A new meaning for the term nursing informatics?
I have blogged at length here about nursing informatics. Recent experience adds a whole new layer: tech support for patients. This is a thing.
Requests from patients on a variety of units where I have worked recently have been for things like, “My phone’s charger cable broke; can you find me another?” or “How do I get a network connection so I can Skype with my family?”
Especially in these times of Covid-19 when inpatients are increasingly isolated — for infection control, visitors are no longer permitted — technology is essential for human contact. And often the only way to get tech support is to ask a nurse.
A new challenge! Go nurses!
