Developing Robots for the ER: What Do You Think?

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Just saw on the news where this well known hospital were developing robots to work in their ER.

See the weblink here: Developing Robots for the Hospital Emergency Room - US News and World Report

Do you think nurses could be out of a job in the future (or have even more difficulty getting a job) if this idea works out or catches on?

What are your thoughts on the matter?

Specializes in PACU, OR.

I don't think the world of Isaac Asimov is about to burst upon us; there's still no such thing as Artificial Intelligence, and given the amount of stuff a computer can foul up, there's not much human intelligence either. Every time I hear someone telling me "it's a computer mistake" I remind the idiot that computers can only do what humans tell them to do...:rolleyes:

I can imagine the advertising blurbs: "Microsoft School of Nursing! Prepare for your NCLEX exam in 45.9 Nanoseconds!"

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will like that robots are not catty unless you program them that way

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Specializes in LTC.

With the system they are proposing I see someone coming in because their wife forced them to for a bit of "indigestion" who looks like they are on deaths door having a MI getting sent to the waiting room because this robot is only assessing what the patient imputs into a machine.

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I've said for years that by the time I retire there will be robot nurses. Maybe I was psychic.

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A local hospital in my area already uses robots to deliver trays, meds and inter-office mail. Robo-nurse will be able to check BP, auscultate heart and lung sounds, take a health history in 2,406 languages, maybe even give IM injections!! And, robo-nurse won't care if the patient cusses at it, kicks it or tries to grope it!! And, best of all, robo-nurse won't try to EAT it's young!!

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.
Just saw on the news where this well known hospital were developing robots to work in their ER.

See the weblink here: Developing Robots for the Hospital Emergency Room - US News and World Report

Do you think nurses could be out of a job in the future (or have even more difficulty getting a job) if this idea works out or catches on?

What are your thoughts on the matter?

From what I've observed in my first few weeks in the ER, triage is just one small facet of ER nursing. Additionally, with any technology will come the need to audit it and to immediately respond to those cases where the algorithms don't appropriately match the clinical presentation.

I think the technology is worth pursuing and is not likely to have a significant impact on nursing jobs.

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.
With the system they are proposing I see someone coming in because their wife forced them to for a bit of "indigestion" who looks like they are on deaths door having a MI getting sent to the waiting room because this robot is only assessing what the patient imputs into a machine.

Let's give the engineers credit for not being simple or stupid.

I imagine that they're planning things like infrared thermal sensors to assess temperature and distribution, hygrometers to assess diaphoresis, vision processing systems to assess color, facial symmetry, and posture, sensors to assess breathing, pulse, and BP, and likely a rhythm sensor - and I'm sure many other features that I can't even imagine. The system will certainly default to referral to a person for immediate assessment unless the event is nearly certain to be nonemergent.

ER staffs already let people die in the waiting rooms on occasion so let's recognize that the proposed system would not be being judged against perfection.

From my earlier days as an automation engineer I can tell you that the real benefit of automation is not the displacement of workers but rather the standardization of whatever process you're automating.

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.
Really, I fear the day when this does become a reality. I know, I know, we are all good nurses and have common sense, right? (haha) But I would fear that this "invention" could dumb down the hospital personnel. I mean, 20 years ago the local cafe had an old, non-working cash register and that was ok. The waitress/cashier knew how to count change. Nowadays, they do what the register tells them to. Havent you noticed? And, by gosh, give them a penny to make up the $4.46 after they have already rung in the $5.00 and they are lost!
Some are and some aren't. And even if they are, what's lost? A bit of convenience, sure, but the underlying goal - accurate transactions - is strengthened. In the days of yore, I routinely found that incorrect change was provided.

Regardless, it's fine to have some skills be lost with the advancement of technology. My ability to multiply in my head is less than it was in the days before calculators. On the other hand, with the calculator I am able to solve complex problems much more quickly.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

This just seems creepy to me, I wonder how well it will work out in the actual hospitals. I know I would be a little creeped out having a robot assess me and handling things and than coming in to make sure I am still conscious??? That's nice :| I can see where it could be helpful on the medical side of it, but for the patient side I don't think I would like it. (I know this isn't what the OP asked but I am not going to make another thread to discuss the feelings on it)

The hospital I just did clinicals at has something called eICU in their ICU rooms. The main hub of this hospital facility is in Phoenix, if there is a problem the Docs from Phoenix can pop on the TV and look at all the patients vitals and look at the patient and talk to the nurses in the room to tell them what to do. They will sporadically pop up on the TV to check in on things at any time. (leaving absolutely no patient privacy as sometimes you just hear the video camera going but they aren't making themselves known on the TV that they are watching). The whole thing was just bizarre and although a lot of people seemed to think it was great, I did not.

They also have sort of a similar thing in the ER for stroke patients. A computer is wheeled into the room with a camera and a Neuro Doc from a major city an hour away pops on and assess the patients and decides if they need to be air lifted somewhere or what the course of action should be.

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In the OR there are already robotic surgeries. It takes twice the manpower to do a robotic surgery and at least triple, if not quadruple the amount of time. Granted, this is a different kind of robotic system, but (at least in its younger years) robotic ER will take manpower.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
In the OR there are already robotic surgeries. It takes twice the manpower to do a robotic surgery and at least triple, if not quadruple the amount of time. Granted, this is a different kind of robotic system, but (at least in its younger years) robotic ER will take manpower.

There is the Robotic Gamma Knife as well. (I think that is what it's called, or something close to that) it's really interesting and good how it works. The robotic surgeries I am unsure how I feel. I know the robotic hysterectomy's are becoming big here.

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This is outrageous! I'm sorry but I can't help but laugh at some of these posts. Robo nurses, are you kidding me? No, no for real?

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