The integration of technology into patient care is more prevalent than ever, as shown by a recent NNU survey revealing that 40% of nurses reported that their employers introduced new devices and changes to the electronic health record in the past year. When technology malfunctions, it is often nurses  who are tasked with resolving any issues, a task that falls outside their primary role of providing direct patient care. Troubleshooting technology leads to considerable frustration, with nurses ranking in the top four healthcare occupations frustrated by technology — 46% reporting dissatisfaction, 11% higher than the average for all healthcare roles.¹

At a time when healthcare staffing is already stretched thin, expecting nurses to take on IT work is unsustainable. Such demands further exacerbate nurse burnout and detract from quality patient care. When nurses are preoccupied with technical issues, their ability to attend to patients' immediate needs, monitor their conditions, and offer timely interventions is reduced, directly impacting their ability to maintain high standards of care.

UCHealth is a nonprofit health system committed to enhancing patient care through innovation and a blend of academic and community medicine. With more than 34,000 staff members, UCHealth operates 14 hospitals throughout Colorado, southern Wyoming, and western Nebraska.

To reduce the technology burden that nurses were experiencing, UCHealth created the patient technology technician (PTT) role, which was designed to support RNs by reducing technological challenges.

Nursing staff across pilot units reported a notable increase in job satisfaction as they spent less time navigating technological challenges. Additionally, the volume of telemetry calls that nursing staff field substantially decreased.