Effect of technology on undertaking nursing observations.

It is recognised that there is a shared responsibility for ensuring nursing students are competent to carry out and interpret manual nursing observations in accordance with Nursing and Midwifery Council guidelines. Many nurses rely on electronic medical devices to determine baseline observations in all clinical settings. This could be perceived as detrimental to patient care, since nurses are no longer using their senses fully to assess patients. This, in turn, compromises the competence and confidence of nursing students to carry out the essential skills of monitoring and recording vital signs to ensure they are fit for practice.

Developing evidence-based practice among students.

In response to government initiatives and the rise in patient empowerment, nurses are increasingly being challenged to deliver high-quality care supported by evidence-based practice. This can be a challenge for nurse educators providing the foundation for pre-registration student nurses. Evidence-based practice within nursing is achieved by developing and supporting patient-centred approaches to care using the most current evidence. This facilitates the development of a questioning approach incorporating the four principles of healthcare ethics--beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy and justice.