Nursing review calls for technology use

The Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery in England has called for a high level group to be established to help nurses and midwives understand and make use of new technology.

The report, published today, details 20 recommendations, which include an “urgent investment in the development and supply of information systems to front-line staff.”

Its main recommendations are for nurses to be put "centre stage" in the NHS, for ward sisters and charge nurses to be given a stronger role, for the title ‘nurse’ to be given more protection and for nursing assistants to be regulated.

However, it also saysprofessions must embrace technology in order to deal with the “carequake” of the ageing population.

The report states: “A high level group must be established to determine how to build nursing and midwifery capacity to understand and influence the development and use of new technologies.”

It says that part of this group’s role must be to consider how both pre and post-registration education could best deliver technological understanding.

The report also says that: “Starting in their initial education, nurses and midwives need a better understanding of and influence over the development of technologies and informatics, including information and communications technology and remote care.”

It adds that standarised terminologies and technological advances are increasingly important to provide remote care approaches in telenursing. And it commends NHS Direct for demonstrating what can be achieved in nurse led services.

The report, which has been published following an extensive engagement exercise with the public, service users, staff and other stakeholders highlights the importance of nurses and midwives being appointed as champions of change.

It says that they should be leaders of transformational peer review teams that raise standards and embed innovation and excellence.

It adds that “innovation fellows” should be appointed to lead transformational teams to visit wards, teams, and organisations to help them tackle poor care and embed innovation.

The Commission commented: “We want a future where patients, relatives and careers are at the centre of service development and design, and compassionate care is delivered by technically competent nurses and midwives who maintain a person’s dignity. This is the key to a positive experience for service users.”

Link: Front line care. Report by the Prime Minister’s Commission on the future of nursing and midwifery in England.