My Reflection!

For me, this class gave me more confidence as a writer. At the start of this class, I was completely nervous about the final paper that was required at the end of course. Throughout the quarter, I was able to gain the skills to produce a good paper. Learning how to write to your audience was one of the most helpful parts of the class for me. Knowing who you are writing to, helps you know what to write and how to write it. Another thing I found helpful was the day we spent in the library learning how to search for academic articles. I have always been curious to discover a way to find academic, peer reviewed articles. So I know that this is one thing that I will definitely use in the future.

In this class, I also learned why it is important to have all of your claims backed up. It makes since why you need to do it out loud, but actually doing it in my paper was another story. I really enjoyed how to actually write a summary. Everyone says they know how to summarize something and I thought I did too. This class made me realize what components actually go into a summary and why it is so important.

As I reflect upon my research, I am a little disappointed in myself. I had another crazy class this quarter that took up all my free time so I didnt spend as much time as I would have liked on certain parts in this class. I feel as though I did get a lot of research and I was very excited about my topic because I am a nursing major and I thought that maybe this is something that I might have to do in my later career so why not learn about it? I would have liked to spend more time on actually writing my final paper. I was impressed with how many articles I was able to gather for my research. I am usually the person who has the hardest time finding enough research for my papers. I am also very pleased with the quality of each of these resources. When I do normally find stuff, it usually has nothing to do with my actual paper. This is the part of the class that I enjoyed the most.

Overall, I would say that I learned some major writing skills. I learned how to write to my ideal audience and also why that it so important. I also discovered how to locate articles that are peer-reviewed and scholarly and why finding these types of article are important. I also learned how to actually summarize an article or movie and why it is important to summarize the correct way. I feel as though these skills will carry me throughout my life and I am happy that I was able gain these skills in this class this quarter.

My final paper

Taking a Look at Tele-ICUs

Tele-ICU refers to the integration of a critical care team and state-of-the-art two-way, audiovisual communication systems in hospitals. These systems are designed to monitor patients in highly critical conditions, hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU). Monitored by nurses themselves, these systems act as a second set of eyes when people need it most. The tele-ICU can provide a better hospital environment by decreasing the length of hospital stay and decreasing mortality rates. Furthermore, the tele-ICU system creates a better working environment for hospital staff by teaching and assisting fellow co-workers. Despite these aspects, the tele-ICU is a controversial system. Many feel as though the tele-ICU interferes with ethical standards in hospitals. In addition, some nurses themselves feel a loss of identity while working with the tele-ICU. The tele-ICU can cause debate over potential problems in the system, however considering the amazing potential of the tele-ICU, I will show you that these concerns can be quickly dispelled.

The tele-ICU is designed to keep a closer eye on patients in critical care in hospitals. They do this by setting up each room with two way audiovisual cameras. Many might ask, how does this work? There is a control “hub” that contains about 5 to 7 computer monitors which display various data. The tele-ICU staff has access to the same information that a bedside team would have. Real time vitals are displayed on one computer screen while the others give access to lab test results, care plan updates, and all other documentation regarding the care of the patient (Goran). This allows for the tele-ICU nurses, doctors, and other members of the critical care team to constantly receive updated information on each patient.

This is where one might ask how the cameras come into play. Each room is equipped with these cameras which many think are constantly on. However that is not the case. The two way audiovisual equipment is off until an alert is given. The nurse monitoring the tele-ICU cameras will then look to see what the cause of this alert was by checking the computer screen to see for a drop in vitals. At this time, the nurse will turn on the camera that is located in the room. The tele-ICU nurse can then see the possible cause of the alert and actually communicate with the patient to make sure they are still coherent. The time it takes for a nurse to analyze a situation like this is cut in half because of the tele-ICU. In a situation where there was no tele-ICU, a nurse would have to run into the patients room and assess the situation to identify the problem. This wastes valuable time and energy. If by chance the alarm turned out to be nothing, no time is wasted by running to the patients room because the tele-ICU only has to turn on a camera . The ability to turn on a camera to check on a patient, rather than having a nurse find time in their already busy schedule to check on them, improves patient safety.

This raises controversy over whether or not this system is completely ethical or if it is an invasion of one's privacy. Privacy is an important element in hospital care. Not only is it mandatory for patient confidentiality, but it also eases the minds patients who are in the ICU. Some may believe that the first thing that is compromised with tele-ICU is privacy. Patients feel that having a camera in their private room is intrusive. However, what many don’t realize is that patients admitted into the tele-ICU are not watched all the time. In reality, the amount of monitoring that happens in the tele-ICU is equal to before. One difference being that a nurse isn’t constantly walking into rooms and waking up the patients. However, patients that are in very high critical conditions are often watched more than others. The fact is, patients have every right to be weary of tele-ICUs, but when you look at the bigger picture, one can see that the purpose is not to interfere with the patients privacy but rather improve a patients safety. When someone is admitted into the ICU, they are going to be watched closely, whether its in a tele-ICU or not. The tele-ICU is just a new way of watching over patients. The only thing that is different is that a nurse is watching you through a lense.

From here another issue arises: What about the nurses themselves? How do they feel about sitting behind a desk for 12 hours straight watching a computer screen? Even though some nurses are drawn to the idea of tele-ICUs because they see the potential it has in easing their workload, some feel differntley about the situation. Many nurses feel that spending so much time behind a computer sitting down is just as stressful as working directly with the pateints. Tele-ICU nurses that are spending eight to tweleve hours behind the computer are at higher risk for eye strains, wrist injury, and neck strain from viewing data on multipule screens. (Goran Making the Move 26). Some hospitals take this into account when putting together such an elobrate computer system that requires a lot of “down time.” Ergonomic specialists are consulted to reduce the number of workplace accidents caused from sitting at a computer for such long periods. Nurses, as well as other tele-ICU staff, are advised to take frequent breaks and to exercise in order to reduce the health risks of this job (Goran Second Set of Eyes 52).

In her article “Making the Move: From Bedside to Camer-side,” Susan Goran says, “Proffesional identity includes the attributes, beliefs, values, motives, and experiences by which indivuals define themselves in their professional lives.” Nurses feel as though they will no longer be viewed as “real” nurses which compromises their ability to openly accept this technology. Tele-ICU nurses are forced to cope with how this new system affects their proffesional identity. If nurses view themselves in such a way, it can lead to an unhealthy work enviroment. Hospitals can give assistance in finding a new identity for tele-ICU nurses by identifying specific roles and providing new, challanging oppertunities in the workplace. By doing this, hospitals can reduce the number of unhappy workers and ultimatley provide a comfortable, pleasant workplace.

Tele-ICUs are new to many nurses and they will have get use to the idea of working so closely with technology. They will have to share their role as caregivers with the tele-ICU staff which many nurses are finding hard to do. Many hospitals allow for shared positions. This means that part of the time, the nurse works in the tele-ICU and the regualr ICU. This can establish trust between the nurse and the new system which can help ease the tension between nurses and the tele-ICU. The most effective type of scheduling is still being researched to identify the best way to collaborate this new technology into hospitals and the already established staff (Goran Making the Move 24).

Even though there may be some controversy over tele-ICU and the different aspects of it, one can see through close examination, the benefits outweigh and possibly eliminate the controversy. The simple fact that mortaility rates have gone down in hospitals that are equipped with tele-ICUs should help ease the minds of patients. From 2006 to 2007, 156 hospitals supported by tele-ICU rooms showed a 29% decline in mortality rates. This means an additonal 7233 lives were saved (Goran Second Set of Eyes 53). Patients may also be concerned with intrusting their lives with this “new” technology. The fact of the matter is, this kind of technology has been around since the 1950's. Early use of this technology was used to transmit the vital signs of astronauts (Reed 176). Many elderly citizens know about the commonly used medical alert system. If an elderly patient falls in their home, they can simply press a button located on a necklace to reach assistance and have medics arrive with help (Swann 516). The same basic principle is applied to the tele-ICU, and elderly citizens fully support this type of technology. With the press of a button inside a tele-ICU room, you immediately contact a readily avaliable nurse who has the ability to provide a quick response.

Furthermore, patients are still going to recive top of the line care while addmitted in the tele-ICU. There is still a bedside team to assist in situations were a computer can't fix the problem. There is nothing in the world that can take the place of the bedside team. If patients are concerned with not getting the the personal care, they need not worry. The purpose of the tele-ICU is not to replace the bedisde team “...they are meant as additional care...” (Goran, Making the Move 21). The tele-ICU computer system is also updated every four hours to maintain accurate documentation of each patient. This ensures the tele-ICU staff has everything they need to provide excellent care. The care they provide benefits the patient by declining the mortaility rate and length of their stay in hospitals (Nowlin 56).

The tele-ICU staff has a very important role in the care of each patient. Tele-ICU nurses have the duty of four basic jobs: virtual rounding, alert response, providing bedside team support, and coaching and collaboration (Goran Making the Move 21). Virtual rounds consist of reviewing documentation of the patient and looking for any “red flags” that indicate the need for for further assesment. The camera located in a patients room may be turned on to validate equipment settings. The tele-ICU nurse is also in charge of alert response. This includes evaluation of alerts to determine the possible cause and notify the proper response team. The tele-ICU staff can support the bedside team by providing fast delivery of patient documentation and/or lab results. Finally, the tele-ICU can help coach and collaborate with other nurses. Most tele-ICUs are watched by nurses with many years of experiece. If a new nurse on a bedside team is faced with a situation that they have never delt with before, they can ask for assistance from an experienced member of the tele-ICU nurses. They can provide their knowledge and skills to aid in the situation via the two way audiovisual cameras.

Now, it is clear to see how the tele-ICU does not take away jobs from nurses and other hospital staff, it actually creates them. Most obviously, a computer can not replace the kind of care administered by a human being. As Goran explains “the purpose of the system is not to replace bedside clinicians or bedside care, but to provide improved safety through redundancy and enhance outcomes through standardization” (A Second Set of Eyes 47). The tele-ICU actually creates jobs for hospitals while at the same time easing the workload of the bedside nurse. The tele-ICUs are watched over by nurses with over 15 years of bedside experience in critical care (Goran Second Set of Eyes 49). As previously mentioned, this system does not eliminate the bedside team, instead it actually creates another team entirely. Someone will have to be hired to monitor the system and fix any problems that arise . The system will need to be updated with new software enhancements whenever possible. These are some examples of how the tele-ICU can create jobs. A system that creates jobs while keeping the ones that are already established is reassuring to hospital staff.

Hospitals benefit from all of these aspects as well as staff and patients. If a hospital can lower mortalilty rates, provide better care, and create more jobs, they can establish a good reputation. Patients will feel at ease when going into a hospital with a reputation such as this and people will want to work for a company with such high regard. Many hospitals are experiencing staffing issues where there are too many patients and not enough nurses. “The virtual ICU was developed in part, because of shortage in physicians specializing in critical care medicine” (Nowlin 54). The tele-ICU can watch over more people at a time, that means that nurses and other ICU staff don't have to watch over as many patients. Now hospitals can employ a seperate team for the tele-ICU and ease the work load for nurses. All hospitals want is the best outcome for all who enter the building, whether it is a patient or an employee, and the tele-ICU has the ablility to improve many different elements inside the hospital.

The concerns that arise from patients, nurses, and hospitals about the tele-ICU are important to address. This system is controversial, for many reasons. However, it is important to take a look at the bigger picture and realize that there are certain aspects of the tele-ICU system that can drastically improve the way hosptials function. Patients are concerned with their privacy and the ethicality of this system. Nurses are weary of people not considering them “real” nurses anymore. These are both important elements that need to be confronted while considering the tele-ICU system. It is ultimatley up to hospitals to ensure the quaility of their care to patients and to establish specific job duties for nurses and the tele-ICU staff.

What many do not realize is that there are bigger problems that need to be addressed as well. There is an expected increase in population as many “baby boomers” age. Many of these people develop chronic health problems. This is going to cause hospitals to become overcrowded and staff is going to be stretched thin. The tele-ICU has the ability to help in this situation because it can monitor more patients at time. This in turn will help hospitals meet the demand of increasing population and the decreasing number of nurses. If more hospitals were to equip their ICU rooms with this technology, the increasing number of future patients can be provided with better health care with less complications.

In this paper I have set out to show that although there are concerns with tele-ICUs, the pros of this system outweigh the cons. Tele-ICUs provide a second set of eyes for monitoring patients that are in critical condition. Tele-ICU provide fast service which saves valuable time. Concernes for patient privacy can be quickly dispelled as the patients are not constantly watched, but rather are able to be monitored from remote in case of emergency. As the duties of the tele-ICU nurse become more clearly defined, it will help establish the role of nurses in this modern age. Just as every other industry has had to adapt to technology, nursing is no exception. Overall, the tele-ICU system provides benefits that can not be overlooked. It is the next wave in the future of nursing and it will provide better care for all patients.

Works Cited

Goran, Susan F. "A Second Set Of Eyes: An Introduction To Tele-ICU." Critical Care Nurse 30.4 (2010): 46-56. Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition. Web. 14 May 2012

Goran, Susan, F. "Making The Move: From Bedside To Camera-Side." Critical Care Nurse 32.1
(2012): e20-9. CINAHL with Full Text. Web. 7 May 2012.

Nowlin, A. "Get Ready For The Virtual ICU." Rn 67.8 (2004): 52. CINAHL with Full Text. Web. 14 May 2012.

Reed, K. "Telemedicine: Benefits To Advanced Practice Nursing And The Communities They

Serve." Journal Of The American Academy Of Nurse Practitioners 17.5 (2005): 176- 180. CINAHL with Full Text. Web. 7 May 2012

Swann J. Telecare: looking to the future. International Journal Of Therapy & Rehabilitation [serial on the Internet]. (2007, Nov), [cited May 14, 2012]; 14(11): 512-517. Available from: CINAHL with Full Text.

Here is a link to my Multimedia!

Link to Multimedia

Reflection on Extended Analysis

Reflection on Textual Analysis

My textual analysis was an article by Susan Goran called A Second Set of Eyes: An Introduction to Tele-ICU. This article will be very helpful to me while writing my final paper. Goran gives an excellent introduction to this system. Because of this article, I will be able to include the specific duties that a tele-ICU nurse has. This is going to be one of the articles that I use the most for my final paper. This article also included the negative aspects that need to be addressed with this system. Goran talks about the loss of identity that nurses feel because of this new system. It helps to get some more information on both sides of the argument.

Thus far, I am happy with what research I have. Like I said before, it is good to have information on both sides of the argument. This helps me form a more well rounded and informed paper. I want to argue that this system is good! However, I do acknowledge that patients and nurses themselves have some weariness with this idea. I want to address that so that I can provide a solid argument saying despite this hesitation, this system will better our hospitals.

My argument hopefully can be important to patients that are not sure of their stance on the situation is. It should be important to them seeing as how they are the ones that are actually in the ICU. My argument can also be important to nurses too because they are the ones who will be working in this environment and their full understanding is important for the success of this technology.  

Creative anecdote/intro

Creative Anecdote

Say you or someone you know gets admitted into the ICU. In your private room, you see a few things that you have never seen in a hospital room. All of a sudden, a monitor that’s in the corner of your room turns on and there you see your nurse staring back at you. At first you can’t decide if whether or not that is actually her. Then she starts talking and you realize she can hear you too! That’s what the tele-ICU is. It is not designed to scare patients by any means however; the thought of it can be a little intimidating.

This brings me to introduce my argumentative claim. I think this technology is going to better our hospitals around the country. It has amazing potential in many aspects. It has the ability to be a second set of eyes for many patients at a time, always watching and waiting. When an alert of any kind goes off, the tele-ICU nurse looks inside the patients room with the camera and sees what the cause of this alarm is, and from there the tele-ICU can decide what steps to take to fix the problem. This system has a faster response time than regular nurses because they don’t have to run around the hospital to get to the patients room. All they need to do is turn on a camera. Because of this, mortality rates have gone down in hospitals that have the tele-ICU. Furthermore, it is a great teaching tool for new nurses to the field.

            I will also address the problems associated with this technology and its direct effect on nurses themselves. No one single thing can fix EVERYTHING, so I will also be addressing this in my argumentative paper.

Outline

Outline

Introduction

• Thesis
• Pro tele-ICU (support)
• introduce tele-ICU with background info

Paragraph

• Give detailed outline of room
• Review of monitoring system
• Outline of workstation area

Paragraph

• Benefits of tele-ICU
  • cost effective
  • lower mortality rates
  • solve staffing issues
• Cost effective
  • Can cost some money to install but otherwise, very cheap
• Lower mortality rates
  • Rates without tele-ICU vs with
  • Less chance of patient becoming more ill in the hospital
• Solve staffing issues
  • Helps monitor more patients giving nurses a break

Paragraph

• Some argue that tele-ICUs will take away jobs from Nurses
  • It doesn't – back up with facts from articles
  • Actually creates jobs
  • A computer cant do the actual nursing job, which many don't realize. This system is just a second set of eyes, ears, and hands

Paragraph

• Discuss the job of the tele-ICU nurses
  • Virtual rounding
    • Patient information updated every 4 hours
  • Alert response
    • Bedside alerts are still the job of the nurses
    • Tele-ICU has special alerts and whoever is monitoring it can distinguish which alerts need addressed by a nurse and which don't
  • Provide assistance to the bedside team
    • This allows for quick access to information whereas before it might have taken a little longer
  • Coaching/Collaboration
    • Great teaching tool
    • New bedside nurses can ask for help from the tele-ICU nurse without bothering doctors or other busy nurses

Paragraph

• Discuss how some nurses appeal to tele-ICU and why

Paragraph

• Ethics?
  • Privacy is very important to ease peoples minds
  • Discuss how not all patients are watched at all times
  • Actually just as much monitoring as before only you wont be having a nurse walk into your room every hour
  • high priority/risk patients are watched more closely than others
  • Real time vital signs are displayed on the screen, if a problem arises, then the camera is turned on
  • Camera is not on all the time, it becomes activated when a problem or alert arises

Paragraph

• Patient care vs nurse conveniences
  • Better outcomes for patients
  • Any system that lowers the mortality rate for patients is better
  • This puts peoples mind at ease

Paragraph

• This system only successfully works with the collaboration of health care providers

Counterargument

• Even though tele-ICU systems do all of these great things, there is the concern that the physical demands add to the stress that nurses already have and there is also the issue that nurses loose their identity
• Having an identity in the workplace is very important
• Discuss why this is so harmful

Conclusion

• restate my argument and finish with a strong ending about the positive outcomes from having tele-ICUs

I search

Kaitlen Baser

            Instructor Hartley-Smith
            English 201-20
            14 May 2012

I-Search

When I first started debating topics for my research paper, I was slightly overwhelmed with the notion of having to write a paper of this nature about technology. I took into consideration possible topics involving ideas about video games or television. Taking into account the fact that I only occasionally play video games and I hardly ever watch TV, it didn't make much sense to me to write this paper on something that I really don't care about. Instead, I look at this paper as an opportunity to inform myself, and hopefully others, about something that I care about and have a passion for.  That is why I decided to write my paper on Nursing and Technology. My major is nursing and I thought it would be interesting to write a paper on something that I might have to deal with in my future career.

            I started to look at different articles in the library database that were written about nursing and technology. I soon discovered that I needed to narrow down on a more specific topic to improve my results. That is when I came across an article that was about tele-healthcare. I was immediately intrigued and I was able to specify my searches. I began searching for more articles related to this one until I got to an article about monitoring systems that were used to keep a better eye on patients in the ICU which included an introduction into tele-ICU (Goran). I continued to find articles that talked about tele-ICU rooms and how much better they are compared to the traditional ICU room. But with “someone” always watching you, there can be issues that arrive. Something like this might be considered an invasion of privacy and unethical (Swann).  However, the majority of the sources that I have are pro tele-ICU rooms. I originally thought that most of the articles that I would find would be against this type of thing, but to my surprise, I am finding more and more articles that are written by scholars in the field of health care who advocate this new technology.

             A number of the articles specifically talk about the improvements that have been made to the ICU because of technology. They discuss how using technology provides a better service to patients because you are better able to carefully watch over not only one, but many people at a time.  By improving hospital rooms with technology, nurses can ensure the correct medicine for a patient and check administration time by simply scanning a bar code that is located on the wrist band of the patient. I wanted to also include some background on tele-ICU rooms. I knew that my potential audience might be curious with how tele-ICU rooms work and what kind of training would be involved. In an article by Jennifer Mitchell gave an overview of the system and how this technology worked. She also gave a brief description of the training that a nurse might have to go through (Mitchell). I even discovered that pretty soon, this won't be a choice for nurses, every nurse will need to know how to work in an environment with tele-healthcare and I found that to be very interesting (Nowlin).  Overall, I am very pleased with my discoveries in my research thus far because each article has the ability of providing specific details about nursing and technology.

            From here, I see that I have the option of taking different angles on my paper. I can write about the ethical issues that come along with technology being more involved with the care of a patient. Is it better to have conveniences in the work place, or does this interfere with personal care? Yes I could argue that, however, the position that I have decided to take is opposite of that. A rough draft thesis that I have could be, despite the fact that many might have weary thoughts behind tele-ICU rooms, the ability to improve health care with technology while providing even better patient care, will eliminate the hesitation of tele-healthcare. With the research that I have found already, I feel very confident that I will be able to provide an informative, argumentative paper on this topic.

            The next goal that I have in the writing process would be developing a complete analysis of the articles that I have found. From there I feel as though I would be better able to start putting together the important information that would support my argument. I also hope to improve my thesis and the claim that I am making with my paper. After doing all that, I feel as though I will be able to form a counterargument claim that will be included in my paper. The only problem that I think I will face is forming my counterargument and finding evidence to support it that is unbiased. I feel as though I have gotten lucky with my research because I haven't really come across a road block of any kind, and I hope that my streak will continue. As stated previously, I am happy with what research I have. Overall, I have a desired outline for my paper and I have discovered many articles that will continually help me through the writing process. 

Works Cited

Goran, Susan F. "A Second Set Of Eyes: An Introduction To Tele-ICU." Critical Care Nurse 30.4 (2010): 46-56. Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition. Web. 14 May 2012

Mitchell, Jennifer, K. "Nursing Informatics 101: Using Technology To Improve Patient Care." ONS Connect 26.4 (2011): 8-12. CINAHL with Full Text. Web. 14 May 2012.

Nowlin, A. "Get Ready For The Virtual ICU." Rn 67.8 (2004): 52. CINAHL with Full Text. Web. 14 May 2012.

Swann J. Telecare: looking to the future. International Journal Of Therapy & Rehabilitation [serial on the Internet]. (2007, Nov), [cited May 14, 2012]; 14(11): 512-517. Available from: CINAHL with Full Text.

Annotated Bibliography part 2

Goran, Susan, F. "Making The Move: From Bedside To Camera-Side." Critical Care Nurse 32.1

     (2012): e20-9. CINAHL with Full Text. Web. 7 May 2012.

Goran discusses the advantages of switching from a regular ICU to one that is referred to as tele-ICU. With tele-ICU, there is continuous monitoring of patients which helps provide better care than before while reducing some of the physical risks.

This article can be useful in explaining tele-ICU to gain a better understanding. Goran goes over a few different areas of tele-ICU and discusses how this is still an evolving idea. Nurses may require special training which is something that is pointed out as well.

This could be helpful to gain knowledge on tele-ICU. I will use it to provide background about this specific topic and how exactly it works in the intensive care unit.

Tariman, Joseph D. "Technological Advancements In Cancer Care." ONS Connect 23.7 (2008): 8-12.

     Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition. Web. 7 May 2012

This article is specifically about patients with cancer and the technological advancements that have been made with providing care to said individuals. Tariman goes over the use of hand held equipment that correctly identifies patients via a bar code and keeps track of drugs and when they need to take them.

This is a useful source because it tells of a situation where need technology has changed the way nursing staffs do things on a day to day basis. This source is different because it talks directly about cancer and all of the other things that I have found don't provide a specific disease.

An article like this has useful information but I think that with research paper, I might be able to use tidbits of information from this article. I wouldn't want to include too much information from this article just due to the fact that my paper is not about cancer.

Rajecki, R. "Eicu: Big Brother, Great Friend: Remote Monitoring Of Patients Is A Boon For Nurses,       Patients, And Families." Rn 71.11 (2008): 36-39. CINAHL with Full Text. Web. 7 May 2012

Rajecki explains in this article how some might feel that monitoring patients with cameras might be an issue of ethics. However, Rajecki talks of how monitoring patients with a close camera eye is now the best choice for patient care. Rajecki includes statements from hospital staff who use this new technology and who agree that this is the best type of patient care.

I think that this article might be a little biased because Rajecki only talks about how it might be an ethical issue in the first paragraph. I would like to know why people think it is unethical rather than just stating that some think so. It is useful even under that circumstance.

This article can be used in my paper to inform peers of the views of the staff who work with this equipment.

Diane Twedell, et al. "The Tele-ICU: A New Dimension In Critical Care Nursing Education And         Practice." Journal Of Continuing Education In Nursing 42.8 (2011): 342-343. CINAHL with         Full Text. Web. 7 May 2012

This article is a clear, detailed outline of tele-ICU. Diane discusses why hospitals are looking to make the switch to more advanced, carefully monitored ICU rooms. It also includes how nurses use the equipment and what kind of training they will need to even operate the system.

This is by far one of the more useful articles that I have found. This article includes more background on tele-ICU. This information seems very reliable and unbiased.

This will be helpful in writing my paper because I will be able to include some detailed information and that is what I feel makes a good paper. Also, this is the type of information that an academic peer might look for when they read my paper.

Reed, K. "Telemedicine: Benefits To Advanced Practice Nursing And The Communities They

      Serve." Journal Of The American Academy Of Nurse Practitioners 17.5 (2005): 176-                      180. CINAHL with Full Text. Web. 7 May 2012

This article is an overview of the use of telemedicine and the overall use of it. Reed talks about the evolution of telemedicine and how more members of the hospital staff are using it besides physicians. Reed also talks about the advantages of telemedicine including cost effectiveness and patient care.

This is a useful article in a different way than all the rest. It includes information on telemedicine besides tele-ICU like the rest of my resources. This takes a different angle on the situation but it doesn't include information about the negative side of telemedicine.

This fits into my research because it helps me shape a more informative paper. It provides background on telecare and how it should be used and the benefits of using telemedicine.

Thus Far...

     The topic of my research paper started out as Nursing and technology. After my first round of
research, I have been able to narrow down my topic to a more specific one and I have been able to  
find and gather articles from a few different angles surrounding the nursing field.

      I decided to write my paper about nursing and technology because my major is nursing and I saw an opportunity to explore something that I might have to deal with on an everyday basis. Starting out as nursing and technology, my research has help me narrow down my topic to a more specific theme. I will be discussing the advancements that have been made in the way that hospitals, and nurses specifically, monitor patients in the ICU. Through new advancements in technology, patients can now be monitored 24/7 with a camera system in their rooms, or even at their homes.

      At this point, I am still unsure of what exactly my thesis will be. It will be something around the lines of, with the advancements that have been made in the way that hospitals monitor patients, many might be concerned with the ethical issues of someone always watching. However, the benefits of this monitoring system completely outweigh these issues. I know that this is not a perfect thesis, but that is why I am keeping an open mind and this thesis will probably change.

      With doing the annotated bibliography, it helped me organize what research I did have and get an overall understanding of the articles I have found. I know that it will help me while writing my paper, which will happen soon, because I now have my research organized and if I need to find a specific piece of information in an article, I will be able to find it with ease.

      I feel as though I have a good start on my research paper. I still have an open mind on which angle I will take with my argument and I am excited to put together a final piece. I also have been exploring other aspects of my paper such as what my argumentative claim will be. Overall, the annotated bibliography was helpful in organizing my research, which is extremely beneficial to me at this point in the writing process.

Annotated Bibliography

Carlisle, Daloni. "Remote Acess To Closer Care." Nursing Standard 26.29 (2012): 20-22.

     CINAHL with Full Text. Web. 1 May 2012.

Carlisle brings up the point that pretty soon, nurses will not have a choice as to whether or not they want to use telecare, but is it still considered nursing if you are not face to face with the patient. Carlisle says yes because this new style of nursing is better than before. The issue arises in this topic because not many are familiarized with this new technology, but Carlisle says even the most skeptical will be convinced that telecare is the way to go due to the improvements it can make in healthcare.

This article has some useful information, not as much as other articles that I have found. The argument that is made in this article only represents one side, so there may be some bias in this source. However, the topics included in this piece seem to be creditable.

This fits into my research because it explores how nurses are hesitant of a massive change like this. It has changed my view on my topic because I never had an understanding or idea of how nurses themselves feel telecare. Seeing as how they will be the ones directly working with the new technology, it is helpful to get a good perspective on their views.

Goran, Susan F. "A Second Set Of Eyes: An Introduction To Tele-ICU." Critical Care Nurse 30.4 (2010): 46-56. Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition. Web. 30 Apr. 2012.

In this article, Goran talks about the improvements that have been made in the ICU with technology, which is referred to as tele - intensive care unit. It is discussed how with this technology, mortality rates have reduced and it discusses the appealing aspects this technology has with the nursing staff.

Goran discusses the positive aspects of tele-ICU with information on how the technology works, why it should be used, and how it actually is used. This work is very useful, however the article doesn't go too much on to the other side. This work isn't biased, and it seems to be creditable. Other resources are different than this because some do talk about the negative side of things.

This article will be very helpful during research and writing one final argument. It explores the idea of tele-ICU and the impact it had made in patients lives while in a useful and informative style.

Mitchell, Jennifer, K. "Nursing Informatics 101: Using Technology To Improve Patient Care."ONS Connect 26.4 (2011): 8-12. CINAHL with Full Text. Web. 30 Apr. 2012.

This work goes into how the nursing field is affected by technology. It discusses how nurses should learn how to use this new type of technology because most places are becoming equipped with all of these changes. Mitchell talks about the positive influence of technology and how it has created an easy work flow.

This resource does not directly talk about the influence technology has on the ICU, but Mitchell does make valid points that will be helpful with this paper such has how technology is changing the work environment of the nursing world.

A resource like this fits into the final argument of my paper because it gives background on the nurses side of things and that will be helpful with understanding an importnat aspect of technology and nursing.

Nowlin, A. "Get Ready For The Virtual ICU." Rn 67.8 (2004): 52. CINAHL with Full Text. Web. 30 Apr. 2012.

This article starts off by giving a scenario of a night in the hospital ICU and how a nurse utilizes camera systems in patients rooms. Nowlin discusses how the number of deaths that occur each year in the ICU can be greatly lowered with the help of monitoring systems.

This is a useful source because Nowlin gives examples of real cases that have reaped the benefits from this technology. However, it seems to be a little one-sided. Nowlin talks only about how monitoring systems are very useful in hospitals but the possible negative effects are not mentioned.

Several pieces of information in this resource are helpful to the argument. It explains the behind the scenes situation and how this technology can eliminate death rates. However, it would be more helpful if it discussed the possible negativity of this monitoring system.

Swann, JI. "Telecare: Looking To The Future." International Journal Of Therapy &                 Rehabilitation 14.11 (2007): 512-517. CINAHL with Full Text. Web. 30 Apr. 2012.

This article by Swann talks about the emerging technology that is rising within the health field. Topics included in this article include, what is telecare, what equipment is used, how it is used, how it can be used in ones home, and ethical issues. Each of these topics are very informative and gives the reader an understanding of the topic.

Of all the resources acquired, this article is the only one that gives a complete understanding of telecare. How Swann discusses the ethical issues showed an unbiased article. The main point of this article is to be informative, and it is.

Subtopics in this article are going to be extremely helpful, in fact it might be the most helpful. The mere fact that it explored ethical issues associated with telecare, will help form a well rounded argument.

Logical Fallacy

My Logical Fallacy

      A personal experience that I have had with a logical fallacy is a commercial where the announcer says, “Our product is cheaper than those 'more expensive' brands”. Well, duh! This logical fallacy that I have experienced is “Begging the Claim”. This fallacy is a statement where the conclusion that the writer should prove is validated within the claim.

      When a commercial makes claims similar to this, they make the audience believe that their brand is more affordable. In all actuality, the claim is not proving anything. By definition, calling other brands more expensive means that your brand is already cheaper by comparison. This claim is just restating the obvious fact that their brand is cheaper. What most consumers hear are the key words in that commercial, which would be the brand name and the word cheaper. More than likely the announcer will say other key words like better, stronger, lasts longer. Upon hearing all of these positive things on TV, you want to go out and buy that product immediately, and it will be cheaper too! That is exactly what the marketing team of that commercial want you to think. It is a ploy to get that product off the shelf. What most do not do is analyze what the announcer said and realize that what he said was a fallacy!

      Another example of this type of fallacy could be the claim “Our product is healthier than those less healthy brands”. The point is, this fallacy happens a lot. A marketer knows that if something is packaged right and said the right way, it is more appealing to the ear of the consumer. Most do not realize that they are being manipulated by these commercials and redundant claims.

     This is just one of the many fallacies that advertisers use but, with a little background and understanding of what a fallacy is, you can determine if the claims that you hear everyday are actually logical. Learning what a fallacy is helps you want to question everything you hear and make better informed decisions.

MTV Exit

MTVExit

On the website MTVExit, they advocate for the victims of human trafficking. As I look over the website and the four subtopics under human trafficking; what is trafficking, the exploited, traffickers, and combating traffickers, I got a general understanding of what the website was about and what they are trying to get across as an organization.

First off, MTVExit is a campaign that believes in the human right of freedom and it raises awareness of human trafficking that happens around the world today, and to get to the end goal of eliminating human trafficking.

 MTVExit describes the victims as women, men, and children from all backgrounds and countries who get lured by the traffickers. The traffickers offer an ideal lifestyle so most of the victims think they are going into a trustworthy situation. The victims are then forced to do horrible things such as, prostitution, forced labor, criminal activity, and other things of violent nature. Most of the victims are threatened with their lives or the lives of their loved ones, so they have no way out.

The website also discusses what can be done to take action against human trafficking. There are special police units whose primary duty is to patrol areas of heavy trafficking and go undercover to bust human trafficking operations. There are also different organizations that offer support for families that have been affected by human trafficking.

The website as a whole did offer some background on human trafficking, but overall I dislike the website. Personally, I feel as though when you are advocating for others, the first thing you should see when you open the webpage, is information on who you are advocating. This website seemed to be informing the public which band was headlining a concert for them rather than telling the public what human trafficking is all about. It seemed as though I had to click different links and search for background on trafficking. I also noticed that the website was very “busy”. I was trying to read a section of the website, but I kept getting distracted with everything else that was flashing around the website. I feel as though they introduced the topic of human trafficking to me, but I didn’t get a full understanding. However, once I found the information I was looking for, I was able to get some background. All in all, the website did have some good information, not enough, but some.

My Audience

My Audience

      As I begin to narrow down my topic for my final paper, I begin to ponder about the audience I will have. I feel that it is very important to think about the audience you will have when writing a paper. When you visualize an audience that is interested in your topic, you tend to write a better paper.

      My paper is going to be about Nursing and technology. I will talk about the major changes that have been made in the normal ICU that include an extensive camera system that now monitors patients twenty-four hours a day. Most might say that this can be a scary thing, someone always watching you. However, I plan to discuss both pros and cons of the situation and write an informative paper. This brings me to my audience. Who would want to read something like this? My scholarly peers, that’s who!

      I see my audience possibly as a chief in a hospital who is trying to decide whether or not they should equip their hospital with this new technology. From reading my paper, he would be able to have a full understanding of the technology and make a conscience decision. I could also see a scholarly peer reading my paper who wanted to know more about this technology to decide is it is ethical or not.

     In any situation, I just see my audience as a peer of mine who is interested in this topic or someone who wanted more information. I hope that any scholarly person would be able to pick up my paper and find something on there that they didn’t already know. Overall, I would like for my peers to have a better understanding of how technology can have a positive impact on society, and specifically, health care.

Facts Behind e-waste

The Truth Behind E-waste

      Most everyone has a cell phone, stereo, computer, or some other electronic device. Electronics have become part of our everyday, which in turn has developed into a status symbol. You can't be seen with outdated electronics, so what do you do? You toss them aside and go out and buy the next greatest invention, and in six months, you do it all over again. Everyone is guilty of throwing out old electronics, I know I am. Upon reading phonestory.org, I discovered the dangers of improper disposal of all this “garbage”, or as it is better known, E-waste.

      The electronics that are in the common house-hold usually contain lead, mercury, copper, arsenic, cadmium, and beryllium, just to name a few (Toothman). That is why we can't throw away electronics like we would other garbage. The majority of what we toss away gets hauled off to a landfill. If by chance the E-waste that is in landfills break open and expose these elements, they can seep out into water streams and our atmosphere polluting our world. With the high demand for the most up-to-date electronics, the amount of E-waste that mankind as accumulated over the years is astonishing. The nation today dumps over 300 million electronics per year. Unfortunately, only about 20% of that gets recycled causing the amount of E-waste to pile up. On top of that, about 80% of the E-waste produced in the U.S. is shipped off to other countries like Asia (“11 facts about e-waste”).

      To rid the world of piles of unused electronics, we should simply recycle. The problem with recycling E-waste is that it can be very dangerous. Most of the places that do recycle E-waste are in third world countries where labor is cheap, and those places aren't equipped with the tools to properly recycle. The good news is that some have figured out what how and what you can recycle without the dangerous conditions, but that is few and far between (Greenpeace International). Because the majority of our E-waste is exported to developing countries, proper recycling is still not a common thing.

Proper recycling of E-waste materials should be left up to the country who has the problem instead of exporting it to underdeveloped countries. If we chose to export our garbage to somewhere else, we should make sure that they have the way to recycle the materials in a safe manner. If we had the facilities to recycle our old electronics, the amount of pollution that is caused by E-waste can be drastically reduced and we could preserve and clean up our environment.

Sources:

“Do Something.” 11 Facts About E-waste. N.p. n.d. Web. 13 April 2012.

      <http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-e-waste>

Greenpeace International. Where Does E-waste End Up? N.p. 2012. Web. 13 April 2012 .

     <http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/toxics/electronics/the-e-waste-/

      problem/where-does-e-waste-end-up/>

Toothman, Jessika. How E-waste Works. N.p. 04 June 2008. Web. 12 April 2012.

      <http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/everyday-tech/e-waste4.html>

About Me

About Me and Technology

      My name is Kaitlen, and I am 22 years old. I grew up in the very small town of Prosser, Washington, then moved to Spokane Valley to go to school and become a nurse. I have an appreciation for writing because I personally have found that writing, in any form, can be extremely beneficial. It is a way of letting loose of emotions, thoughts, and exploring your imagination.

      Within the last year, I upgraded from a simple cell phone to an Iphone. Since then, my mind has been broadened! The capability of instantly pulling up unknown knowledge with just the tap of a finger is mind-blowing to me! I grew up, as one would say “under a rock”, and didn't even have a computer until I was 19. I was a little late to the game when it came to technology. My boyfriend was the one who introduced me to the Iphone. When there was a song he wanted me to listen to, he instantly pulled it up on his phone. When there was a movie he wanted me to watch, he was able to instantly show me videos and clips. It's wonderful being able to access anything I want, wherever I go and it's remarkable to think that I can do all this with something that fits in my pocket. I use my phone for everything, more than I use my computer. In fact, my phone is faster in retrieving information than my laptop is, and its twenty times smaller. I have now realized that technology, like the Iphone, has given people the access to any price of information they want whenever they want it.

      On top of all that, the Iphone has impacted my life by documenting this last year with information of my choosing. If there is a something I have seen, or a place I have gone, I can easily relive those memories by flipping through photos that I have taken and have the ability to retrieve them wherever I go. Only time will tell how technology will continue to impact mankind