Highlights
Topic: Nursing in a Digitalizing World
Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has catapulted nursing into the digital world, forcing the adoption of a new generation of technology in healthcare CITATION Lup20 l 1033 (Luppa, 2020). Nurses are considered as frontline healthcare professionals accounting for 59% of the health workforce in the world and providing around 80% of care in low- or middle-income countries (WHO, 2020). They assume a significant role in attempts to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as recognized by the International Council of Nurses (ICN) (Troncoso & Breads, 2021). Nurses are frequently the first, and sometimes the only, healthcare workers that people around the world consult when they require medical assistance. The quality of nursing treatment and care is critical to the health of each patient (WHO, 2020). Nurses serve as the link between healthcare advancements and patients. They play a special role in promoting healthcare interventions that promote healthy outcomes and counselling against those that impede positive health outcomes (Troncoso & Breads, 2021).
The employment of digital technology (DT) for health is referred to as digital health, and it includes eHealth, mHealth, and developing technologies (WHO, 2019a, b). According to Labrique (2018), the World Health Organization (WHO) has formally acknowledged DT as a vital driver for promoting universal health coverage (UHC) and the SDGs. As a result, using DT in nursing is widely advocated as a medium for strengthening the services of nurses and allowing practitioners to considerably enhance outcomes of health (WHO, 2017).
According to the global estimates, 5.9 million nurse practitioners’ are needed to achieve the targets for the SDGs and attain universal healthcare, especially in low- or middle- income countries (WHO, 2020). However, because youth are the fastest and largest growing demographic class in the globe, this shortfall gives youngsters a chance to join a digitally empowered nursing Health Sector. According to Webster (2020), digital healthcare presents a great opportunity to transform nursing practice by fulfilling the demands of growing health practitioners while also introducing a new patient engagement framework. Nurses can provide increasingly efficient and effective care by employing digital technology in their practice (Troncoso & Breads, 2021). This allows nurses to maintain advances in nursing services, delivery and practice. In this context, this research study will shed light on the implications of digitalization for the nursing practice.
Background information
Purpose of research
The purpose of conducting a study on digitalised technology (DT) for nursing care is to verify whether these technologies will help to alleviate the fast-rising costs of healthcare and trained workforce shortages by facilitating or even replacing some manual nursing work aspects. The potential implications of these technologies cover a wide range of topics. Those in need of care, quality of life (QoL) may be improved, and people's independence who potentially requires care may be underpinned by technology, allowing them to live alone at home with minimal or without nursing assistance. The research intends to learn about the effect of digital technology on nursing practice. Further, the research intends to evaluate emerging digital technology and encourage its implementation. Moreover, the research explores the barriers that impede the successful implementation of digital technology in nursing practice in the Caribbean.
Research question
The fundamental goal of a research paper is defined by the research question. The following is the key research question for this study:
“What are the implications for nursing in an increasingly digitalized world?”
Sub-questions:
What are the advantages of different forms of digital technology in the practise of nursing.
What are the disadvantages of different forms of digital technology in the practice of nursing
What are the neutral forms of digital technology in the practice of nursing?
What are the barriers that impede the successful implementation of digital technology in nursing practice
Research Objective
The research objective is to comprehend the implications for nursing in an increasingly digitalized world. Following are the specific objectives of the study.
To develop an understanding of the effect of digital technology in nursing practice
To identify barriers that impede the successful implementation of digital technology in nursing practice
Literature summary
A plethora of literature suggested the usefulness of digital technology for nursing practice has already been assessed in terms of clinical outcomes that are meaningful to people who require assistance. Appari and colleagues (2014), in their study, examine whether health information technology (IT) systems are linked to improved patient safety in acute care settings. The authors discovered that the utilization of surgical IT systems was linked to decreased rates for seven of the eight patient safety measures, ranging from 7% to 26%. Furthermore, on three of the eight indicators, stage 1 meaningful use-capable EHR systems were linked to reduced rates of 7% to 11%. The study’s findings imply that using technology in hospitals is associated with slightly decreased risks of adverse occurrences. Yusof (2015), in their study, evaluated the implementation of the Critical care information system in the intensive care units (ICU). The results suggested that positive responses to the adoption of the system were linked to technical components such as the system's usefulness, ease of use, and relevancy of information; human variables especially user attitude and factors of an organization. Further, the majority of nursing personnel viewed the reduction of the system in data access and documentation time as a plus, as it allowed them to spend more time with patients. Also, the employment of the system had a positive effect on data quality, clinical workflow, or time-saving.
Blum and colleagues (2015) reviewed the application of a computer-based clinical decision support system (CCDSS) and its impact on the reported health outcomes of the patient. Research revealed that CCDSS has somewhat favourable benefits on particular PRO. The factors that make it easier to use and have an effect are identified. It is necessary to build and evaluate simple systems with difficult-to-ignore evidence-based guidance.
Chuang et al., (2015), in their study, employed a novel smartphone system that linked a mobile nursing station and a smartphone for the service of nursing care using a cloud system and information technology. The time it took for a patient to call the most responsible nurse was cut in half, from 3.8 minutes to 6 seconds. The new approach lowered the meantime for pharmacists to locate a nurse for a drug issue from 4.2 minutes to 1.8 minutes (Chuang et al., 2015). Patients received a faster response when the smartphone nurse call system was applied. This enhances the satisfaction of the patient and decreases the complaints number about lengthier wait times owing to a nursing shortage (Chuang et al., 2015).
Göransson and colleagues (2017), in their study, examined how older individuals receiving home-based health care and their nurses felt about using an app. The findings of the study revealed that the usage of an app appears to boost older people's involvement in their health care and provides them with the option to be active partners in their treatment. Also, the software boosted the sense of security by providing a new option to interact with home care nurses (Göransson et al., 2017). The same report revealed that the elderly were eager to learn how to use the program and described how they may utilize it in the future.
Hellesø and Gautun (2018), in their study, examined the utilization of digitalized collaboration between care levels should enhance coordination in the transition of the patient. The objective of the research is to examine how effective and safe e-messages were for discharge planning between hospital nurses and municipal officials. The results revealed that around 86% of the nurses employed e-messages as the primary communication mode with the administration when elderly patients were discharged. In a similar vein, E-messages were deemed to be effective in collaboration by the majority of nurses (73 percent), and e-messages ensured safe discharge for elderly patients (65 percent). Hence, E-messages aided hospital workers in planning discharges for elderly patients (Hellesø & Gautun, 2017).
Rantz et al., (2018), in their study, analyzed the clinical and financial benefits of employing sensor data from an implanted sensor system to detect early sickness. The findings of the study show that combining sensor data with health and fall alarms provided to all nursing staff can be a powerful tool for identifying and intervening in early indicators of functional deterioration or illness (Rantz et al., 2018).
Pickham and colleagues (2018), in their study, determined the clinical effectiveness of a wearable patient sensor in improving care delivery and patient outcomes in critically sick patients by increasing overall time with compliance of turning and avoiding pressure injuries (PI). The study's result discovered that during Intensive Care Unit hospitalization, the intervention group had considerably fewer Hospital Acquired PIs than the control group. In conclusion, the optimal turning provision was higher with a wearable sensor of the patient, raising the complete time with compliance of turning and showing a significant effect against the PIs development in acutely ill adult patients requiring ICU admission (Pickham et al., 2018).
Smith and colleagues (2019) suggested that the worldwide health workforce was forced to rely on technology more than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic to underpin their profession. Many primary care and frontline nurses were forced to transition from in-person visits to offering regular service and vital services in an online setting within months. The same report indicated that many people struggled to get a timely and coordinated telehealth response since there were no digitally proficient nurses and telemedicine was not yet mainstreamed as a service delivery model.
Research approaches
There are two methods for conducting this research and drawing a trustworthy conclusion. Inductive and deductive research methodologies are the two types of research methods (Armat et al., 2018). The inductive research approach is also known as the theoretical approach. Deductive research, on the other hand, is referred to as specific research since it advances from a generalized theory to a specific conclusion (Armat et al., 2018). In addition, it should be mentioned that inductive research is most typically employed in studies when the researcher has chosen to use secondary data collection methods (Armat et al., 2018). Hence, the researcher will employ an inductive research approach in this study to derive the conclusion for the above-developed research topic.
Research design
The research method entails the research design as well as the research philosophy. Exploratory research design and descriptive research design are two types of research designs that are appropriate for this investigation. The exploratory research design refers to the research method that employs quantitative data. On the other hand, the term "descriptive research design" refers to a research method that employs qualitative data (Atmowardoyo, 2018). The epistemological assumption of qualitative research is that each human has a unique perspective on the world, making it difficult to generalize findings and draw inferences solely based on quantitative research (Atmowardoyo, 2018). The qualitative research method allows a researcher to examine a phenomenon via the experiences and views of individuals (Atmowardoyo, 2018). Qualitative research is based on individual observations in a natural situation. These observations are used by researchers to uncover themes and patterns that will form the basis of an initial hypothesis for further investigation. The researcher has chosen a descriptive research design for this investigation.
Research methodology
Strategy for search
The search strategy, following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) Guidelines, will be carried on five databases: Medline, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science and Embase. For the search, the following terms were used: (Nursing OR Care) AND (Technology OR Smart OR Assistive OR Ambient Assisted Living OR Fall Detection OR Wearable OR Sensor OR Tracking OR Remote Health Monitoring OR Tagging)
Study selection and criteria for eligibility
Abstracts and titles of each research paper will be screened for determining appropriateness. Following an initial screening, full-text research articles will be examined for eligibility. Scientific articles published between 2014 and 2021 that comprised empirical investigations (abstracts accessible) in English were included in the search. To keep the scope modest and to focus on the most significant advancements, the considered period was confined to seven years (Huter et al., 2020).
The included articles had to examine the study findings relative to effectiveness, efficacy, and acceptance of digitalization in nursing care and practice. The technologies will be needed to underpin the caregiver’s prompt action, contribute to the person who requires self-sufficiency in such a manner that direct on-site care help can be prevented; replace the nursing assistance by employing technology. The technology's support could be for the person in need of care, informal or formal caregivers. The setting of the study should be hospital care, informal and formal care at home, intensive care unit (ICU), palliative care unit, cross-sectoral care, day-care center care, and residential long-term care.
The studies will be rejected that will be conducted without the participation of humans; conducted in a rehabilitation department, emergency department, or surgery setting; and including any of the technologies listed below: nanotechnology, tissue engineering, imaging diagnostics, telemedicine services, biotechnology, invasive technologies, textile technology, and medical devices.
Extraction of data
The article’s data extraction in the first step of evaluation involved information on the type of study, setting of the research, participants number, category of technology, and target population (Huter et al., 2020). The reported effectiveness results were the main focus of the in-depth study of the single investigations. The outcomes were classified as being related to the individual who requires care, the care provider, or referring to the technology's technical effectiveness. It will be determined whether the reported impact was neutral, positive, or negative. Each category's type of effect was meticulously noted. The first phase's data extraction concerning the category of technology, study settings, study type, participants number will be double-checked.
Evidence level assessment
A level of evidence will be assigned to the study designs involved in the research to provide the best indication of the data's reliability, based on nursing guidelines based on evidence (Huter et al., 2020).
Potential for adding new knowledge for nursing and health in the Caribbean
Because of the issues that the healthcare sector in the Caribbean faces, digital health technology has a lot of potential in the region. Principally, digital health technology appears to offer the most effective, efficient, and equitable means to expand access, give timely care and early warnings, save money, and ensure more effective care in many circumstances (Oviedo & Fernández, 2011).
The issues stem mainly from disparities in health care quality and access, population’s epidemiological and demographic changes, the strain exhibited on the health system by resources shortfall. According to recent data, 40 percent of nursing positions in the Caribbean are unfilled, owing to nurse migration (Sands et al., 2020).
DT has the potential to significantly enhance the state of play concerning health access. For instance, telemedicine, defined as "the health services provision using digital health technology in situations where the health professional and patient are located in different places," is an undeniably valuable tool for increasing access to health care, particularly in the case of the first two factors mentioned (Oviedo & Fernández, 2011). Digital health technology boosts the availability of clinical resources by optimizing health procedures and bringing the knowledge of scarce specialists closer to distant locations through teleconsultation, which can be done in both real-time and delayed time (Oviedo & Fernández, 2011). As a result, it is possible to eliminate the need for patients to be moved while both receiving timely care and saving money for families and the health system. This is true in practice for all clinical specialties, including, telepathology, telecardiology, teleradiology, and others. Similarly, several studies look at how DTs can be used to develop citizen-centered health systems that acknowledge citizens' linguistic and cultural traditions (Oviedo & Fernández, 2011). These digital technologies can help patients who do not understand the official language of a country reduce the number of clinical appointments, referrals, and testing, among other things. The electronic medical record (EMR), which is defined as a collection of papers including data, assessments, and information of any kind relevant to a patient's situation and clinical evolution throughout the healthcare process, is one of the most intriguing applications (Oviedo & Fernández, 2011). At least three features of the EMR relate to the efficacy factor. First and Foremost, it aids in diagnosis and treatment by taking into account the patient's entire clinical history. Second, it allows for the creation of medical alerts based on collaborative work with remote monitoring and the prescription of medication with no negative side effects for patients (Oviedo & Fernández, 2011). Finally, it expands epidemiological surveillance options by creating a database that is updated regularly.
Relevance for nursing
According to Mehl and Labrique (2014), Emphasis on treatment at the intersection of digital health and nursing can maximize co-investment returns and is a suggestion for both sectors. West and colleagues (2019) stated that developing and financing nurses has a "triple effect on gender equality, economies and health," and prioritizing digital skills development for nurses will have a substantial impact on gender equality, economies, and health. Investing in the digital capabilities of nurses allows them to take part in the health practitioners' labour market, while also strengthening local economies through increased productivity, innovation, and profits. Nurses require more digital competencies to pursue a leadership role in a constantly digitalizing health sector, while simultaneously pushing the digital health industries and nursing toward gender equality in contribution. and composition. Supporting the picture of the "digitally enabled nurse" has the prospective to make nursing a more appealing career choice for young people, as well as aid in addressing the global health worker shortage (Troncoso & Breads, 2021). Both sectors are encouraged to promote and foster this concept of a digitally empowered nurse. To accomplish the objective of nurses fully utilizing and influencing the future of digital health for UHC, the nursing communities must recognize involvement opportunities across both professions. To fulfill the third, fifth, and eighth SDGs of inclusive, gender equality, health, and sustainable economic growth, changes to the policy of development and financing streams should be made to link nursing programs and digital health together (Troncoso & Breads, 2021).
Although digital competencies for nurses were once considered optional, the world has now witnessed the transforming effects of those who have them and the deteriorating effects of those who do not amid a global health crisis (Troncoso & Breads, 2021). It's now more important than ever to keep pushing forward with the healthcare system's digital transformation, especially in the face of future worldwide outbreaks.
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