The Nurse’s Guide to Influencing Healthcare Technology
Written by: Erin Pangallo, MS, BSN, RN, Clinical Implementation Director
There is no question that technology has changed the role of nursing, and will continue to do so with the emergence of telehealth, AI-based applications, and smart hospital rooms.
Though nurses spend the most time with patients and interact frequently with technology, they are often passive recipients of technology decisions made by others.
We believe that nurses can shape the design and implementation of the innovations that define their practice. By becoming active advocates for thoughtful technology integration, nurses can enhance workflow efficiency, improve patient outcomes, and advance their professional development.
The key is understanding how to position yourself as a strategic voice in technology decisions.
Why Nursing Voices Matter in Technology Decisions
Healthcare technology implementations succeed or fail at the bedside. When nurses are excluded from design and decision-making processes, organizations risk deploying systems that create workflow inefficiencies, increase documentation burden, or compromise patient and staff safety. But when nurses actively participate in technology planning, healthcare organizations see higher user adoption rates, improved clinical outcomes, and more sustainable implementations.
As a recent article in HIMSS explains, “Nurses are central to clinical workflow optimization, human factors integration, digital health innovation, and the development of clinical decision support tools… Their participation in testing and design ideation ensures that new technologies are both clinically relevant and operationally sustainable.”
In this post, with tips gathered from nurses across the country, we offer a guide to becoming a trusted voice in technology decisions at your organization.
Build Your Foundation
Master Current Systems
Establish credibility by becoming an expert user of existing and emerging technology. Find the untapped capabilities within current platforms. Make a list of the pain points you experience while working. Research and document possible technology enhancements that would be beneficial to the patients and your team and then meet with your leaders to determine if those can be explored. Become the nurse others turn to for questions, and volunteer to help colleagues troubleshoot issues. These habits and practices will position you as a leader whose input is valuable for future technology evaluation.
Document and Analyze Current Challenges
By becoming proficient in the use of current and emerging tech, you’ll also start to uncover gaps and find ways to improve the system and workflows. Document technology-related challenges in your daily practice with a simple log noting things such as workflow interruptions caused by technology, patient care impacts from system limitations, and patient or staff safety constraints. This documentation gives you a data-driven approach to proposing solutions or requesting involvement in technology decisions.
Develop Strategic Communication Skills
Technology advocacy requires translating clinical concerns into business terms that resonate with decision-makers and other influencers. Practice framing your ideas with quantifiable improvements, such as “this change will save nurses 30minutes per shift” or “an improvement like this could improve HCAHPS scores by4%.” Learn to speak the language of quality metrics, patient satisfaction scores, and operational efficiency. This practice will reinforce your expertise and connect your work with measurable impact.
Get Involved
Join or Create Technology Committees
The American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) encourages nurses to take an active role in digital transformation at their organizations. If your organization already has technology committees, request to participate, even if only to attend and learn. You’ll meet new stakeholders, understand their needs, and get a broader understanding of the use of technology throughout the organization.
If technology committees are not prevalent at your organization, propose the creation of a nursing technology council, which can:
- Propose a new technology and represent nursing for procurement with the right organizational stakeholders
- Review upcoming technology implementations from a nursing perspective
- Pilot test new systems before hospital-wide rollouts
- Provide ongoing feedback on existing systems
- Develop nursing-specific training materials
- Stay up to date on emerging policies related to technology in healthcare
Technology discussions are often informal, with influence on decisions happening outside committee structures. Cultivate relationships with key stakeholders from IT, quality, safety and service line committees. Understand their challenges and constraints and come prepared with critical thinking on how to address those from a nursing perspective.
Become a Tech Super User
Technology implementations generally rely on volunteer superusers who receive advanced training and support during rollouts. As a designated super user, you’ll:
- Get early access to new systems and features
- Establish relationships with IT staff and vendor representatives
- Have influence over training materials and protocols
Volunteering as a super user builds recognition, strengthens your resume, and can open doors to informatics roles.
Pursue Formal Education and Certification
Consider expanding your credentials with technology-focused education such as Nursing Informatics Certification, Lean Six Sigma Certification, Project Management Certification, and graduate programs in Nursing Informatics. Many employers offer tuition reimbursement for technology-related education.
Overcome Common Barriers
We find that nurses are always willing to participate but practical barriers seem to stand in the way of getting involved. Here are some realistic solutions to common barriers.
“I Don't Have Time”
Becoming a voice in technology doesn't require massive time commitments. We suggest starting small. Start building habits into your daily routine, such as attending one committee meeting per month or spending 15minutes per week documenting improvement ideas.
“I'm Not Technical Enough”
Clinical expertise is more valuable than technical comprehension in most technology discussions. You don’t need to be a technical expert; rather, your role is to represent the nursing perspective on what the technology does in the real-world experience. Focus on things like how systems impact patient care workflows, what information nurses and other care team members need to make clinical decisions, and where current systems create safety risks or inefficiencies.
“No One Asks for My Opinion”
Participation in committees, becoming a super user, and other such involvement creates opportunities to share your perspective. Offer to participate in vendor demonstrations, write articles for your hospital newsletter about technology topics, or present at nursing staff meetings about workflow improvements.
One of the nurses who recently made the leap into technology, Chelsey Kamla, MSN, RN and Clinical Solutions Director at eVideon, a TigerConnect company, suggests a balanced approach: “Learn the fundamentals of patient care first – the assessment skills, the critical thinking, the human connection. Then let technology enhance that foundation. The most powerful innovation comes from nurses who understand both worlds.”
The Future of Nursing and Technology
Healthcare technology will continue to evolve rapidly, from AI diagnostic tools to advanced patient monitoring systems. The most successful healthcare organizations will be those that harness the clinical expertise of their nursing staff to drive technology decisions.
Nurses who position themselves as technology advocates today will be the leaders shaping tomorrow's healthcare delivery. The question isn’t whether you are qualified to be one of those leaders; it’s whether you’re prepared and willing to get involved and make your voice heard.
For more information on our Vibe Health smart room platform, or to contact a member of our nursing team, contact us at hello@evideon.com.
