ABSTRACT
Computers assist oncology nurses in their roles as "care integrators" and caregivers. Computers assist nurses in their care integrator role by supporting communication with ancillary departments and by aiding in the collection, organization, and storage of data. Computers helps nurses in their role as caregivers through automated care planning, discharge planning, and patient monitoring and by tracking patients' educational, therapeutic, comfort, or other needs. Using computers, nurses can document their assessments and interventions and patient outcomes while receiving cues and reminders about policies, procedures, and standards of care. In the future, oncology nurses can expect to see computer technology in more hospitals and a host of new developments, such as more intelligent systems, nursing and medical knowledge on-line, documentation at the bedside, and use of patient data bases in education and research.
