The growing complexity of technology, equipment, and devices involved in patient care delivery can be staggering and overwhelming. Technology is intended to be a tool to help clinicians, but it can also be a frustrating hindrance if not thoughtfully planned and strategically aligned. Critical care nurses are key partners in the collaborations needed to improve safety and quality through health information technology (IT). Nurses must advocate for systems that are interoperable and adapted to the context of care experiences. The involvement and collaboration between clinicians, information technology specialists, biomedical engineers, and vendors has never been more relevant and applicable. Working together strategically with a shared vision can effectively provide a seamless clinical workflow, maximize technology investments, and ultimately improve patient care delivery and outcomes. Developing a strategic integrated clinical and IT roadmap is a critical component of today's health care environment. How can technology strategy be aligned from the executive suite to the bedside caregiver? What is the model for using clinical workflows to drive technology adoption? How can the voice of the critical care nurse strengthen this process? How can success be assured from the initial assessment and selection of technology to a sustainable support model? What is the vendor's role as a strategic partner and "co-caregiver"?
The purpose of this article is to discuss how nurse leaders influenced facility design decisions, quickly evaluated the outcomes, and rapidly adapted the environment based on their own observations, assessments, changing regulatory requirements, and the needs of patients, nurses, and the caring workforce. Nurses must validate their clinical voice in the future design of healthcare environments based on the adaptations discovered and instituted during COVID-19. Many lessons were learned and physical adaptations made during the pandemic. While the pandemic spotlighted the emotional and physical stress and strain on nurses, it is important to consider all adaptations made in the physical environment to improve care delivery.
Nurses are leading major changes in the healthcare design and construction industry. The purpose of this facility design article is to expand nurse leaders' knowledge and competencies in health facility design and enable them to take leadership roles in design efforts. This article describes how a group of determined and passionate nurses have created significant changes in healthcare design.
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