As a company that provides critical communication technology to key industries, including healthcare, UC Wireless is pointing out that the demand for and shortage of qualified bedside nurses has reached concerning levels. “We need to take a closer look at the healthcare industry as a whole and the fundamental needs of healthcare workers,” explains Quentin Daffarn, CEO at UC Wireless, global OEM representative and manufacturer of healthcare communication technology.
Jeron, the longstanding and fastest growing US manufacturer for global Nurse Call solutions and integrations, highlights staffing shortages as one of the most critical issues facing clinical staff, as defined by the American Nurses Association.
Not only is there a growing shortage of suitably qualified healthcare workers, but many of the current healthcare systems are unable to address this challenge.
Nurses provide clinical know-how and compassionate care and, along with other healthcare workers, are the backbone of the entire healthcare system. Theresa O’Hollaren, a US-based Med-Tech and Healthcare consultant specialising in bridging the gap between clinical practice and technology, explains the importance of understanding that the staffing gap cannot be fixed by simply trying to increase the workforce, but by addressing the real pressing issues within healthcare. She cites a 2023 McKinsey study that found healthcare leaders are focusing on a combination of technology investments and workforce reconfiguration to maintain safe care delivery with fewer clinical staff.
The way that healthcare facilities can overcome this shortfall is by implementing systems that can give healthcare workers the time that they need to provide quality care, while the associated cost of such solutions should be considered in light of the overall ROI.
Daffarn highlights the importance of a key principle in nursing: nurse-patient time. “In modern healthcare, many professionals find themselves prioritising tasks over meaningful patient interactions. As a result, the irreplaceable skills of active listening and compassion may become overshadowed by the many demands that burden healthcare workers. The healthcare landscape needs solutions with an emphasis on patient-centred care, ultimately using communication technology which supports the challenging nurse-patient ratio and are essential for healthcare quality improvement. UC-Wireless enables efficiency through smart technology so healthcare workers can focus on what really matters: spending time with patients.”
How we give time back to healthcare staff
Daffarn explains that technology can be used to manage and automate workflows, providing staff with more time to deliver quality care to patients and attend to supporting tasks and workload. “Technology for critical communication improves response times. They enable staff members in the closest proximity to the location of an emergency to be swiftly located and alerted. IOT devices, platforms and communication systems keep staff informed and help prevent incidents that impact patient safety, enabling assets to be efficiently located, utilised and managed, eliminating the time it takes to search for and locate required equipment.”
He adds: “Clinical smartphones, like our Spectralink WiFi and DECT devices, ensure direct communication between patients, staff and systems. Clinicians always remain connected to their patients, even when away from the bedside. Additionally, Jeron Nurse Call Critical Communication and Workflow Systems give healthcare facilities the integrations and tools to streamline many different processes and dramatically improve the patient experience, unlike traditional nurse call systems, which are relegated mainly to patient bells and intercom systems.
“The location of communication and workflow interfaces in almost every area where staff members interact with patients makes this the perfect platform to automate and streamline patient-related processes and workflows within and across departments and multiple sites. Various operations can be carried out without a single manual phone call or disruptive overhead announcement. If a workflow event doesn’t progress to the next step within an allocated period, the appropriate person is automatically reminded or an escalation will take place.”
UC Wireless is providing a path to bring back the core values of nursing and delivering quality patient care with the latest digital technologies, for MEA health and aged care facilities. Daffarn explains: “If hospitals begin to apply our solutions and tools, we can help them create environments where healthcare teams and patients thrive together, in both public and private institutions.”
He points out that the African healthcare sector currently remains far behind the technology curve in terms of its use of IOT, workflow management, critical hospital communication tools and adherence to international safety standards. “While technology alone will not bridge this gap, it can remove legacy constraints and give healthcare staff what they really need: the time to connect with patients and understand their unique needs.”
This shift in focus will enhance patient satisfaction and restore a sense of purpose and fulfilment within the healthcare industry and nursing profession.
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