You might be thinking, oh boy, computers. Now, anyone currently going through the requirements of nursing school certainly grew up in an age of technology. They just didn’t expect to need to rely on it so heavily to take care of patients.

Here’s the thing. Modern healthcare is endlessly integrated with digital technology—from the way records are stored to the way data is taken. Computers are involved in virtually every step of the process.

IT skills are not the most important component of being a good nurse, but they do play an increasingly significant role in how patients are treated. In this article, we take a look at why IT skills are important for RNs and how you can work on developing them.

Electronic Health Records

One of the most important and consistent aspects of the digitalization of healthcare is that patient records are now almost completely paperless. That doesn’t sound like such a barrier at first glance. 

After all, what isn’t paperless these days? But the way EHRs are used is a little different than reading an article on your phone. For example, there are very specific protocol designs to ensure data security. These steps—though not exactly complicated—are notoriously frustrating and often tedious for healthcare professionals. They are designed, of course, to protect patient privacy. Healthcare records are, for various reasons, a frequent target for bad actors online.

Now, the good news is that you don’t need to do much in terms of an independent effort to learn how to use electronic health records the right way, because they’re now the standard. EHR training is essentially baked into the BSN learning experience. You’ll be taught in great detail how to effectively manage digital patient records.

Still, it’s something to keep in mind. Many a veteran doctor or nurse has been frustrated by this important—yet often confounding—development.

Patient Monitoring

Data-taking is also an increasingly digital pursuit. Patients are now hooked up to automated data collection systems through many different means. 

The most basic of these is the fitness tracker. Go to any supermarket and you’re likely to find dozens of people wearing smartwatches that track various important health metrics—blood pressure, heart rate, even sleep patterns. These simple and common forms of data are being increasingly integrated into standard healthcare processes. The more information, the better, right?

At a more sophisticated level, hospitals are using wearable devices like heart monitors, glucose monitors, and others as a way of remotely viewing patient health activity. Even hospital beds are equipped with a wide array of sensors that allow floor nurses to monitor their patients, even when they aren’t physically in the room.

This saves both time and effort—but it’s yet another adjustment. You need to be able to read and interpret digital data effectively to take full advantage of this technology. Again, digital data-taking is a pretty standard component of modern healthcare education. Still, it’s something that requires a bit of IT fluency.

Patient Communication

Digital technology is also used as a way to communicate with patients. There’s MyChart and other services that offer similar options. Patients can log on and send questions directly to their healthcare providers—some of them do this with incredible frequency. Again, it sounds simple enough. 

Who doesn’t communicate remotely these days? But the requirements are, once again, more complicated than they appear at first glance. All healthcare-related communications, even when they happen remotely, are subject to HIPAA laws. You need to not only understand the technology, but also know how to use it in a way that complies with federal regulations.

How Important Are IT Skills?

The more responsibility you have, the more important this information becomes. If you are a first-year floor nurse, for example, you might not have much of a role in managing technology at your hospital. You’ll still need to understand digitally taken data, but your primary focus will likely be patient care.

As your responsibilities increase, so will your need for technological fluency. If you consider going into an advanced practice position, your need for IT skills may be pretty significant. 

The good news is that your education will typically cover all of these learning requirements organically. If you feel overwhelmed by the technology side of healthcare, there are also short-term clinics or classes you can take advantage of. 

Not only will these help you do your job better, but they may also improve your marketability as a healthcare professional. 

IT skills look good on any resume these days. If you feel like you don’t understand exactly what you need to be doing on the IT side of things, consider speaking with a supervisor at your hospital. Almost certainly, they will have resources designed to help with exactly this.

The IT element of healthcare does frustrate many people for good reason. So many nurses enter this profession because they are focused on people. Technology uses a very different part of the brain. 

Remember, that all of this extra effort will ultimately contribute to a greater good. Not only will IT proficiency improve your ability to treat patients, but it will also play an important role in keeping their information safe. 

For every important piece of medical data, there is an online bad actor looking to collect it. Understanding how to use digital technology responsibly will keep your patients’ sensitive information private. 

A little bit of frustration as you learn the ropes is normal. You just need to remember that these applications and devices are in your patients’ best interest—even when you personally find them frustrating. 

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.