Nursing in an Aging America [Infographic]

Currently healthcare in the United States is changing rapidly. Nurses in particular will be affected by the changing healthcare landscape. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the United States is projected to experience a shortage of registered nurses that is expected to intensify as America's aging population and the need for healthcare grows. Currently, America is seeing a vast increase in the number of people over the age of 65, and the number of people 85+ is expected to triple by 2040. With the majority of medical needs falling into the hands of nurses, the need for a Connected Hospital is greater than ever. Wireless technology fuels integrated hospitals where nurses can roam throughout the campus while providing accurate and timely monitoring. Manual documentation of vital signs and changes occupy a good portion of a nurse's day, especially when he or she has multiple patients to monitor. Remote monitoring can help immensely in reducing the amount of time spent manually entering patient information. Medical device connectivity automatically sends data from devices to EHRs, saving nurses' time which increases productivity and allows for better patient care. Connecting medical devices to EHR systems has reduced the time it takes to enter vitals from 7-10 minutes to less than 1 minute per patient. For a better look at how America's aging population will affect nursing, check out the infographic, Nursing in an Aging America.