Technology’s Role in Supporting Healthcare Decision Making

Theresa is an RN who is currently working in a very busy metropolitan ED. She has just admitted an 83- year-old female who drove herself to the ED because she is having trouble breathing. Theresa immediately places a pulse oximeter on the patient’s finger and performs a general survey and a quick assessment of the patient’s vital signs. She discovers an extremely rapid pulse rate and a decreased oxygen saturation in addition to extremely rapid, labored breathing. The patient is able to converse and is not using accessory muscles to breathe. Theresa realizes that the patient is not in immediate danger and does not require intubation. Theresa focused her attention on the patient’s labored breathing by elevating the head of the bed and initiating oxygen therapy; she then hooks the patient up to a heart monitor. Theresa continues to assess the patient’s breathing status as she performs a complete head-to-toe assessment of the patient that leads to the nursing diagnoses and additional interventions necessary to provide comprehensive care to this patient.

Questions:

-Consider Theresa’s actions, why did she intervene as she did?

-What technology was used?

-What theories were used?

-How did Theresa acquire knowledge in the above scenario?

-How did she process the knowledge?

-How did she use feedback, and what was the effect of the feedback on the foundation of her knowledge?

-What is the definition of nursing science?

– How would you describe what nurses do?

-What are the advantages of information systems?

-What are the disadvantages of information systems?