Introduction
Considering the rapid development of technology, it is possible to say that in the nearest future, the majority of medical professionals will work closely with robots. The systematic utilization of robotics in healthcare will potentially allow for improved patient outcomes, an increase in the quality of care, and the elimination of nurses’ and clinicians’ burnout. There is a wide variety of machines that can be utilized; they can work autonomously or side-by-side with a medical professional (Riek, 2017).
Currently, healthcare organizations already use robots to assist in surgeries and regular procedures. The primary issue that this paper address is that the utilization of machines in healthcare can be beneficial for both patients and medical professionals, but its implementation requires preparation. This topic serves the purpose of revealing the significance of technological development and the aspects of its application.
Robotics in healthcare can affect the delivery of healthcare significantly. First, it is necessary to note that the utilization of machines can eliminate the number of medical errors, especially those that occur during surgeries and invasive procedures. The reason for it is that robots allow for a high level of precision compared to humans. Second, with the help of machines, medical professionals can make a very accurate assessment of patients’ vital signs and health state. Finally, robots can eliminate the outcomes of high workload levels.
The use of robots can have a significant impact on nursing care as well. Currently, various technologies start to emerge and are used to assist caregivers in providing services. For example, there are nursing-care robots designed to take care of the elderly by helping care providers to lift patients from their beds or help them to stand up (“The top 8 robotic,” 2017). Moreover, as mentioned above, machines can be used to perform individuals assessments, which is particularly valuable in the case of nursing shortages. However, the use of robotics may be associated with the lack of patients’ trust, which has to be considered.
Robotics in Healthcare
The aspects of robotics in medicine can be illustrated by the following example. Many patients experience difficulties with cognitive and social functioning due to their health state. They may be unable to perform regular tasks, such as housekeeping, finance management, and face recognition. In this case, the use of robotics can be highly beneficial for individuals because it will allow them to have full-time assistance and access to care.
However, the study by Cresswell, Cunningham-Burley, and Sheikh (2018) shows that the use of robots, even with the aid of a medical professional, can lead to a lack of acceptance, fear, and ethical challenges. At the same time, although medical professionals strive to provide high-quality services for their patients, they cannot dedicate all their resources to help individuals, while robots can be used at any time. Riek (2017) shows that machines, for instance, can help individuals to recognize facial expressions, grasp objects, and sense obstacles. In this case, the use of robotics benefits not only patients but clinicians, as it allows them to dedicate more time to working with other individuals.
Personal Experience
The topic affected me personally as well when I was receiving primary care in one of the local hospitals. During the visit, a nurse told me that a clinician would guide our discussion remotely with the help of a robot. The machine used for it allowed the medical professional to have access to my previous records and had cameras he could use for the physical examination. In my case, the nurse performed an assessment herself while obtaining instructions from the clinician. The positive aspect of this experience was that I could receive care from two medical professionals simultaneously and gain their collective perspective on my problem.
Moreover, it allowed me to ask the clinician some questions regarding my health state without having to schedule an additional appointment with him. The negative aspect of this experience was that I was not fully comfortable with talking to a person that was not present in the room; to me, it felt like he could not suggest an effective solution while not assessing the problem during an in-person physical examination. This experience could have been improved if I had been aware of the benefits of robotics before the appointment.
This point shows that to improve patients’ experience with robotics, it is vital to educate them on the advantages of its implementation in healthcare. Currently, many individuals may be unused to being assessed by a machine; there is a lack of trust in inanimate objects substituting humans (Cresswell et al., 2018). Medical professionals should discuss with patients how robots help them to perform their tasks accurately and precisely, adding that robotics can improve staff’s quality of life too. This measure will allow to full implement of machines into healthcare practices and ensure significantly enhanced patient outcomes.
Conclusion
This report shows that the use of robotics in healthcare is beneficial for both patients and medical professionals. Its purpose is to illustrate this point with examples from literature and personal experience. However, it is necessary to mention that the utilization of machines requires preparation, as many individuals may lack trust for technologies and be unaware of their advantages. This insight will affect my nursing care because I will try to enhance the level of patients’ acceptance and awareness by addressing the benefits of robotics and their potential significance in improving health outcomes.
References
Cresswell, K., Cunningham-Burley, S., & Sheikh, A. (2018). Health care robotics: Qualitative exploration of key challenges and future directions. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 20(7).
Riek, L. D. (2017). Healthcare robotics. Communications of the ACM, 60(11), 68-78.
The top 8 robotic healthcare breakthroughs: From gene mapping to robot nurses. (2017). Web.