National Nurses United, the largest union and professional association of registered nurses in the U.S., has launched a campaign warning of the dangers of health IT and encouraging patients to always ask for care by a registered nurse.
The campaign says digitalized care and "unproven medical technology" are threats to patient safety, yet care providers are too quick to integrate them into their practices. The campaign says computers used for diagnoses and determining treatment are based on overarching trends and not the health status or requirements of individual patients. Additionally, NNU says electronic health records are not reliable, and when they fail, care providers are unable to access medical histories and pertinent patient information.
NNU calls the technology boom "an unchecked proliferation of unproven medical technology and sharp erosion of care standards," according to a news release.
"What we are advising every patient, every American to do is stand up and be heard," said NNU co-president Jean Ross, RN, in the news release. "When it matters most, insist on a registered nurse."
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