Week 7: Use of Personal Communication Devices in Patient Care Settings (graded)
How can the use of the nurse's personal communication device(s) impact patient care either positively
and/or negatively? Are there ethical and legal implications? Does your facility or school have a policy
on personal use of cellphones while at work/school? Locate an article, and share a brief summary of
that article with your classmates.
Bingley Response:
Use of electronic devises have a positive and negative impact on patient care. Neft & Greenier (2013) in
their article “An Update From the AANA Practice Committee: Application of the Evidence-Based
Process” review the revision and development of new materials for the Professional Practice Manual for
the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. Position statement 2:18 relates to mobile device use. This
position statement purpose is to review the risks and benefits of such devices. “The position statement
acknowledges that mobile device use is becoming more integrated into the delivery of patient care and
has the potential to positively affect patient care by increasing productivity, increasing communication,
reducing medical errors, and readily providing clinical resources” (Neft & Greenier, 2013). Neft &
Greenier further discuss the risks and benefits of mobile devices (2013). Other considerations for
mobile device use in the operating room discussed in this position statement include using sound
clinical judgment when applying information provided by mobile applications, the potential for bacterial
contamination, the potential for interference by mobile devices with medical equipment, the impact of
the availability of camera phones and video capabilities, and the role of social media. I know that
mobile devices are now part of our lives, but there is the chance of distractions and not paying attention
to our patient. Healthcare providers need to avoid recreational use of mobile devices during patient
care. According to our reading in Week 7, lesson, “Legal issues can range from professional malpractice
to corporate wrongdoing related to information security”. Confidential information should be shared
only with the patient’s informed consent, when legally required or where failure to disclose the
information could result in significant harm. Beyond these very limited exceptions, a nurse is obligated
to safeguard confidential information.
When Facebook became accessible by smartphones nurses would take pictures at that nurse’s station
or in the department and post them. Worse yet, nurses would post comments regarding their patient
assignment or how their day was going. Often, you would see healthcare workers constantly checking
their smartphones for Facebook page updates/comments, checking emails, sending text messages or
checking text messages at the nurse’s station or patient care areas. In 2014 HR updated the telephone
and cellphone use policy. The policy states that excessive personal phone calls whether on CCF
telephone or personal device is disruptive to patient care and safety. Personal phone should be
restricted during work hours and personal phones should be used in non-working areas or avoid
patient care areas during lunch periods or during scheduled breaks. Healthcare workers cannot post
pictures of themselves or peers during work hours in patient-care areas, nor can they post anything
work-related regarding patients or work-related issues.
From our class discussions, it is clear that smart devices, including smartphones, form an integral part
of our connected lives. However, they compromise security and privacy, quality of patient care, and
This study source was downloaded by 100000827646477 from CourseHero.com on 07-29-2022 05:00:28 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/34580585/361-Week-
, efficiency, and are a source of distraction. The following set of best practices could serve as guidelines
to alleviate the negative effects of smartphones in a health care workplace:
1. Store personal devices out of reach, and encourage the use of organization-provided
devices that contain preinstalled job-specific functions and apps.
2. Create no-cellular/no-smartphone zones in sensitive areas like intensive care units
(ICUs), operation theatres, and critical care units.
3. Regulate the kind of ring tones, alert tones, and other such sounds used by health
care professionals on their phones at work.
4. Ensure that all digital data is appropriately encrypted, and that the network and
devices associated with the network are password-protected.
5. Regulate access to social-networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, and promote
an intracompany communication network in the workplace.
6. Establish cellular-/smartphone-restricted zones, as well as cellular-/smartphone-friendly zones.
7. Create specific hotspots where personal devices may be used during breaks.
8. Promote hygienic use of devices in health care settings through the use of gloves and sanitizers.
9. Ensure that prior permission is obtained before taking photos and videos at work. While
taking photos and videos, all must adhere to organizational ethics and conflict-of-interest policies.
10. Ensure high-security computing networks, with regulated use of outside devices.
Guidelines must be adapted and must evolve in accordance with the changing technology
and
circumstances in which the technologies are being used.
Reference
Chamberlain College of Nursing. (2016). Week 7 Lesson: Communication systems, security, &
confidentiality. Downers Grove, IL: Online Publication
Hebda, T., & Czar, P., (2013). Handbook of informatics for nurses &healthcare professionals (5th
ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Neft, M., & Greenier, E. (2013). An Update From the AANA Practice Committee: Application of
the Evidence-Based Process. Practice News, 81(1), 12-12. Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23513315
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3437811/#!po=91.3793
From the analysis above, it is clear that smart devices, including smartphones, form an integral part
of our connected lives. However, they compromise security and privacy, quality of patient care, and
This study source was downloaded by 100000827646477 from CourseHero.com on 07-29-2022 05:00:28 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/34580585/361-Week-
How can the use of the nurse's personal communication device(s) impact patient care either positively
and/or negatively? Are there ethical and legal implications? Does your facility or school have a policy
on personal use of cellphones while at work/school? Locate an article, and share a brief summary of
that article with your classmates.
Bingley Response:
Use of electronic devises have a positive and negative impact on patient care. Neft & Greenier (2013) in
their article “An Update From the AANA Practice Committee: Application of the Evidence-Based
Process” review the revision and development of new materials for the Professional Practice Manual for
the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. Position statement 2:18 relates to mobile device use. This
position statement purpose is to review the risks and benefits of such devices. “The position statement
acknowledges that mobile device use is becoming more integrated into the delivery of patient care and
has the potential to positively affect patient care by increasing productivity, increasing communication,
reducing medical errors, and readily providing clinical resources” (Neft & Greenier, 2013). Neft &
Greenier further discuss the risks and benefits of mobile devices (2013). Other considerations for
mobile device use in the operating room discussed in this position statement include using sound
clinical judgment when applying information provided by mobile applications, the potential for bacterial
contamination, the potential for interference by mobile devices with medical equipment, the impact of
the availability of camera phones and video capabilities, and the role of social media. I know that
mobile devices are now part of our lives, but there is the chance of distractions and not paying attention
to our patient. Healthcare providers need to avoid recreational use of mobile devices during patient
care. According to our reading in Week 7, lesson, “Legal issues can range from professional malpractice
to corporate wrongdoing related to information security”. Confidential information should be shared
only with the patient’s informed consent, when legally required or where failure to disclose the
information could result in significant harm. Beyond these very limited exceptions, a nurse is obligated
to safeguard confidential information.
When Facebook became accessible by smartphones nurses would take pictures at that nurse’s station
or in the department and post them. Worse yet, nurses would post comments regarding their patient
assignment or how their day was going. Often, you would see healthcare workers constantly checking
their smartphones for Facebook page updates/comments, checking emails, sending text messages or
checking text messages at the nurse’s station or patient care areas. In 2014 HR updated the telephone
and cellphone use policy. The policy states that excessive personal phone calls whether on CCF
telephone or personal device is disruptive to patient care and safety. Personal phone should be
restricted during work hours and personal phones should be used in non-working areas or avoid
patient care areas during lunch periods or during scheduled breaks. Healthcare workers cannot post
pictures of themselves or peers during work hours in patient-care areas, nor can they post anything
work-related regarding patients or work-related issues.
From our class discussions, it is clear that smart devices, including smartphones, form an integral part
of our connected lives. However, they compromise security and privacy, quality of patient care, and
This study source was downloaded by 100000827646477 from CourseHero.com on 07-29-2022 05:00:28 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/34580585/361-Week-
, efficiency, and are a source of distraction. The following set of best practices could serve as guidelines
to alleviate the negative effects of smartphones in a health care workplace:
1. Store personal devices out of reach, and encourage the use of organization-provided
devices that contain preinstalled job-specific functions and apps.
2. Create no-cellular/no-smartphone zones in sensitive areas like intensive care units
(ICUs), operation theatres, and critical care units.
3. Regulate the kind of ring tones, alert tones, and other such sounds used by health
care professionals on their phones at work.
4. Ensure that all digital data is appropriately encrypted, and that the network and
devices associated with the network are password-protected.
5. Regulate access to social-networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, and promote
an intracompany communication network in the workplace.
6. Establish cellular-/smartphone-restricted zones, as well as cellular-/smartphone-friendly zones.
7. Create specific hotspots where personal devices may be used during breaks.
8. Promote hygienic use of devices in health care settings through the use of gloves and sanitizers.
9. Ensure that prior permission is obtained before taking photos and videos at work. While
taking photos and videos, all must adhere to organizational ethics and conflict-of-interest policies.
10. Ensure high-security computing networks, with regulated use of outside devices.
Guidelines must be adapted and must evolve in accordance with the changing technology
and
circumstances in which the technologies are being used.
Reference
Chamberlain College of Nursing. (2016). Week 7 Lesson: Communication systems, security, &
confidentiality. Downers Grove, IL: Online Publication
Hebda, T., & Czar, P., (2013). Handbook of informatics for nurses &healthcare professionals (5th
ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Neft, M., & Greenier, E. (2013). An Update From the AANA Practice Committee: Application of
the Evidence-Based Process. Practice News, 81(1), 12-12. Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23513315
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3437811/#!po=91.3793
From the analysis above, it is clear that smart devices, including smartphones, form an integral part
of our connected lives. However, they compromise security and privacy, quality of patient care, and
This study source was downloaded by 100000827646477 from CourseHero.com on 07-29-2022 05:00:28 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/34580585/361-Week-
