Mobil IKT inom omvårdnad studier om sjuksköterskors och studenters användning av handdatorer

Sammanfattning: Background: In nursing care, the steady increase of health related information implies aneed for useful Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools that easilyprovide mobile access to accurate information. Updated information is usually available onthe Internet but personal computers are rarely available at the patients’ bedside. In Sweden,although handheld devices provide mobile access to information, they are rarely used innursing practice. Aim: This thesis aimed to explore the views of nurses and nursingstudents of using handheld devices in nursing practice. Method: Four intervention studieswere carried out during the years 2006 to 2008; a total of 30 nurses and 63 nursing studentsused handheld devices for 5-15 weeks in nursing practice, and answered questionnairesand/or participated in interviews. In 2012, a cross sectional study was undertaken with 111nurses and 287 nursing students answering a questionnaire about their views of usinghandheld devices. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics andqualitative data were analyzed by content analysis. Results: The handheld device wasregarded to facilitate nursing practice and to be a useful tool with benefits for the patients,the nurses and for the nursing students. Independent of time and place, nurses and nursingstudents were able to access necessary information and also to make notes, plan their workand save time. The handheld device was regarded to improve patient safety and quality ofcare. The participants would not have to leave their patients to look up information,subsequently giving a more complete encounter. Additionally, the handheld device waspresumed to imply increased confidence, and support learning for nurses and nursingstudents. Conclusion: In order to continuously improve the safety and quality of healthcare,it is important to implement handheld devices in nursing practice. This issue is importantat all levels in the healthcare systems, from nurses to nursing management, policy makersand moreover for educators. Handheld devices adjusted for nursing, technical, statutory,cultural, and language country specific conditions, should be further developed,implemented, and evaluated in future research.