Throughout history, technological advancements have appeared for one purpose before finding applications elsewhere that lead to spikes in its usage and development. The internet, for example, was originally developed to share research before becoming a staple of work and entertainment. But technology—new and repurposed—will undoubtedly continue to be a driver of healthcare information. Informaticists often stay tuned to trends to monitor what the next new technology will be or how the next new idea for applying existing technology can benefit outcomes.

In this Discussion, you will reflect on your healthcare organization’s use of technology and offer a technology trend you observe in your environment.

To Prepare:

• Reflect on the Resources related to digital information tools and technologies.
• Consider your healthcare organization’s use of healthcare technologies to manage and distribute information.
• Reflect on current and potential future trends, such as use of social media and mobile applications/telehealth, Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled asset tracking, or expert systems/artificial intelligence, and how they may impact nursing practice and healthcare delivery.

By Day 3 of Week 6

Post a brief description of general healthcare technology trends, particularly related to data/information you have observed in use in your healthcare organization or nursing practice. Describe any potential challenges or risks that may be inherent in the technologies associated with these trends you described. Then, describe at least one potential benefit and one potential risk associated with data safety, legislation, and patient care for the technologies you described. Next, explain which healthcare technology trends you believe are most promising for impacting healthcare technology in nursing practice and explain why. Describe whether this promise will contribute to improvements in patient care outcomes, efficiencies, or data management. Be specific and provide examples.

HealthIT.gov. (2018c). What is an electronic health record (EHR)? Retrieved from https://www.healthit.gov/faq/what-electronic-health-record-ehr

Healthcare Information Management and Systems Society. (2018). Electronic health records. Retrieved from https://www.himss.org/library/ehr/

Assignment 1: “Captain of the Ship” Project – Bipolar Disorders

Bipolar disorders are severe disorders of mood that include both depressive episodes and expansive, grandiose, or manic episodes. During these times, the person may engage in activities with little awareness of the consequences because of accompanying psychosis. A diagnosis of bipolar disorder includes periods of mania or hypomania and periods of depression where the mood is down, hopeless, and suicidal. The neurovegetative symptoms of bipolar depression can be incapacitating. It is also important to differentiate the psychosis of bipolar disorder from schizophrenia.

In this Assignment, you will become the “captain of the ship” as you provide treatment recommendations and identify medical management, community support resources, and follow-up plans for a client with a bipolar disorder.

Students will:

• Recommend psychopharmacologic treatments based on therapeutic end points for clients with bipolar disorders
• Recommend psychotherapy based on therapeutic end points for clients with bipolar disorders
• Identify medical management needs for clients with bipolar disorders
• Identify community support resources for clients with bipolar disorders
• Recommend follow-up plans for clients with bipolar disorders

To prepare for this Assignment:

• Select an adult or older adult client with a bipolar disorder that you have seen in your practicum.

In 3-4 pages, write a treatment plan for your client. In which you do the following:

• Describe the HPI and clinical impression for the client.
• Recommend psychopharmacologic treatments and describe specific and therapeutic end points for your psychopharmacologic agent. (This should relate to HPI and clinical impression.).
• Recommend psychotherapy choices (individual, family, and group) and specific therapeutic endpoints for your choices.
• Identify medical management needs, including primary care needs, specific to this client.
• Identify community support resources (housing, socioeconomic needs, etc.) and community agencies that are available to assist the client.
• Recommend a plan for follow-up intensity and frequency and collaboration with other providers.