Answer

Medical Technology

Introduction

The medical fraternity has emerged as one of the leading beneficiaries of the advantages brought about by technology. The industry has primarily been able to develop and invent machinery and technological equipment that has been sufficient in saving the lives of many and improving the quality of care that is extended to patients. Many preventive measures have been advanced and the diagnosis of illnesses improved with technology. Medication and treatment facilities have also benefitted with the practitioners and nursing fraternity benefitting from the convenience and quality of care for the patients. Technology has thus played a significant role in the medical field more so for nurses in the clinical setting. The convenience in time management and progress of patient outcomes are some of the advantages witnessed therein.

Patient Monitor Device

Patients admitted with severe conditions require that their health and progress is monitored frequently to note of any changes whether positive or negative. The attending nurses therefore have to keep all data updated to ensure that the physician has a clear perspective of how the patient is progressing. In the past, the observation of patient’s vital signs would have to be done manually with the nurses having to complete several rounds checking on different patients and recording their health information such as their vital signs and even blood pressures (Institute of Medicine, 2000). However, with the advent of technology, the patient monitor device has become a more convenient device to use in recording and translating the information of different health issues of the patients. Ideally, the device is normally used with patients with critical conditions so as to ensure a constant update of the patient’s health and signs are provided.

Patients with heart conditions require that their conditions are monitored and regularly updated so as to ensure that emergencies are attended to with immediate effect. The patient monitor device thus was the convenient machinery that was used with the patients with heart conditions to provide constant updates on their progress as well as to warn of any emergencies. The device is fitted with sensors, the translating component, a display device, communication links and an alarm (Institute of Medicine, 2000). The sensors on the device are both medical and mechanical sensors that note of any changes with the patient’s heart or overall body changes. The translating component thus converts the information picked up by the sensors to information that is understandable to be displayed on the monitor. The display monitor thus shows the different data in numerals and using the axes regarding the different vital signs that are being observed. The communication links are used to transmit the information from the device to a central monitoring station (Needleman, et al. 2002). Therefore, it is possible to observe different patients all at once from a central position by reviewing the transmitted data. The alarm usually goes off in the event that the vital signs of the patient go below or above the standard. This results in the prompt reaction to an emergency.

The patient monitor device in this regard has made it possible for nurses to observe patients in a more convenient manner and reduce the time taken to record and take patient history and progress. Practically, the time reduction is almost up to 100% based on the fact that all information is displayed on a central station thus nurses only have to respond to emergencies and any other situation that the patient may request their assistance (Kamel, et al., 2010). The patients’ outcomes in this regard are highly improved as any notable changes are attended to immediately. This is compared to previous times where changes with patients would be discovered later as the nurses were busy manually attending to similar patients. Cases of emergencies would have fast response but this would require the patient also taking note of any looming danger. In this directive, the patient monitor device has been essential in improving patients’ outcomes as more get immediate and quality treatment and care.

Patients with heart conditions often need continuous attention due to the sensitivity of their condition. Therefore, taking note of their medication schedule and the frequency of how they suffer any attacks in this regard would be classified as data relevant to understanding the type of treatment that they have been on before. Information in this regard will conveniently involve matters surrounding their lifestyle such as whether or not they smoke, where they live if it is a building that requires them to take the stairs, their meal plans and their immediate next of kin. These data and information would suffice in the determination of the type of treatment that is best suited and which areas need change to improve the patients’ health even outside the medical facility.

Conclusion

Practically, technology has proven to be a significant moderator of health. Several patients with heart conditions have benefitted from the convenience and accuracy of the patient monitor devices. Several lives have also been saved in this regard. Therefore, the continued use of technology through the various innovations and inventions in medicine is imperative for the improvement of the health of the population.