Informatics for Nurse Leaders: Technology Impacting the Care of the Older Adult

• The purpose of this presentation is to identify informatics technologies, nurse leaders must be aware of to lead the charge of caring for the explosive growth in older adults in the United States.  The use of tele-health, social media, and home-based information technology can enhance care of the older adult with chronic health issues.  Health related smart phone applications are found in abundance and used by many healthcare providers, patients, and care givers. Social media has the potential to both promote healthcare outcomes, provide educational resources and influence healthcare decision-making.. Access to technology also provides new opportunities for ethical breaches of patient privacy. Nurse leaders must be up-to-date on current technology focusing on care of the older adult influencing healthcare providers and patients to formulate proactive and reactive policy for compliance in practice. The American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) note technology is changing the way healthcare is delivered. As providers and patients are incorporating the use of handheld devices and social media in to everyday life, nurse leaders must evolve and adapt informatics policies and procedures. Furthermore,
   the global impact of social media moves implications from microscopic to macroscopic, affecting humankind and societal norms.