Module 6:Ethical Issues and policy issues related to info. technology

During this course I have learned several things about computers and how they are used in the real world currently in almost every aspect of life. The health care setting uses computers for charting, delivering medication via acudose system, the computer checks the dosage automatically and notifies the nurse if the dose is incorrect immediately, which decreases patient medication errors. Computers allow quick access to patient lab results and xrays before they are dictated by the professionasl.
 I was actually avoiding computers before starting school, I only used them for email and mandatory education at work in the hospital; however, I now have a whole new perspective on computers and how even the public and parents rely on them so heavily for communication and information retreival of all styles. Professional, personal, networking, sales, purchasing, medical documentation and billing reimbursement issues with insurance groups are a few examples. The computer has allowed rapid transactions in banking, medical billing, that deal with policy and health care provider's or insurance groups. computer charting helps medical personnel to prompt the needed information to bill a patient correctly for a procedure or medication and allows world-wide access to an individuals medical history with electronic health records.  This helps with accuracy of billing as well as rapid documentation that a procedure has been done. Patient care plans are computerized and pre-printed. They are easy to fill out and make the care plan specific to the patient, it is not just a "cookie-cutter" framework.
The downside to all of the information being available on computers are that information can be misused or stolen identities have been an issue. confientiality can be broken easily as medical personel use computers in the workplace and need to make sure they log out of the system or close the screen before walking away and leaving personal information open to the public. Computers are definately improving the spread information technology and research by internet. Computer systems help track births and deaths of people and cause of death that can be studied in specific areas and used by the department of health. I am truly astonished at all of the information at my fingertips that I have been so blind to for so long. This class has really opened my eyes to the virtual world and has given me an eagerness to search for information online.

Decision Support for Care Delivery

All of the reading this week made me reflect on my personal biases and assumptions when providing patient care. I work in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) where the population- being newborns- cannot verbally tell me when they hurt, I have to rely on physical signs and sypmptoms such as high blood pressure, high heart rate, and facial grimacing or restlessness. I often try physical comfort measures first, such as holding, changing diapers, feeding, respositiong the patient prior to giving pain medication. I know that as a NICU nurse I must follow-up on the reaction of the patient to my intervention in a timely manner. It is very important to provide safe interventions to my patients. If I am not familiar with a certain pain medication, I look it up or reasearch it before administration to ensure that I know what the side effects are and what to expect from the literature. I also like the fact that in my NICU, the medical personnel work as a team to provide the best patient care, collaboration with the pharmacist, the doctor, the nurse practitioner and other team members can be priceless when providing patient care.