Digital nurses: Taking the NHS into the 21st century

The NHS is undergoing a digital transformation as technology advances and healthcare consumers seek novel, digitally driven ways of receiving care. Indeed, the NHS Long Term Plan (2019) places great emphasis on the future of digitally enabled care, highlighting that it will become mainstream across the NHS.¹ What exactly does this mean for nurses?

The benefits of incorporating technology into nursing practice

Incorporating information and communication technologies (ICTs) into healthcare has many benefits – both for patients and nurses. Digital tools can be used to:

The use of ICTs by nurses can impact their overall practice and the entire patient journey.² Nurses can use the digital format to provide patients with basic care instructions. They can also provide options for changes to improve health without having the patient come into the office for an appointment. Through this type of care, patients gain control over their own health care.