Dr. Omar Al-Zaabi

Assistant Dean of Postgraduate Studies and Research, College of Nursing

Digitalisation in nursing plays an increasingly important role in enhancing the efficiency, accuracy and quality of patient care. Digital technologies are an integral part of modern nursing practice. According to the World Health Organization, the increasing use of digital health technologies showcases many benefits, including enabling more effective diagnosis and management of diseases, and supporting efforts to improve health and prevent diseases.

For example, electronic health records can provide an effective tool for easily retrieving and sharing patient information. This reduces the risk of errors associated with the manual registration of medical records. Thanks to such technologies, nurses can now devote more time to providing better and more meticulous attention to their patients, which enhances the patient’s experience and improves overall health outcomes.

In addition, digital health technologies contribute significantly to enhancing multidisciplinary communication and collaboration between different parts of the healthcare team. It is possible to exchange medical information and data readily and safely, discuss patient cases, and make joint treatment decisions. The progress of the patient’s condition can also be continuously monitored by the whole team. Remote healthcare technologies also enable what is called “virtual care” by providing medical services to patients in remote areas, conducting virtual interviews with patients, monitoring their health conditions, and providing timely therapeutic interventions. Digital health technologies help reduce the risk of infection by minimising direct contact between patients and care providers and enabling the remote monitoring of patients’ conditions, which may help prevent complications and thus avoid patient readmission.

As far as the nursing sector is concerned, digital technology transformations are demonstrated through the use of health smartphone applications. These applications help patients and healthcare providers alike by providing tools for self-management, medication reminders, and health monitoring. For example, mobile applications are widely used by diabetics to track blood glucose levels and obtain accurate readings of their condition, which allows nurses to monitor them remotely and intervene if necessary. These tools contribute to enhancing patients’ participation in their healthcare as well as promoting proactive and preventive healthcare. Moreover, digital technologies contribute to enhancing evidence-based clinical practice in the field of nursing. Nurses can easily access the latest research, guidelines and best practices through updated digital platforms, ensuring that their care is based on the latest and most reliable information.

To sum up, mobile health applications are a revolutionary tool in the field of nursing. They play an important role in improving the quality of patient care and enhancing public health.