Telenursing Research. Essay Example.

The cost of telenursing can also be managed to a level. With phone-reliant telenursing, the costs are relatively low. The opening setup costs are affordable and no prior technical knowledge is required for telenursing to proceed since majority of households already possess a cellphone that can be utilized for sessions. The limitation with over the phone telenursing is the interaction is only bound to education and counseling since in both, there are no graphical signs for the caregiver (Frey, Harmonosky & Dansky, 2005).

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

Audiovisual communication through avenues such as Skype, and Face Time are major advantages to telenursing since they allow more interaction between the provider and the patient. Audiovisual communication coupled with peripheral gadgets can be used to monitor remotely the health of a patient through transmission of clinical information.

Limitations of Telenursing

The challenge with advanced technology is some patients may require training to use the tools effectively. Without proper training, they may not be able to make effective use of the tool to benefit from it. Telenursing is dependent on communication networks. When communication networks are unavailable, no telenursing can take place. Communication networks may be transmission lines or the internet.

The initial acquisition costs of the telenursing gadgets can be considerably expensive. Most of the equipment may be beyond the affordability of some patients who need the services. The Glucoboy is an innovative technology that has been established to be useful in assisting diabetic children to maintain healthy lifestyles (Slater, 2005). What was once a painful or monotonous task has been turned into a game aimed at captivating children at the same time treating. The price of this machinery has been observed to be a barrier to its widespread adoption.

Providers have been promised increased monitoring capability thanks to infrared and radar technology (Lamothe, Fortin, Labbe F, et al., 2006). The technology poses numerous advantages to caregivers and relatives or family members who do not stay with the patient in the same location. It is increasingly simpler to establish instances of falls, injury, or illness using the system. This will give the patients a chance to obtain immediate attention. The constant monitoring of these devices is advantageous but also poses an ethical dilemma. It may be an contravention of the patients right to privacy. Infringement to privacy is a serious ethical matter for benefactors to deliberate.

Ethical Dilemmas in Telenursing

Ethical dilemmas can lead to moral stress. Moral stress is a situation where a professional has identified an ethical issue that the best solution in their perspective conflicts with the institution protocols (Kalvemark & Sporrong et al., 2007). Moral stress is a negative energy that limits the cap[abilities of an individual. In telenursing, privacy is a major concern for providers and patients on similar scales (Kaplan et al., 2008).

Another ethical topic that has been identified and affects telenursing is autonomy in contrast to beneficence. It common for the caller in telenursing situations not to be the patient but a person close to the patient. Close relatives, guardians or parents may call for their sick charge. The conflict the nurse will face is a conflict of autonomy between the nurse and the caller. Te nurse always strives for the patient to talk to the directly. However, in some cases, this may not be possible due to cultural factors at times. The nurse therefore has to carry out instructions through a third party. This poses ethical dilemma for the nurse needs to be helpful and at the same time respectful.

Conclusions and Recommendations

Telenursing is a promising frontier in the provision of healthcare services. With time, telenursing has the potential of revolutionizing healthcare services. Currently, telenursing has made it easier to monitor patients and increase coverage of healthcare remotely. However, the costs of technology and ethical associations are a barrier to its acceptance. The demand for telenursing has created a need for innovation in the medical sector. More equipment is being designed to cater to the increasing need for innovative solutions.

The position on offer is attractive and the work has the possibility of being challenging in a positive way. Telenursing is a relatively new frontier. However, the experience with conventional nursing is quite fulfilling. The use of new technology especially the constant monitoring poses a serious ethical dilemma. I would not be comfortable in a situation that exposes the patient to violation of their rights. The position on offer would not be the right choice for me since its activities would induce in me moral stress.

References

Bakken S, Hripcsak G. An informatics infrastructure for patient safety and evidence-based practice. Journal of Health Quarterly . 2004;26(3):2430.

Frey J, Harmonosky CM, Dansky KH.( 2005) Performance model for telehealth use in home health agencies. Telemed J E Health;11(5):54250

Kalvemark, Sporrong S et al (2007). Nursing Ethics;14:825-837

Kaplan B et al. Cambridge Quarterly of Health Care Ethics 2008;17:401-416.

Kumar, S. (2011). Introduction to telenursing. In Telenursing (pp. 1-3). Springer London.Montalban, J. M. (2011). Telenursing in a Developing Country: The Philippine Experience. In

Telenursing (pp. 83-93). Springer London.Schlachta-Fairchild, L., Elfrink, V., & Deickman, A. (2008). Patient safety, telenursing, and

telehealth. Patient Safety and Quality: an Evidence Based Handbook for Nurses. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US).Slater SG. (2005) New technology device: Glucoboy, for disease management of diabetic children and adolescents. Home Health Care Management & Practice;17:2467.