On World Nurses Day, experts stress need for upskilling

Bengaluru: Health experts have stressed the need for upskilling nurses in the evolving healthcare sector. The International Nurses Day (May 12) is celebrated to acknowledge the services of nurses who are considered the heart of the healthcare sector.

Latha Nonis, Chief Nursing Officer, Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, Bengaluru, said that in the digital health era, the role of nurses in healthcare has undergone a tectonic shift.

“As we witness the rapid advancement of technology, it has become imperative for us nurses to upskill ourselves continuously to stay in tune with the evolving healthcare landscape,” she added.

“Even the connections between nursing and technology help nurses to spend more time with patients. Our patients, too, have increasingly come to rely on technology to manage their health, and it is our duty to equip ourselves with the necessary skills to provide them with the best possible care. Technology brings patients closer to nurses,” she said.

Nonis added, “The primary role of a nurse is to be a caregiver for patients by managing physical needs, preventing illness, and treating health conditions. Nurses can be key contributors in the healthcare system and their critical thinking skills help to improve patient outcomes by enabling evidence-based decision-making.”

As healthcare professionals, our ability to harness technology to understand and utilise it effectively is crucial in ensuring that we provide safe, efficient and effective care to our patients. Upskilling nurses with the evolving technology is of paramount importance in today’s healthcare landscape and also it’s a need of today to deliver quality care, she said.

Punitha Singh, Associate Vice-President, Nursing, Healthcare Global Enterprises Ltd, Bengaluru, said, “Nurses have been an integral part of the healthcare ecosystem by playing a crucial role in patient care delivery. Upskilling nurses in evolving technology can have several important benefits like improving efficiency in patient care delivery, retention of nurses, better representation etc.”

Technology is changing how nurses deliver patient care, but we should always remember to uphold the true essence of nursing by not losing the human side of empathetic care, which is an absolute need of the hour, says Singh.

The world today experiences a huge shortage of nurses that is expected to intensify as the need for healthcare grows. The pandemic vividly reminds everyone of the essentiality of nursing services to uphold humanity and the selfless service they render, Singh added.

Col. Sanjula Verma, Group Vice-President, Nursing Services, CARE Hospitals Group, said, “The digital health era has transformed the role of nurses in healthcare, creating a paradigm shift in the way they deliver care. Digital health technologies such as electronic health records (EHRs), telemedicine and mobile health apps have changed the way nurses document, communicate and provide patient care.”

Nurses have become key players in the digital health ecosystem, leveraging technology to enhance patient engagement, improve health outcomes, and drive operational efficiencies, Verma added.Overall, the digital health era has created a paradigm shift in the role of nurses, enabling them to become more efficient, effective and engaged in delivering patient care. As the digital health market continues to grow, it is essential that nurses receive the necessary digital education during their nursing training to leverage these technologies to their full

potential, she said. (IANS)