In the last decade, technology has reached new heights, and there is no denying that new peaks are underway. Mind-boggling mechanics formulated in artificial intelligence, robotics, and automated technology have changed the healthcare industry’s course more than anything else. This advancement begs the question of whether nurses are still relevant in the face of new innovations? 

Nursing Technology 

The duty of a nurse is to greet patients, gather information, draw blood, administer medication, manage intravenous lines or other monitors, and tend to patients’ overall needs. 

High tech robots and machines can be designed to perform these tasks, even as far as lifting patients in and out of wheelchairs or drawing blood. 

Then there is telecommunication to teach patients how to use medication or follow along with therapy right at home. Smart alarms can monitor the patients’ signals, including blood pressure, heart rate, etc., without ever need to schedule an appointment. A remote worker or software can assess this and give advise or notify a physician about the need for more one-on-one care. This significantly reduces the job of the nurse. 

Is Nursing Job Endangered? 

Robots are becoming more common hospitals. Even in operating rooms, human controlled or AI-driven tools can reduce the number of people needed in the room. But will nursing suffer massive job losses? 

It seems unlikely. Specialty equipment, telecommunication software, and other tools of the future require huge investments, and at this point, there are still flaws with these technologies. The jobs of nurses will likely change as they learn to work alongside these new technologies, but they will always find themselves inside clinics and hospitals. As technology handles the more menial tasks, nurses will have more time to focus on the quality of care and communicating with other medical staff about patient needs. 

The term nurse itself is a synonym to care. Robots may be able to perform some tasks, but they are nonetheless soulless and cold. The need for a compassionate, empathetic, and an attentive person cheering you up on the bed each morning is never-ending. The robots might be as smart, but they do not have the heart of a nurse.