Digital technologies in clinical care: does communication have to be relearned?
High quality care depends on complete and up-to-date patient information being readily available at all times. Digital communication tools can be of great help in this context. The project investigated how digital means of communication were used in actual work situations in hospitals and what further training was required.
Project description (completed research project)
The research team investigated whether and how professional communication within care teams changed due to the use of digital aids. To this end, they observed how nursing professionals shared patient-relevant information using these tools. In a next step, the research team asked about their experiences. Their answers helped the scientist to identify typical situations that are perceived as significant from a technological point of view and/or with regard to required professional skills. Based on this information and in collaboration with education experts, they developed videos for training and continuing education purposes. These findings also served as a basis for the development of technical alternatives.
Background
Studies on the direct effects of digitalization on care-related activities had already been conducted. However, little was currently known about communication in real work situations and experiences using digital aids.
Aim
In a first step, the research team pinpointed and documented situations in which nursing professionals used digital communication tools. They then determined the skills these people required to be able to optimally pass on patient information and knowledge. Based on these findings, the researchers developed educational material for the training and further education of nursing staff. They also aimed to single out areas in which information and communication technologies could provide even better support for nursing activities.
Relevance
This project defined the optimal use of digital aids for the sharing of clinical information within nursing teams. Based on actual work practice and experience, the research team could improve training and continuing education in nursing. The results of their research can be used in medical computer sciences to optimally adapt the design of digital tools to nursing practice.
Result
Three key messages
- Digital skills are not explicitly included in the current curriculum framework for nursing students. Growing digitalisation in the healthcare sector and the relevant skills requirements call for new training and further education tools in nursing. These must take current and future digital work practices into account. The real-life work situations and associated skills requirements documented in the Digi-Care project can serve as a guide for updating the curriculum framework for nursing.
- Despite the advanced digitalisation in hospitals and widely established electronic patient records, important documentation activities are still being done in parallel on paper, leading to media discontinuities and heightening the risk of errors. Technical solutions are required to develop suitable digital processes and to improve the usability of the IT systems.
- Some of the usability problems observed in this project could have been avoided if close cooperation had already been established between the medical informatics developers and medical staff during the development of the IT system. The implementation of this kind of collaborative design approach depends on the willingness of the IT developers and medical staff, as well as on the resources provided.
All the results are available via the project website.
Original title
Digitalisation and transmission of clinical information in nursing: implications and perspectives (digi-care)