My own thoughts and experiences on digitalization
I have worked in the care industry for about 30 years. I graduated as a laboratory nurse in 1996. Since then, I have worked as a laboratory nurse at the main health centre. It has been incredible to see changes in computing in my career over these years. In the early stages of my career, many patient records were written by hand and laboratory results were also recorded by hand. Email was not used and no other electronic services were available. At the time, the work was mainly done with pen, paper and telephone. There have been a lot of changes in the digital work environment and there are more and more of them. However, they make it easier to study and work, so they are welcome.
I currently use the Patient Information System and some electronic forms in my work. Email and teaching materials are also an important tool in the work, as well as the opportunity to hold meetings remotely. Taking care of personal matters related to work is usually easy through several HR channels.
Digitalization also presents challenges. Employees increasingly need to master various information systems. Non-functioning information systems and disruptions slow down and sometimes even prevent work. A very important prerequisite for patient safety is the smooth flow of information between different information systems and service providers.
The roles of healthcare customers have changed with digitalisation to a more active and responsible direction. This requires new ways of working for healthcare professionals in their tasks, and we cannot even imagine what the role of digitalisation will be in the future. In the future, the work of healthcare professionals will be assisted by continuously developing artificial intelligence and robotics. It is possible that in the future, technology can be used more to treat diseases and gather information. Would it be possible to forget the general treatment recommendations and develop the treatment into a more individualized one?
Risks of Digitalization
The risks of an open digital society under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) are very different, and the 2018 reform aims to help combat these risks. These risks are addressed, among other things, by requiring organizations to take appropriate security measures and report security breaches to the authorities. This aims to reduce information security risks and ensure that personal data is processed securely. Efforts are also being made to strengthen the rights of individuals to the protection of their personal data, which helps to combat privacy flaws and abuses in an open digital society. The basic principle is information transparency and individual rights to their own data, which can promote digital inclusion and reduce digital exclusion. It is able to promote transparency and accountability in digital communication, thus helping to combat the spread of disinformation. Data protection measures under the General Data Protection Regulation can help to reduce data breach and misuse when personal data is only processed in legal and appropriate ways. The data protection and privacy requirements of these enable increasing trust in digital services and reducing trust in digital services while processing data appropriately. As a whole, GDPR aims to address many of the risks of an open digital society by strengthening data protection, privacy and responsible data processing. This will help address many of the challenges associated with the digital society.
Chat GPT
I asked Chat GPT about laboratory issues such as differences in plasma and serum, the job description of the laboratory nurse, and the salary to be paid for the job. The answers came surprisingly quickly and were wide-ranging and very real. However, I would not rely entirely on the information it produces. I think there is a lot of good in AI, and if you know how to use it correctly, you will get a lot of information from it. Answers given by AI must also be able to be critical and use the information received ethically correctly. AI could have the ability to give patient instructions related to sampling and thus improve the quality of laboratory tests and patient safety.
Self-evaluation
Digitalization and technology have been a part of our lives for a long time. The risks are very significant and must be prepared for.
I learned the basics of creating my own blog site, which brought challenges to the beginning. I was presented with extensive learning material that showed that everything is changing all the time. In a digital society, there is a constant need to learn and change. I have now researched Chat GPT in more detail and it is a great tool. I plan to use it more in the future. I am still pondering where I could learn more and how to use it in my work and personal life.
Blogs I comment on
https://blog.savonia.fi/reettamarih
20 April 2024 at 11:34
Hello Reetta,
I myself work in the social and health care sector, so I have taken digitalization into account in this field. Digitalisation has brought a lot of work promotion with it, but issues related to information security are on the agenda.
In this article, you have described well the importance of digitalisation in the field of social welfare and health care and how the General Data Protection Regulation affects work. The diverse role of digitalisation and its effects on work are well reflected in our work environment, taking into account legislation and ethical perspectives.
A very informative and interesting chapter that helps the reader understand the importance of digitalisation and information security in the social and health care sector.
-Minna
https://blog.savonia.fi/annikakoulunen/
20 April 2024 at 12:58
Hello Annika,
It’s great that you shared your vision of digitalization. In this article, you brought up plenty of common examples of your own work experience, which makes it easy to approach. Your experience and various observations are authentic and interesting. I believe that with Korona, digitalization has increased in different areas. I agree with you on today’s challenge of leaving many people home to do things digitally. Then genuine human encounters will decrease, loneliness will increase, and possibly mental health problems will also increase. The concern you have mentioned about the decline in children’s linguistic development and social skills is also possible. You brought up very good and interesting reflections on the effects of digitalisation and future prospects in the field of early childhood education.
-Minna