Welcome to the new Technology column! As nursing professional development specialists, we are all called on periodically to support technology initiatives within the organization from online education/CBT to electronic charting.

Technology permeates nearly every aspect of every discipline within nursing and health care even if only indirectly. As staff development professionals, we must deal with technology effectively if we are going to adequately partner with staff who must use this technology on a regular basis. Have you ever thought about where we come into contact with technology? What makes an IV pump work? How does a physiologic monitor know the difference between F-Fib and A-Fib? With technology in mind, even a simple inservice class on the new IV pump takes on a whole new meaning.

Governmental, scientific, and societal influences continue to shape the way we collect, evaluate, and store patient information. Healthcare organizations can receive additional funds for meaningful use of technology, but organizations failing to adopt technology will likely be financially penalized.

Avoidance of technology will not remain a valid option for anyone in health care, and staff development is at the center of this information revolution. I have several topics I plan on discussing in the column and want to cover a wide variety of topics from electronic records and e-learning to the less obvious ways that technology affects us.

Please send any requests or ideas for topics to the editor at [email protected] or directly to me at [email protected]. It is my hope that we can identify and address some of these issues to make your job a little easier.