Concerns and Challenges of Integrating PDAs into Nursing Practice

  The challenges of integrating PDAs into nursing practice are multi-dimensional and include interrelated individual, organizational, and professional components. A descriptive study has found that individual challenges include inexperience with computers, difficultly changing habits, and difficulty accepting new technology. However, the same study showed that nurses with limited computer experience still found the software easy to use, and liked the small pocketsize of PDAs (Altmann & Brady, 2005). Additional individual challenges include the cost of PDAs and software when the devices are not being provided by organizations (Altmann & Brady, 2005).

  Organizations face similar economic concerns but on a much larger scale. In addition to these economic concerns, organizations may have major technical challenges. These include compatibility of PDAs with the current computer system, availability of a wireless Internet network in all areas of the organization, and the need for an increase in technical support for staff (McAlearney, Schweikhart, & Medow, 2005).

  Maintaining patient confidentiality is of major concern to both organizations (McAlearney, Schweikhart, & Medow, 2005) and nursing professionals. Although organizations should have policies and methods in place for PDA use, it is ultimately the nurse who is responsible to ensure that patient confidentiality is maintained. Therefore nurses should ensure that their PDAs are password protected and that a data encryption program is installed (CNO, 2008). These security measures are readily available for purchase and easily installed via the Internet. Nurses should also take the same precautions with patient information on their PDAs as they would with traditional paper records, such as not leaving the PDA in unauthorized areas to avoid theft, loss, and confidentiality breaches. Also, PDAs used for documentation should either be cleared of patient information before being brought out of the organization or kept in the workplace.

  There is also concern over infection control with PDAs. Studies have shown that equipment such as stethoscopes and PDAs can be colonized with bacteria and thus have the potential to be vectors for nosocomial infections (Hassoun, Vellozzi, & Smith, 2004; Wright, Orr, & Porter, 1995). However, research has shown that the simple method of cleaning the PDA with one 70% isopropyl alcohol swab was effective in eliminating all bacteria in 75% of cases and significantly reduced the bacterial colonization in the other 25% of cases (Hassoun et al., 2004). Therefore, nurses must be diligent in cleaning their PDAs to maintain patient safety.

  The concern over patients’ perceptions of nurses using PDAs in their care was recently explored through a descriptive study. Responses were varied with some patients expressing the opinion that PDAs likely increased the nurse’s work efficiency, while others stated indifference to PDAs as long as the quality of care remained high. However, many patients preferred that the nurse explain the function and purpose of the PDA to avoid confusion or misunderstanding. There was also some concern expressed over the accuracy and privacy of the data being recorded (Lee, 2007).

Conclusion

  In conclusion, PDAs have been shown to have the potential to increase the quality of nursing care provided in the hospital setting by helping nurses better meet some of the major challenges that the profession faces today. PDAs have been shown to have the ability to increase evidence-based practice, decrease medication errors, and increase efficiency and accuracy of electronic patient charting. Furthermore, the portability, ease of use, and near instant access to information that PDAs provide makes them very appealing tools for nurses. As nurses and organizations begin to recognize the potential for PDAs, and as more nursing-focused software and resources continue to be developed, PDAs truly have the potential to revolutionize the way that nurses provide and record care.

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