Abstract: Future technology developments as applied to healthcare and particularly nursing were discussed. Emerging technologies such as genetics, small unobtrusive monitoring devices, use of information and communication technologies are as tools to not only facilitate but also promote communication among all parties of the healthcare process. These emerging technologies can be used for ubiquitous healthcare (u-health). The role of nursing in the u-health is fundamental and required for success and growth. Nursing's role will evolve as nurses become 'information-mediators' in a broader-sense than current role. All technologies will ultimately focus on the consumer through 'behind-the-scenes' data collection, which in turn will also allow nurses to analyze these data to improve care. We need to acknowledge an increased presence and or pervasiveness of information technologies as key components of quality healthcare. This sort of acknowledgment will help propel nursing, and healthcare, to increase use of these tools. To develop nurses with these types of skills the nursing education process will require a fundamental change to integrate these technology-sorts of tools as necessary elements for success.
Abstract: Patient monitoring devices supporting wireless transmission can facilitate transport and ambulation of patients in hospitals. To replace wired sensors with wireless sensors, the accuracy and resistance to interference of the wireless sensors have to be documented. We compared the performance of a wireless arterial blood pressure biomedical sensor prototype with standard wired sensors in a clinical setting. Four patients undergoing laparoscopic abdominal surgery were recruited for testing of the device. Lines to a wireless arterial blood pressure sensor and standard wired sensor were connected to the same arterial cannula inserted in the right radial artery. Data from both systems were logged for postprocedure statistical comparison. During the procedure, 13 other electric devices were used, either continuously or intermittently. A sample-by-sample comparison was performed for both wired and wireless data. Statistical tests showed mean difference of 0.71, standard deviation of 0.14, and confidence interval of -1.28 to 1.56), indicating no significant electromagnetic interference on invasive arterial blood pressure monitoring caused by biomedical devices used during surgery. The wireless pressure biomedical sensor with Bluetooth wireless transmission of signals did not interfere with biomedical devices used in the operating room or vice versa.
Abstract: The Wireless Sensors in Healthcare Project focused on the implementation of wireless technology in healthcare. Wireless biomedical sensors for monitoring of continuous invasive arterial blood pressure were developed and evaluated under controlled conditions during laparoscopic surgery. The project has resulted in the first publication of clinical use of a wireless biomedical sensor for invasive measurement of arterial blood pressure in a pilot study. A second demonstrator for wireless clinical decision support based on the first demonstrator was developed. Wireless technologies used were Bluetooth, wireless local area network and GPRS/mobile telephones. Further research is needed to evaluate the wireless clinical decision support system. Critical care nurses and nurse anesthetists are potential users of wireless technology. Their clinical expertise is important in development of-, and future use of wireless technology.
Abstract: Many health informatics organizations seem to be slow to take up the advantages of dynamic, web-based technologies for providing services to, and interaction with, their members; these are often the very technologies they promote for use within healthcare environments. This paper aims to introduce some of the many free/libre/open source (FLOSS) applications that are now available to develop interactive websites and dynamic online communities as part of the structure of health informatics organizations, and to show how the Open Source Nursing Informatics Working Group (OSNI) of the special interest group in nursing informatics of the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA-NI) is using some of these tools to develop an online community of nurse informaticians through their website, at . Some background introduction to FLOSS applications is used for the benefit of those less familiar with such tools, and examples of some of the FLOSS content management systems (CMS) being used by OSNI are described. The experiences of the OSNI will facilitate a knowledgeable nursing contribution to the wider discussions on the applications of FLOSS within health and healthcare, and provides a model that many other groups could adopt.
Abstract: Many health informatics organisations do not seem to use, on a practical basis, for the benefit of their activities and interaction with their members, the very technologies that they often promote for use within healthcare environments. In particular, many organisations seem to be slow to take up the benefits of interactive web technologies. This paper presents an introduction to some of the many free/libre and open source (FLOSS) applications currently available and using the LAMP - Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP architecture - as a way of cheaply deploying reliable, scalable, and secure web applications. The experience of moving to applications using LAMP architecture, in particular that of the Open Source Nursing Informatics (OSNI) Working Group of the Special Interest Group in Nursing Informatics of the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA-NI), in using PostNuke, a FLOSS Content Management System (CMS) illustrates many of the benefits of such applications. The experiences of the authors in installing and maintaining a large number of websites using FLOSS CMS to develop dynamic, interactive websites that facilitate real engagement with the members of IMIA-NI OSNI, the IMIA Open Source Working Group, and the Centre for Health Informatics Research and Development (CHIRAD), as well as other organisations, is used as the basis for discussing the potential benefits that could be realised by others within the health informatics community.
Abstract: Wireless sensors operating in unlicensed frequency bands have been proposed for monitoring physiological signals during surgical procedures in the operating room (OR). The IEEE 802.15.4/ZigBee wireless interface in the 2.4 GHz industrial-scientific-medical ...
Keywords: IABP, ISM band, WiFi, ZigBee, interference, wireless sensors
Abstract: In the Biomedical Wireless Sensor Network (BWSN) project a consortium of Scandinavian research institutions, technology startup companies, sensor producers, software companies and a hospital based clinical test facility collaborated for 36 months. A ...
Keywords: channel modeling, computer communication networks, hemodynamics, software design, software validation, wireless sensor network
