device as our work phone. We are able to send physicians text messages of the situation or the patient’s needs, and they call us and give us verbal orders. I believe our messages are being conveyed more efficiently since the physician can read our message and call to clarify and give orders.
Reference
VanDusen, Krista A. BSN, RN Calling on smartphones to enhance patient care, Nursing: November 2017 – Volume 47 – Issue 11 – p 1-2 doi: 10.1097/01.NURSE.0000525993.44109.f9
A Sample Answer For the Assignment: NR 361 Week 7 Discussion: Use of Personal Communication Devices in Patient Care Settings (graded)
Title: NR 361 Week 7 Discussion: Use of Personal Communication Devices in Patient Care Settings (graded)
The use of personal communication devices can impact the nursing practice in positive and negative ways. Distraction can be a negative impact of nurse’s personal communication device. When a nurse is distracted it can cause errors and mistakes. Distractions also decrease the quality of care that a nurse gives the patients. On the positive side nurse’s personal communication devices can help get important patient information to the correct people in a timely manner and it is an easy way to look up something you are not familiar with quickly. Using the device in this matter will improve quality care and decrease delays in treatment. “Bedside technologies continue to grow; they interface with smart phones and other devices to improve communication and, ultimately, patient care” (Hebda, Hunter, & Czar, 2019 p.218).
The patient is the nurse’s first prior. The use of personal devices can cause challenges ethically and legally. “These challenges are personal (distraction), negative patient perception (interference), and potential delays (disruption) in providing care” (Conant, et al., 2020). We as nurses have ethical guidelines that we are supposed to follow. One of the nursing ethical guiding principles is “nonmaleficence: the obligation for doing no intentional harm” (Hebda, Hunter, & Czar, 2019). If the nurse was distracted by a personal communication device and the patient experiences a negative outcome, the nurse did not follow ethical guidelines which may result in legal consequences.
There are several generations of nurses. Older nurses tend to not need to use personal communication devices as much as younger nurses. Nurses have personal communication devices at work is now normal. There is a time and a place for everything. Nurses have a life outside of work should still have access to it while at work but not allow it to cause a distraction. It is important that all nurses be mindful of their agency policy in reference to these devices. “ Policies concerning the use of personal communication devices need to provide the ability for the nurse to remain connected to his/her personal life yet not inhibit the provision of care” (Conant, et al., 2020). If these devices are being used it important to have clear and concise guidelines to follow to ensure patient’s safety as well as the patient’s rights.
References
Conant, J., Elmore, R., Moore, A., Blake, S., Peacock, A., & Ward-Smith, P. (2020). Use of Personal Communication Devices in Clinical Settings. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 50(4), 192-197. doi:10.1097/nna.0000000000000867 https://chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=142534847&site=eds-live&scope=siteLinks to an external site.
Hebda, T., Hunter, K., & Czar, P. (2019). Handbook of informatics for nurses & healthcare professionals (6th ed.). Pearson.
A Sample Answer For the Assignment: NR 361 Week 7 Discussion: Use of Personal Communication Devices in Patient Care Settings (graded)
Title: NR 361 Week 7 Discussion: Use of Personal Communication Devices in Patient Care Settings (graded)
Thank you for kicking off our week 7 discussion.
Regarding using PCDs “to look up something you are not familiar with quickly. ” It’s a bit disappointing that nurses need to or ‘feel the need to‘ use their own device to find such information; hospitals may need a significant nudge to purchase some phones or tablets for nurses to use in such circumstances.
- I am curious if your facility uses mobile computers/Workstations on Wheels that allow access to patient information, i.e., medications, diagnosis, and lab values, etc. If so, this would eliminate the need to use your PCD for these patient-related tasks.
Most eMARs have the functionality to research drugs about to be administered.
- If this information is not as patient-friendly as you would like, the EMR should also already be integrated with another application that is, i.e., Truven or Krames, etc. This is a (certified) vendor requirement so their clients can meet meaningful use
- This specific objective, “use certified EHR technology to identify patient-specific education resources and provide those resources to the patient if appropriate” can be found on the CMS website at https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/EHRIncentivePrograms/downloads/6_Patient-Specific_Education_Resources.pdf(Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. (Links to an external site.)(Links to an external site.)(Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)
A Sample Answer For the Assignment: NR 361 Week 7 Discussion: Use of Personal Communication Devices in Patient Care Settings (graded)
Title: NR 361 Week 7 Discussion: Use of Personal Communication Devices in Patient Care Settings (graded)
Thank you in advance.
It is very disappointing that nurses may feel or need to use their personal devices to contact people or retrieve information. I work in two different specialties. As a detox nurse I have access to a mobile laptop, cell phone, and computer. The computer we sit at when we are not actually on the unit. The phone is carried everywhere with the nurse and the laptop is used when on the actually unit. There is internet access on all these devices as well as contact information for all health professionals needed for patient care. We have these tools in place to ensure that we don’t use our personal devices.
This doesn’t stop people from using them but we do have policies in place to avoid distractions. My other job I am a nurse consultant for developmentally disabled individuals. I have my own company laptop and cell phone that I can access all information needed. The cell phone that I carry has a hot spot feature which allows me to gain access to the internet through my computer if I am in a place outside of the company. I never have to use my personal devices to contact people or look for information. Nurses already have many responsibilities, using our personal devices to manage workflow is not one of them.
Thank you for your reply. It’s great to know that the facility provides devices so you don’t have to use your own.
I agree it is very disappointing that nurses feel the need to use their own personal devices for their job in any instance. Unfortunately, I find myself in this very position. I have field nurses that use their own cell phones for business and am hopeful that they are following HIPAA at all times. You had mentioned using cell phones for “hot spots” to access on line which is great idea and that is the current situation with my employer. We are trying to get our company to purchase “company owned” cell phones for our part-time staff who do not have a company cell phone to be able to have a hot spot to access the internet for documenting in their I-pads while out in the field.
I am hopeful that in the near future this company purchases the cell phones as we move forward into a new computer system and keep up with technology to provide the best care possible in the a timely fashion. On the other hand, you discussed distractions and it made me thing of how I am in the office distracted not only by staff coming to the office and that are in the office, telephone calls but also my work cell with texts and calls throughout the day. I was recently advised that I need to add emails to my work cell phone and since then the phone dings everytime an email is sent to me which is at least 5 to 10 times a day.
I cannot imagine working in the hospital with a cell phone that constantly rings or dings, I hope this not the case for hospital nurses however, I can see the importance of being contacted with testing updates for example a critical lab or test as soon as possible. I believe we just went full circle right back to our recent discussion of sensory overload. Too many devices being used at once to listen to and for responses. Thanks for sharing.
Great points. Having the phone going off continuously is another big distraction. I hope that when implementing these systems nurses can be involved to avoid interruptions in workflow.
Thanks for sharing your situation. I hope your company prioritizes this decision as the plan future budgets. I’m not understanding how the need for equipment varies between employees based on their employment status/number of hours worked per week. Each patient requires the same care from the nurse and it is not dependent upon full-time employment status.