I have worked as a nurse in forensic psychiatry for a total of 9 years. I graduated as a nurse in 2017 and before that as a practical nurse in 2012. I worked in my current workplace for the first time in 2013, when handwritten folders were still used for seclusion patients. After that, a new patient information system was put into use, which meant that the documentation of seclusion patients was transferred into digital form. During those early years, the wards also had landline phones, which have since been replaced with smartphones.

The most surprising thing related to digitalization recently was when I had to change the ink cartridge in the printer. The printer guided me step by step on what to do next, and even recognized when a step was completed by displaying the next step directly on its screen. I had even asked out a colleague to help me figure out how to change the cartridge, but in the end, I could have managed it just fine by myself with the instructions.

When watching movies and TV series, I often wonder if we will soon have technology where screens appear in front of us with just a wave of a hand, eliminating the need for physical phones or display monitors. Doctors could, for instance, open patient images right beside the patient’s bed without needing a separate computer cart. Or, as shown in one orientation video, magazines could have actual moving videos like we’ve seen in Harry Potter movies. On the other hand, if this type of technology has already been developed back in 2009 and was predicted to be part of our everyday lives by 2020, why isn’t it in use yet?

I think that technology still has much to offer in the healthcare sector. The number of accidents could decrease if technology were utilized properly. One of those orientation videos described codes that could ensure the driver has the necessary skills and permission to drive a car. On the other hand, fully automated cars that communicate with each other are also being developed, potentially eliminating accidents. However, will such technology work for a long time while there are still human-driven cars on the roads, as well as pedestrians and cyclists, whose movements can’t be predicted?

There is also future technology being developed that would allow computers to detect cancer from microscope images instead of relying on the human eye. On the one hand, this sounds promising and brings hope that in the future, cancers will be detected earlier and more effectively. But can technology be fully trusted? Will humans always have to double-check the images themselves? And what ethical questions arise from this? And for example, as we already know, diabetes treatment has significantly advanced thanks to technology. Nowadays, there are automatic insulin pumps and glucose sensors. This has greatly improved the lives of diabetics and, consequently, their quality of life.

Remote working and future workspaces

Remote working opportunities have increased significantly in recent times, and I often wonder whether this is a good or a bad thing. People engage in less physical activity when they can work from home. On the other hand, the number of sick leaves decreases, for instance, because one can take a remote day with a sick child instead of taking sick leave. However, remote work can distance people from human interaction. In my work, I have noticed that my manager’s remote days distance them from the work community and create the feeling that the manager is not accessible.

And in one of the videos, they also discussed future workspaces, which looked promising on the video, and it sounded particularly wonderful that workplaces would utilize nature to enhance well-being at work. However, how much work will be done in offices in the future, and will remote working opportunities increase as technology advances? Will we even need office spaces for work in the future? And is it possible that in the future, basic education could be completed remotely?

But ultimately, I see the advancement of technology in healthcare as more of an opportunity than a threat. At its best, technology can ease the work and burden of professionals, shorten patient waiting times, and provide better care and services for everyone.

GDPR

Even at this very moment, we are constantly being listened to. For instance, phones continuously show ads about topics that have been discussed at work. Ads also start to appear if you search for something online, like a specific dress, even just once. Different stores also collect data on what you buy when you visit them, and, for example, the K-Plussa app offers deals on products you purchase most frequently. The internet is a big and wide concept, and it is quite difficult to control nowadays because it is used in everything and everywhere.

It often makes you wonder if we have a right to privacy in today’s world. Cyberattacks are happening constantly, and people are being extorted for money under the threat of their health data being released. Nowadays, all of our health information is stored online. It also makes me think during remote meetings how much patient data I feel safe sharing and if an outsider could be listening in on the meeting. That’s why it’s good that a law like GDPR exists.

Chat GPT

We tried using ChatGPT for several purposes while working on our thesis. First, we asked it for links to studies related to our topic. ChatGPT mainly provided us with links that didn’t work. Of course, I’m not sure if, for example, the country someone is in affects what files are accessible to them. We also used ChatGPT for translations when we wanted to translate text from English to Finnish. In this case, the program worked excellently, and we received good translations of the texts. I think the program is easy to use, but I still don’t fully trust such technology for something like working on a thesis. However, it did work well as a useful assistant, and you could even chat with it from time to time.

While doing this task, I tried asking Chat GPT a question about what ‘seclusion’ means. I received a correct and appropriate answer regarding the meaning of the word, and the program also suggested additional information on the topic.

Self reflection

I learned a lot about GDPR in this course, as it was a concept that was relatively unfamiliar to me. The course also prompted me to think more broadly about all the good things that digitalization brings, even though it has its downsides. I want to stay informed about what the future holds in terms of digitalization, so I’m interested in all information related to the topic.

However, the development and particularly the utilization of digitalization require a significant amount of adjustment from humanity, and it will be interesting to see what the future Earth will be like.

The posts I commented on:
Digi Society – Petra’s base camp (savonia.fi)
DIGI SOCIETY – Kiira Valta (wordpress.com)