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How can the use of the nurse's personal communication device(s) impact patient care positively and/or negatively? What are the ethical and legal implications? What does the professional literature say about how communication devices can support safe nursing practice?

User TMH
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Answer:

To begin with, a nurse´s private life, symbolized in the use of her private communication devices, should be separate from her professional field. In essence, unless absolutely necessary, a nurse should not carry with her communication devices that are personal, as her time of work, is the time that must be reserved to give the best nursing care possible.

The use of communication devices, such as cellphones, can have both negative and positive impact on nursing care. But mostly, negative. On the plus side, a nurse who carries a cellphone can easily access necessary information that might help her in her care. But that would be the extent of it. On the negative side, there are many issues involved. First, a nurse handles a lot of private information on her patients, and the use of personal devices is a way to infringe on that. She might make the mistake of informing someone outside about a patient´s situation, and that would be a violation of all the rights of patients. Second, hyginie. Usually cellphones are a huge medium to transport pathogens, and very few nurses realize this. So it can also become a source of infection. Third, a nurse´s attention will not be fully given to her patients, to her care, but it will be split between her professional, and personal, worlds, increasing the risk of making mistakes in her care.

This is why, even from the time of nursing school, nurses are told that these devices can be used for good, as long as they are placed in certain spots specifically designed, such as lunch rooms, or staff lounges. They can be used as a means for consultation, or getting in contact with people from their own work, if necessary, but they must not be carried around, and definitely should not be consulted outside of the resting time alloted to them.

User Thabo
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