If you've been in nursing or allied health for more than five years, you've seen technology make incredible advancements. Whether you're taking a patient's temperature or assisting in heart surgery, technology has made it easier to do your job.

With this technology comes the need to learn new skills quickly. What's the best way to stay abreast of technology? When your institution introduces something new, are you at the forefront when it's time to get training or do you sit back and adopt a wait-and-see attitude?

"It's incumbent on nurses to stay ahead of the curve," said Jamie Ridout, RN, MSN, ACNP, director of cardiovascular surgery at St. Joseph's Hospital in Atlanta. "In the operating room, surgeons have their own preferences in technology, so we also need to know how best to work with them."

For example, doctors at St. Joseph's recently started performing robotic heart surgery. The hospital has two different robots and four ablation systems.

"We also have to be familiar with lasers, drills, implants, video equipment and cautery units," Ridout said. "It's important to build relationships with the physicians who are leading the path of technology."

Learning new technologies can present challenges, and the support of the hospital's staff is crucial.

"When we are in line for a new piece of equipment, we bring in the vendors to train us and answer questions," Ridout said. "Then, I'll get on the phone with peers who have the technology elsewhere to hear how it will affect patient care and [to] find out what I need to know — the good and the bad."

Learning a new technology can be simple for some people and challenging for others.

"Some people are intuitive about learning — like learning how to use a computer — and some need to break down the information into its most basic form," she said.

Ridout has some advice for nurses and allied health professionals that can help shorten the learning curve:

• Take the initiative to learn the technology.
• Read professional journals — not just those for nursing but also other medical journals.
• Network with peers at other facilities who are using the technology.
• Attend medical conferences to see where procedural technology is headed.
• Participate in training sessions in-house or request them, if needed.
• Know your limitations and ask for what you need. "A supervisor or manager is not a mind reader," she said. "If you need more training, ask for it."

Ridout said that at St. Joseph's refresher courses are offered periodically to help keep everyone up to date and to provide training for new staff.

"It's a day of assertiveness for nurses," she said. "You never stop learning."