How much technology do NPs normally use?

[Joe NightingMale, MSN, RN]

I've always wondered that.

I tend to get excited over technology...my heart races when I hear things like "Swan-Ganz" or "vasoactive drip" or "A line". I know I'm not supposed to, that nurses today are supposed to be holistic and into prevention and spend a lot of time with the patient.

And I was wondering where NPs are on that continuum.

Thanks.

[JDCitizen]

Really depends on your specialty, where you are working and what they will let you do....

Right now I am out of the hospital so drips, A-lines, etc are a fond memory.

"holistic and into prevention..." :-)

Lidocaine, scalpel, hemostats...

Cryofreezing...

TCA...

Come to think about it I want my fond memory back... Right sized hospital and the training / learning potential is endless.

Everything you do will be holistic more holistic than one can imagine. Until you are in the spot of calling the shots making the diagnosis, ordering the medications, consults, etc... Holistic takes on a whole new meaning.

[RochesterRN-BSN, BSN, RN]

Completely depends on what kind of unit you work on --I would assume an NP in critical care-- ICU mostly........there is a lot of that equipment....everyone uses that stuff, the nurses and the NP must have to be able to use it, work it, etc. One hospital I worked in with a single ICU uses an Acute Care NP full time. He was awesome!! I think he had worked there when an RN then continued as an NP.

[carachel2]

I know there are some nurses who get their jollies out of all the lines and such, but I was never one of them. I am the most comfortable sitting down in an office and working with a patient on BP and diabtes mgmt. I have NO desire to manage all of that kind of stuff ever.again and I so far in my FNP program that doesn't even seem remotely in the future. I think you can pick your poison...if you like that kind of stuff then acute is the way to go. If not, go for family.

[jer_sd]

i work in radiology... i love toys such as my portable ultrasound ect. when i saw a stethoscope that had a single channel ekg on it i had to really convince myself that i did not need it.

part of it is based on a personality of the np, even if i worked primary care i could have all sorts of neat toys such as an ear popper for om, body composition testing for preventive care, i saw a nifty ekg/spirometer device that looks fun and i can use this for all sorts of primary care needs ect….

the question really gets to be does the technology add to the patient care and management, if not it just increases the $$ of health care. even though i have an ultrasound unit i do not ultrasound every patient with pvd every visit that is a waste of resources and not indicated. providers who like technology like myself need to make sure that the technology is appropriately used.

then there is the defensive medicine approach which includes huge over use of technology.

[zenman]

Sigh...and I spend so much time trying to figure out whats wrong without any equipment...

[VivaRN]

Technology is fun... lol, I could hardly program a VCR until I worked in the ICU, really raised my comfort level managing all that machinery. Being excited about technology and nursing are hardly mutually exclusive. The holistic part comes when you explain it to the patient/family in a way they can understand, use it appropriately, and don't get so wrapped up in it you forget there's a person in there.

Though I would suggest "try before you buy", once I was working in critical care as an RN it was a totally different experience than being a student. I realized I prefer awake patients and did FNP.