Premium
An Overview of the Application of Wearable Technology to Nursing Practice
Author(s) -
Wilson Daira
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
nursing forum
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.618
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 1744-6198
pISSN - 0029-6473
DOI - 10.1111/nuf.12177
Subject(s) - wearable computer , wearable technology , nursing , health care , medicine , health technology , telehealth , computer science , psychology , medical emergency , telemedicine , embedded system , economics , economic growth
PROBLEM Wearable technology is here and nurses are going to be increasingly responsible for patients who use it. Most research in this area has been done in other fields and now is the time for nurses to be more involved in this promising technology to improve patient lives. METHODS This paper synthesizes the current state of wearable technology, a brief history of nurse satisfaction with technology, current research about wearable technology, and implications for its future use in nursing. FINDINGS Other areas in health care are already employing wearable technology to improve gait in people with Parkinson's disease, provide automatic defibrillation in cardiac patients, and monitor poststroke rehabilitation. Nurses can be on the front lines of designing and patenting new ideas to improve the lives of their patients. CONCLUSIONS Nurses have always adopted the newest technologies such as electronic health records, electronic medication administration records, and simulation experiences in education. Wearable technology is the next step in this journey and the possible uses are endless. Involving patients in their own care is a major goal of nursing and more research is needed to connect patients and their caregivers to the benefits of wearable technology.