St.FX nursing faculty developing software to improve healthcare
From Springboard Content Lab and St. FX Newsroom
Two St.FX nursing professors are developing a digital technology to streamline patient data and create efficiencies for healthcare providers.
Rankin School of Nursing faculty, Dr. Patti Hansen-Ketchum and Professor Meagan Ryan, are creating the technology to close gaps in communication that occur when nurses change shifts.
The digital application could transform how nurses work together by introducing a tool for real-time communication and collaborative care planning to meet the needs of patients and families.
“Currently, the sharing of information is done through computer or written notes, by fax, by phone, and even stopping someone to talk in the hallway…
– Professor Meagan Ryan, Director of Student Affairs and Educational Initiatives in the Rankin School of Nursing, ST.FX.
There are so many different ways of getting information. It’s not efficient and it doesn’t always get captured in one place.”
Challenges exacerbated by staffing shortages and complex demands
The researchers understand that the health system is stretched, and there are gaps in communication and collaboration between teams. This project is helping develop digital technologies that will help bridge the gap.
“These are real-world issues that are experienced in every hospital.”
Dr. Hansen-Ketchum says she’s excited by how this RN-led work could improve health care efficiencies and potentially help optimize quality of care.
“It is an RN digital-led technology that would be new to Nova Scotia and to Canada,” says Dr. Hansen-Ketchum, a Director of Academic Programs in the Rankin School.
Real-time data
“It is helping you get the data quicker, in real time,” says Dr. Hansen-Ketchum.
The two researchers saw the gap and wanted to leverage their skills to help meet the needs of patients and the profession.
The two researchers saw the gap and wanted to leverage their skills to help meet the needs of patients and the profession.
The research team includes nursing students Aidan Murdock as a research assistant, StFX faculty members Dr. Brittany MacDonald-MacAulay, Dr. Ryan Reid, and Dr. James Hughes from the Engineering, Human Kinetics, and Computer Science departments.
Dr. Hansen-Ketchum and Prof. Ryan say it’s been amazing to work with such a diverse team. “They all have such valuable insight,” Prof. Ryan says.
Software evaluated in simulation
To evaluate the software, the team created a simulated scenario that included multiple patients with various issues. Using the Rankin School’s Nursing Simulation Lab, they were able to test their digital technology by implementing care and collecting data.
In the next phase of the research, the team will engage an engineering student capstone group and will partner with a rural long-term care facility to further test the digital technology and provide feedback on what works and what can be improved.
Dr. Hansen-Ketchum and Prof. Ryan are working with health care partners to inform the design, and that data is coming from the health care system.
St.FX is a member of the Springboard Network of 19 post-secondary institutions growing the economy through research, commercialization and industry engagement.