New Time-Saving Devices and Apps for Nurses

Nurses often work long hours and have exhausting schedules, which they must balance with other responsibilities like caring for children, spending time with loved ones and staying fit. With everything that’s on their plate, it's easy to see why many are turning to technology to save time and try to make their lives a little easier.

From medical applications (apps) for smartphones and tablets to cool new devices that promise to save time and money, there are a variety of technical innovations promising to improve the quality of a nurse's work life. But which ones can really deliver?

Here, NurseZone takes a look at some of the most cutting-edge time-saving devices and applications that are worth a closer look.

Apps, apps and more apps

Since the iPhone was first introduced, the market has been flooded by health care and medical apps. In fact, according to a recent survey by Epocrates, a leading provider of point-of-care digital solutions for healthcare professionals, there are more than 8,000 medical apps now available.

Due to this application overload, it can be difficult to determine which apps are worth downloading. One of the most popular medical apps that nurses may want to start with is EpocratesRx, including a free version that includes information on drug interactions, dosing, retail pricing, adverse reactions, Medicare Part D, pharmacology, and safety monitoring. Full of useful information, this app is consistently one of the highest ranked for time savings, accuracy and efficiency.

There are also a number of specialty-specific apps. For labor and delivery nurses, for instance, the Bishop's Score Calculator is a real time saver in situations where time is truly of the essence, as it quickly assesses the probability of impending delivery as well as the expected success rate if labor is induced, all within a few taps.

With its ability to calculate countless medical formulas such as IV drip rates and urine output, the MedCalc is a medical calculator that has received accolades from both professional app reviewers and nurses alike. There is a "pro" version to the app is well, which offers users the ability to save formulas for specific patients. This app has tremendous time-saving capabilities for the nurse who always finds himself or herself looking up the same formulas over and over again.

Some non-medical apps that can also save time and increase efficiency for nurses include Evernote, an interactive note taking/reminder app; Wunderlist, a task management system you can share with friends, co-workers and family; and GoodReader, an app that allows for easy access to PDFs on your smartphone or tablet of choice.

The ultimate time saver?

Claiming to be the world's first real "smartwatch," the i'mWatch is a brand new device that links to a smartphone via Bluetooth and allows the user to answer calls, read the news, check the weather forecast and so much more--all from their wrist.

For nurses, this hands-free device could prove to be much more efficient than a bulky smartphone or tablet. In addition to sending and receiving pages, RNs could also use the device to communicate with co-workers and transmit patient information.

According to The Nerdy Nurse, a blog run by Britney Wilson, RN, a self-proclaimed patient, nurse and technology advocate and senior editor at myrealitytech.com, the i'mWatch could have amazing potential for both health care professionals and patients.

"Not every nurse gets excited about improving the call bell, but this [i'mWatch] would allow an improvement in communication in all forms: to your patients, doctors, nurses, family members, and other healthcare team members…By having your hands free, you would be able to complete documentation more efficiently and quickly and this would allow nurses to have more time to do what we are meant to: care for patients."

The watch was recently unveiled by its Italian manufacturer at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), and it will be available to ship to the United States in February. The i'mWatch has already received a lot of media attention as a great tool for business people and health care professionals; only time will tell if it can live up to its billing as the ultimate time-saving device for nurses.

5 Predictions for Nurse Practitioners in 2012

1. Increased Utilization of Nurse Practitioners Throughout the Health Care System. Good data exists regarding the integration of NPs in the health care system. In fact, a study was recently published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, entitled “Community Outreach and Cardiovascular Health (COACH) Trial: A randomized, controlled trial of nurse practitioner/community health worker cardiovascular disease risk reduction in urban community health centers.” The study found that in the 12 month period following the intervention, the NP-guided group had improved total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, systolic blood & diastolic pressure, hemoglobin A1c and perceptions of the quality of their quality of their chronic illness care. Utilization of NPs is not about replacing any other profession . It is about improving a very wasteful and inefficient healthcare system.

2. Increased Visibility. With the increased utilization of NPs, there will also be increased visibility. Following that same logic, there will also be more available jobs and likely increased salaries. With the good, there will also be some bad existing in the form of those trying to reduce the role and scope of the NP. It is fairly expected territory and should not discourage any practicing or future NPs.

3. Updated State/Federal Regulations that are Inclusive of NPs. Many regulations at the State and Federal levels were made when the profession was very young and little evidence existed regarding patient outcomes with 

NP utilization. There is a move to update these regulations to be inclusive of NPs to adequately reflect  our education and training. An example, is the Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act of 2011, which would allow NPs (as well as Physician Assistants, Certified Nurse Midwives and Clinical Nurse Specialists) to order home care services for patients. Antiquated regulations prevent patient access to care and just makes the system more inefficient and wasteful. At the State level, we have seen about 15 states transition to autonomous practice and many other states are in the process of examining their regulations to appropriately reflect scope of practice.

4. Increased use of Health Information Technology. The transition to electronic health records (EHRs) are well underway and all clinicians must become comfortable with electronic clinical data management.

5. More NPs will Graduate with Doctoral Degrees. NPs are choosing to return to school for a terminal degree to further enhance their practice and education. This is not limited to the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) but also includes the PhD, DNS (Doctor of Nursing Science) and EdD (Doctor of Education). More doctorally prepared NPs will help educate future NPs and bring additional perspectives to clinical care.

6 ways hospital CEOs can succeed in marketing their brand

As healthcare business models evolve more quickly than ever to keep pace with sweeping reforms and emerging competitors, CEOs who support their hospitals' marketing goals are in the best position to gain a competitive edge, says brand strategy firm Smith & Jones.

“The (healthcare) competition keeps growing, and marketing the organization becomes more and more important the more competition there is,” said Mark Shipley, Smith & Jones’ president and chief strategic officer.

Among the competitors Shipley notes are traditional hospitals and health systems, freestanding physicians practices, enhanced urgent care centers and Wal-Mart.

“About a month and a half ago, Wal-Mart announced they are getting into the primary care business,” said Shipley. “The competition just keeps growing.”

The most recent edition of Smith & Jones’ online marketing report Protocol features the article, “The CEO’s Role in Hospital Marketing,” which points to the role of the CEO in shaping and defining a successful healthcare brand.

The CEO who champions the mission statement and translates core values from the top down to every level of staff enables an effective marketing strategy to thrive, says the article.

The article cites six ways hospital CEOs can have a powerful and positive effect on marketing their organization:

1. Understand, believe and be passionate about the hospital’s competitive position.
2. Clarify the mission statement and learn to articulate it.
3. Engage counselors, managers and staff to define how they can deliver the desired customer experience.
4. Make the brand story part of everyday conversations with the board, managers and at public-facing functions.
5. Be resilient. Resist the temptation to go off strategy to appease outside forces and stay true to the hospital mission. 

6. Know when to take a back seat. Understand that a CEO can be a brand steward without becoming the brand spokesperson.

“With so many employees, doctors, patients and service lines, it’s hard to imagine that any hospital could create a cohesive and unified brand association,” said the company in a press release promoting the article. “There are literally thousands of ways to deliver the customer experience – and as many ways to mess it up. Yet, top hospitals have succeeded in building strong, differentiated competitive positions.”

Building a successful brand is critical to succeeding amidst the ever-growing amount of competition, according to Shipley.

“Branding is important because you have a number of different audiences that you have to speak to” such as older patients, younger patients, referring physicians and potential donors, said Shipley.

“The most important audience is your staff and physicians,” he added. “You have to get them on board so you can deliver the healthcare experience that is in line with your brand.”

10 ways you’re annoying fellow nurses (Part -2)

6. Frequent Forwards

Every once in a while a funny video clip or link to an interesting story can be a welcome break from the workday. However, there’s a limit to how much people can take. If you’re forwarding one or more emails a day to several people in the hospital about things that aren’t work-related, you’re probably driving everybody crazy.

A never-ending stream of emails containing funny links or (even worse) solicitations for donations to some cause may be interesting or important to you, but they only give other nurses a bad impression. And if you ever get tempted to send an email to a nurse that is even close to NSFW, don’t click “send” under any circumstances.

7. Constant Complaints

urses need to vent sometimes, and work is called “work” for a reason. But if you spend an inordinate amount of time airing your hospital (or life) grievances to anyone who’ll listen, you’re not going to succeed in making things better. Especially if it concerns patients and privacy laws. Don’t go there.

Remember, just because the nurse or doctor you’re complaining to doesn’t say anything, that doesn’t mean he or she agrees with you. They’re probably just hoping you’ll finish complaining soon, or leave the hospital already.

8. Meeting Addicts

Meetings are a necessity at the hospital, as they foster communication between doctors and nurses, keep you abreast of new developments, crises, and hospital initiatives. The problem is that meetings take time, and nurses don’t have a lot of time to spare.

First a staff meeting’s called to talk about best practices when dealing with mental health patients. Another meeting to brainstorm how everyone should go forward after the first meeting follows that. Next thing you know, there are so many monthly, weekly, and even daily meetings that it’s impossible to get anything done. Instead of increasing efficiency, the people who call unnecessary or tedious meetings become known as the most annoying people in the hospital.

9. Gabby Gossips

You always see them surfing sites like TMZ and Perez Hilton, whenever they aren’t at the front desk whispering to the receptionist. If anyone’s having an affair or getting fired, they’re always the first to know; whether the info they’re passing on is actually correct is secondary.

Here’s the thing about hospital gossip: people notice the people who are always in the middle of it. If you find yourself in secretive conversations with somebody known for having loose lips, you’ll be seen as guilty by association. Ironically, while those who love to dish may find a ready audience for their juicy bits of info, after a while, they’ll find themselves with fewer and fewer confidants who’ll risk their reputations around the hospital to talk to them about anything.

10. Pranksters

Much like meetings, pranks around the hospital are only appreciated in small doses; any more than that and they become a gigantic annoyance. And involving patients is out of the question. Even those with a good sense of humor will tire quickly if they can’t go to the restroom without coming back to mixed up patient files or a computer that doesn’t work.

There’s a time and a place for pranks in the hospital. The same goes for the rest of these annoying habits.

Sometimes you have to make a personal phone call, run several errands in a week or call a two meetings in a row. Just remember that if you do any of these things regularly and you see no problem with your actions, you very well may be the most annoying person in the hospital.

10 ways you’re annoying fellow nurses (Part -1)

10 things that you might be doing to annoy your fellow nurses — consider changing your ways before it’s too late!

1. (Loud) Personal Calls

It might sound insensitive, but nobody wants to hear about your kids getting sick or how angry you are with your significant other. Nor do they want to be in on your weekend ski trip plans or that embarrassing thing your friend did at the bar last night.

Even innocuous subjects should rarely be discussed at length on the phone within earshot of patients and nurses. Personal information can make others feel uncomfortable, and constant chatting on the phone about non-hospital subjects can make you look like someone who isn’t getting their work done. If you must make a personal call, it’s best to either walk outside, make the call in a deserted corridor, or wait until your shift is over. Leave the hospital phone for work conversations only.

2. A Dirty Locker

Soda cans. Coffee cups. Assorted papers and medical supplies. Leftover food. We’ve all seen these things pile up in the staff room, and some might wonder — whom does it really harm?

Actually, it can bother people more than you think. If your locker is so cluttered that your mess infringes on another nurse’s space, it’s attracting flies, or you’re losing or soiling important documents, you’re going to get a reputation as sloppy, immature, and incompetent — not a good trio of characteristics! Cleanliness is important in the hospital and that applies to your job too.

3. M.I.A. Employee

While everyone else is busy handling patients, charting, or dealing with family matters, you’re never anywhere to be found. You’re either taking a long lunch, on one of your many breaks, or calling in sick (again). While nobody wants to see you chained to your routine, your untended patients and uninformed doctors makes you seem lazy, and forces the workload on other nurses.

You might think it’s nobody else’s business, but that’s the thing about work — everything is everyone else’s business. People are constantly comparing themselves to their peers and superiors alike, and will grow to resent people who don’t seem to be putting in a full shift’s work. Wondering if people notice how often you’re outside talking on your cell phone or leaving early? Stop wondering. They notice.

4. Brown-Nosing

Perhaps even worse than the M.I.A. employee is the person who blatantly tries to outshine everyone else at every opportunity. Taking credit for another nurse’s work, throwing a fellow nurse under the proverbial bus during a staff meeting, and making disingenuous flattering compliments to the supervising nurse are all ways to make other nurses resent you.

While you need your superior(s) to know you’re a valuable asset to the hospital, it’s best to be subtle and let your nursing skills speak for themselves. Give credit to nurses when it’s due, don’t tattle on others unless absolutely necessary, and keep those compliments on the boss’ color-coordinated scrubs to a minimum. Otherwise, you might be doing more harm than good.

5. Amateur D.J. Hour

Let’s get this party started! Everybody loves it when you turn up your speakers and regale everyone with your favorite club-banging tunes, right?

Actually, not so much. With sick patients surrounding you, obnoxious music isn’t just annoying, it’s grounds for getting you fired! Save the party music for the car ride home.