Nurse-Technology vs. Nurse-Patient Relationships: Implications for Education, Practice and Nursing's Future

The purpose of this presentation is to explore how nursing has changed with the continuous introduction of technology over the past thirty years. Positive as well as negative consequences will be explored within educational, clinical and theoretical paradigms. History reveals that the promises of technology have been met in great part to nursing's continued acceptance of the increased work load associated with technology integration into clinical care. With so much technology adoption, nursing's "plate" is nearly full and as nurse leaders know, nurses leave nursing because of out of control technology.  Possible future events emerging from the increasing demand for nurse-technology  relationships vs. the nurse-patient relationship will be explored.  Nursing must drive the education, practice and research agenda to drive best practices for technology integation at the bedside to make care safe and keep nurses in nursing.