I work as a nurse in palliative care. My work is independent and it provides hospital quality care offered at home. This includes physical, psychological, social and existential support for the patient through their hospice, and cooperation with other people related to the care.
We log all our work to an electric database. In addition we use technology and digital applications to keep remote contact with our patients through computers and smartphones. Educational training and cooperative meetings also happen mainly through remote contact.
We have electric work hour tracking and shift planning. These have been in use for a couple of years now. Some problems have occurred but the applications have been developing with use.
In our use is an employee self-monitoring software which you can use to inspect vacations, check off patient visits and sick leaves to name a few. The app in question can also be used to apply for educational leave and compensations.
Working under a large organization requires being able to adapt to swift advancement. The usage of digital and technological software as an extension of our work has increased due to Corona. Our organization has begun emphasizing proficiency in using these applications more for the future.
I feel that the overall development is positive, though the pace at which it is occurring might be even too quick. People’s ability to learn and take in information is limited. Learning requires time and it is something that should also be supported. The constantly increasing workload within healthcare and decreasing resources do not endorse technological and digital development or learning as a part of our work.
Teams application
I use Teams daily as a part of my work. Through it we keep in contact, host meetings and counselings. Because of Corona the use of these applications has become more prevalent and to some of us has become one of those apps we use daily.
Personally, me and my colleague use this application as a part of our thesis about the advantages of remote contact in care work.
The utilities of Teams as a part of everyday work are versatile and easy to use. However, the learning curve can be steep and the app requires time to get used to.
YouTube
Personally, I use YouTube to watch videos and listen to music. In my current studies I have utilized YouTube and its videos as a source of education. In my opinion, the platform is reliable and furthers communality with its ability to share information. As a global application, it also promotes visibility.
Excluding free time, YouTube can also be used for educational and work purposes through viewing videos and adding to already existing information. In YouTube one can share and make their own videos. Because of its globality, it also contains new information regarding health care work. However, all the information in the platform is not reliable thus it requires critical consumption.
Social media is a modern way of connecting. I have also been on Facebook for many years, however I do not find this an ideal way of communication. Through the platform I can interact with my friends and a larger group of acquaintances.
I am not an active user because I like meeting people personally. I do not want my life shared in a community where I only meet half the people that follow me. For me Facebook is more a place to browse and comment on the updates of others or to share thoughts. Corona increased the significance of the platform in my life by becoming an easy remote way of checking on the health of my friends. My worry over acquaintances and friends was eased by their updates.
Our organization also has their own Facebook page. Mostly the platform is used for viewing news within the health care world and employment. Facebook is not suited for discussing actual work related business because the field of health care has strictly regulated privacy protection.
Pin-application
I use the pin-application provided by my bank almost daily. Thus I can prove my identity while logging into the online bank services, My Kanta, tax office and employment fund to name a few. Using the application has become mundane and considering any questions regarding security have rarely crossed my mind.
However, after familiarizing myself with the matter I have even discovered the background for the creation of the network behind it. Electrical identification and confidential services were legislated in the year 2009. The law itself is based on the European Union’s directive 1999/93/EY concerning electronic signatures and directive 910/2014 that later on nullified the previous edict. In Finland the law governs electric identification and identification services supported by application providers for the public or other providers.
Before this I had not looked into the matter actively and I was not aware that identification was backed by a confidentiality network and by law. This increases my trust in the service. Identification through mobile apps has become a part of everyday life with the constant increase of mobile devices.
Shazam
I have had Shazam on my phone for years. The app is very practical. With it I can effortlessly find the performer of a song and its name. Once it has found the specific music, it is archived in its own library where it can be found later. I often come back and add the searched song to my own playlist. The app is quite simple to use and can be downloaded via Google Play. It is also free to obtain.
However, in my work the app has no practical use. I use the app mostly to share some of the music I have found with my colleagues and to discuss opinions about the artists with them.
Self-assessment
In the present day all information is focused within digital services. More and more stores provide vouchers that can be used digitally. Due to Corona online shopping has increased considerably.
In my field of work the usage of technological and digital applications has increased. I believe that this will continue to be the case. Especially in larger cities the development is more rapid than in the countryside. However, I believe that matter will only grow more pressing in the future with the advancements of hardwares and softwares. As time goes on we will continue to utilize remote contact, the Internet of things and technology as part of care work.
Even now digital monitoring, for example, in the form of pacemakers, access control and surveillance are possible at home. Development advances and secures people’s wellbeing. Not everything in health care can not be solved by technological or digital means, however I am curious as to what heights this development can achieve. One thing is for sure, the future requires technological and digital solutions in addition to the already limited resources available in health care.