NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 3 Evidence Based Proposal and Annotated Bibliography on Technology in Nursing

Sample Answer

Integrating technology in nursing is essential for enhancing patient care, promoting creativity, and guaranteeing safety. It optimizes operational processes, oversees task distribution, and improves collaboration among team members (Chandra et al., 2021). Additionally, it gives caregivers more time to include patients in their care and treatment actively. The chosen technology is Tele-ICU, which enables remote medical professionals to engage with on-site personnel for consultations on patient care, overseeing geographically separated sites, and sharing health information electronically. It provides additional assistance to bedside teams, helping to alleviate the shortage of clinical resources. This paper critically examines four peer-reviewed papers advocating using tele-ICU technology to enhance nurse quality and safety standards in improving treatment outcomes.

Tele-ICU

Telemedicine in the Intensive Care Unit (Tele-ICU) enables medical treatment to critically ill patients from a distant location. This approach enhances clinical outcomes and facilitates the management of ICU capacity and resources. Tele-ICU is used in 15 to 20% of adult beds (Arneson et al., 2020). Since 2000, research has looked at outcomes, including duration of stay, mortality in the ICU, and hospitalization rates (Becker et al., 2020). Meta-analyses have shown inconclusive findings about hospital mortality. The sensitivity analysis indicates a more robust correlation between favorable results and the research age. According to a recent systematic review and meta-analysis, tele-ICU intervention may reduce ICU mortality (Kalvelage et al., 2021). However, it can also significantly improve ICUs with high preceding intervention conventional ICU mortality ratios. In addition to the above findings, I am intrigued by this technological innovation due to its potential to boost the efficacy of nursing processes and improve patient outcomes.

I performed a thorough investigation by using databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library. The search was centered on peer-reviewed literature about specific keywords such as “Tele-ICU,” “telemedicine nursing,” “patient safety,” “interdisciplinary collaboration,” and “quality of care” (Chandra et al., 2021). I successfully identified four reputable and trustworthy sites that endorse integrating this technology into existing practices. These studies provide strong evidence via quantitative data and qualitative insights as they thoroughly examine the effects of Tele-ICU on the safety of patients, the quality of care, nursing practice, and multidisciplinary cooperation. They endorse the potential of Tele-ICU to transform the delivery of healthcare and align with patient-centered care.

Annotation Elements

Impact on Patient Safety

• Becker, C. D., Fusaro, M. V., Aseri, Z. A., Millerman, K., & Scurlock, C. (2020). Effects of telemedicine ICU intervention on care standardization and patient outcomes an observational study. Critical Care Explorations, 2(7), e0165. https //doi.org/10.1097/cce.0000000000000165

The research conducted by Becker et al. (2020) investigated the effects of telemedicine ICU interventions on ICU mortality and duration of stay. The research included 1,403 patients before the intervention and 14,874 participants after the intervention. The findings demonstrated that using telemedicine in the ICU led to enhanced uniformity of treatment, reduced death rates, and shorter hospital stays. The mortality improvements were partially achieved by adding low-intensity bedside staffing hours. The research determined that telemedicine in the ICU may successfully enhance the limited number of hours spent by bedside personnel, resulting in enhanced patient outcomes.

Impact on Quality Of Care

• Kalvelage, C., Rademacher, S., Dohmen, S., Marx, G., & Benstoem, C. (2021). Decision-Making Authority During Tele-ICU Care Reduces Mortality and Length of Stay—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis*. Critical Care Medicine, 49(7), 1169–1181. https //doi.org/10.1097/ccm.0000000000004943

In their study, Kalvelage et al. (2021) comprehensively analyzed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies. Their findings indicate that granting decision-making power in tele-ICU care leads to decreased fatality rates and the duration of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU). Nevertheless, there is a dearth of standardized legislation about the extent of jurisdiction. The analysis included 20 trials with a total of 477,637 patients. The findings revealed a significant decrease in ICU mortality when individuals had more “decision-making authority.” Nevertheless, studies have shown no benefit to tele-ICU care when “expert teleconsultation” is used as the level of authority. This emphasizes the need for evidence-based standards in ICU telemedicine and the possible advantages of standardized legislation concerning degrees of power in tele-ICU care.

Impact on Interdisciplinary Team

• Chandra, S., Hertz, C., Khurana, H., & Doerfler, M. E. (2021). Collaboration between Tele-ICU programs has the potential to increase the availability of Critical Care Physicians rapidly—Our experience was during Coronavirus Disease 2019 nomenclature. Critical Care Explorations, 3(3), e0363. https //doi.org/10.1097/cce.0000000000000363

In their research, Chandra et al. (2021) aimed to build a network connection between two Tele-ICU programs to assist staffing and rounds during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. The research was conducted at Northwell Health, an institution with over 1,000 intensive care unit (ICU) beds. The Tele-ICU program increased its capacity from 176 beds before the pandemic to 450 beds using mobile healthcare carts with Wi-Fi connectivity. Northwell Health partnered with Providence, St. Joseph Health’s Tele-ICU program in Washington to address the scarcity of critical care medical professionals. The hybrid strategy enabled remote critical care medical practitioners to conduct daily rounds on 40 to 60 patients, delivering remote treatment to patients with complicated medical conditions. The results prove that developing a network of interconnected Tele-ICU programs is a scalable and sustainable approach to delivering critical care physician assistance to noncritical care teams.

Impact on Nursing Practice

• Arneson, S. L., Tucker, S. J., Mercier, M., & Singh, J. (2020). Answering the call Impact of Tele-ICU nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Critical Care Nurse, 40(4), 25–31. https //doi.org/10.4037/ccn2020126

Arneson et al. (2020) investigated the transition of highly experienced tele-intensive care unit nurses in the US healthcare system from a patient-centered strategy to a clinician-centered approach during the COVID-19 pandemic. They changed how work is done and set up workstations at home. They also adjusted staffing plans to give more clinical assistance, minimize the time spent in risky situations, and save personal protective equipment. More than 200 nurses were allowed to work from home, more than 300 medical professionals had access to technology, and 200 mobile carts were provided. The research discovered that nurses working in tele-intensive care units gave critically sick patients a proactive, all-encompassing approach and that they also invented a novel virtual healthcare method during the epidemic.

Summary of Recommendation

Considering the information from literature sources, it is advisable to include Tele-ICU technology in current medical practice. This recommendation is supported by the fact that Tele-ICU systems have the potential to decrease mortality rates substantially, facilitate early identification of issues, and establish standardized treatment procedures. In addition, they enhance therapeutic results, decrease the duration of hospitalization, and enable prompt treatments. Tele-ICU systems also improve multidisciplinary teams’ cooperation, education, and task management (Chandra et al., 2021). To optimize these advantages, hospitals should use resources to develop robust infrastructure and prioritize ongoing staff training. Introducing Tele-ICU technologies may result in improved patient outcomes and increased staff satisfaction. Studies indicate that the Tele-ICU approach can significantly improve patient safety and the quality of treatment provided (Becker et al., 2020).

Tele-ICU systems provide advantages such as enhanced monitoring, prompt intervention, access to specialists, uniformity in healthcare delivery, implementation of optimal procedures, efficient resource allocation, and improved patient outcomes. These systems may enhance the use of on-site personnel and serve several intensive care units, hence providing cost-effective solutions for hospitals facing resource constraints (Kalvelage et al., 2021). The challenges include technological dependability, incorporation into current systems, workforce receptiveness, data protection, and continuous expenses. To achieve successful implementation, it is necessary to overcome problems related to technological, logistical, and human issues. Through meticulous strategizing and financial allocation, the integration of Tele-ICU might be a very beneficial enhancement to the healthcare system.

Organizational Factors

The selection of a Tele-ICU to be implemented in a hospital context is influenced by several organizational considerations, including strategic, operational, financial, technical, and human resources concerns. Strategic considerations include the synchronization of organizational objectives, the enhancement of patient outcomes, the broadening of specialist care availability, and the augmentation of care quality (Chandra et al., 2021). Operational elements include the seamless integration of workflow, the capacity to scale up or down as needed, and the compatibility with various medical equipment. Financial aspects include a comprehensive evaluation of costs and benefits, considering the initial charges of setting up, the continuing operating costs, and prospective advantages such as shorter hospital stays and improved patient outcomes. Technological elements include several aspects, such as the necessary infrastructure, the dependability of systems, security measures, training of people, methods for managing change, and adherence to regulatory standards. Accessibility is important because all patients and clinicians should be able to use the system quickly.

Justification of Implementation of Tele-ICU

The influence of Tele-ICU on the provision of high-quality healthcare and the safety of patients is significant. Tele-ICU systems improve the quality of treatment for critically sick patients by offering ongoing monitoring, expert advice, and standardized care regimens. Furthermore, they enhance patient safety by diminishing medical mistakes, enhancing patient outcomes, and promoting superior communication and coordination within the care team (Arneson et al., 2020). With the ongoing advancement of technology, the Tele-ICU’s role in critical care is expected to grow, leading to enhanced patient care and safety.

Conclusion

Tele-ICU is an innovative solution to enhance the availability of high-quality critical care and address the scarcity of intensivists. Hospitals of various sizes have adopted tele-ICUs because of the vast and varying scientific literature supporting their potential to increase patient safety and promote uniformity of treatment. The development in adoption may be attributed to several causes, such as technological advancements and increased societal acceptability. However, the primary driving force behind this expansion is the need to access critical care experts and care teams, which are currently scarce, as evidenced by the reviewed literature sources.

References

• Arneson, S. L., Tucker, S. J., Mercier, M., & Singh, J. (2020). Answering the call Impact of Tele-ICU nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Critical Care Nurse, 40(4), 25–31. https //doi.org/10.4037/ccn2020126
• Becker, C. D., Fusaro, M. V., Aseri, Z. A., Millerman, K., & Scurlock, C. (2020). Effects of telemedicine ICU intervention on care standardization and patient outcomes an observational study. Critical Care Explorations, 2(7), e0165. https //doi.org/10.1097/cce.0000000000000165
• Chandra, S., Hertz, C., Khurana, H., & Doerfler, M. E. (2021). Collaboration between Tele-ICU programs has the potential to increase the availability of Critical Care Physicians rapidly—Our experience was during Coronavirus Disease 2019 nomenclature. Critical Care Explorations, 3(3), e0363. https //doi.org/10.1097/cce.0000000000000363
• Kalvelage, C., Rademacher, S., Dohmen, S., Marx, G., & Benstoem, C. (2021). Decision-Making Authority During Tele-ICU Care Reduces Mortality and Length of Stay—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis*. Critical Care Medicine, 49(7), 1169–1181. https //doi.org/10.1097/ccm.0000000000004943