Expectations of patients for the implementation of new nursing technology

Abstract Background New technologies, including robots, incidence detection or patient mobilization units, are increasingly assumed to support nurses in their routines while improving care quality. In the Nursing Care Centre Hanover study (funded by the German ministry of education and research), new technologies are implemented in a hospital ward and used by nurses in their routines. As part of this study, hospital patients were interviewed regarding the question: What are patients’ expectations for the implementation of new technology into care delivery? Methods Between August 2019 and February 2020, 17 semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients from the project ward. To stimulate a response, 8 presentation of technologies by video and text (3 per interview) were given during the interviews. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and coded by evaluative, qualitative content analysis. The coded material was then interpreted in light of the research question. Results Patients anticipate positive and negative effects of new technology concerning themselves, but they also expect effects on nurses: Health, safety and health service quality improvements might be positive effects for patients, but they are concerned about emerging threads to health by unintended consequences. They raise concerns about the possible inabilities of elder patients to use technology properly. Patients expect physical and emotional stress release for nurses when using technology, but they fear the replacement of nurses. This would have negative consequences for patients, like social isolation due to being cared for by machines. Conclusions Patients have ambivalent perceptions of new technologies in nursing care. They have a differentiated view of possible consequences, not merely for themselves but also for nurses. In general, they are positive about the implementation, but this must be carried out under certain conditions, so that technology is used in a supportive, but not replacing, manner. Key messages • The patients’ perspective must be take into account for the implementation of nursing technology to avoid negative, unintended consequences. • Inclusion and consideration of older patients and their technology skills can be a relevant factor for advancing the adoption of new technology into care delivery.


Background:
Among prospective healthcare providers (HCPs) such as medical students, mental health problems are prevalent, but they seem reluctant to seek help. Barriers include fear of stigmatization or limited resources of counseling centers. Electronic mental health services (eMHSs) seem to be promising low-threshold and evidence-based tools for increasing treatment availability. However, uptake rates remain low. Reasons include skepticism and lacking awareness, which can be addressed through acceptance-facilitating interventions (AFIs) such as multi-attributes information strategies. To date little is known about how to design AFIs to meet prospect HCPs' information needs and preferences.

Methods:
Between August 2021 and June 2022, n = 21 semi-structured online interviews and n = 3 co-design workshops were conducted with medical and psychology students across Germany to define attributes and levels of information strategies. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and contentanalyzed using MAXQDA.

Results:
Most students reported having little knowledge about eMHSs but would have liked to be informed at the beginning of their studies or as an integral part of their study program. We identified 5 attributes that information strategies should consist of: information source (e.g., student counseling center), information path (e.g., flyer), timing (e.g., during freshman week), recommendation (e.g., from HCPs), and quality criterion (e.g., evidence-base). Attributes included 4 to 6 levels. Concerning design preferences, students favored green or blue as colors, and short texts with images.

Conclusions:
For a comprehensive dissemination of eMHSs into the healthcare system, prospective HCPs need to be educated on eMHSs. This study gives first insight into how AFIs should be designed to inform prospective HCPs. Future research should focus on systematic variations of AFIs' attributes and their levels mimicking real-world decision scenarios through discrete choice experiments. Key messages: Through tailored AFIs, prospective HCPs can be informed about eMHSs for both personal and professional needs.
Our results give student counseling centers with limited resources clear guidelines on how to inform prospective HCPs on low-threshold eMHSs.

Results:
Patients anticipate positive and negative effects of new technology concerning themselves, but they also expect effects on nurses: Health, safety and health service quality improvements might be positive effects for patients, but they are concerned about emerging threads to health by unintended consequences. They raise concerns about the possible inabilities of elder patients to use technology properly. Patients expect physical and emotional stress release for nurses when using technology, but they fear the replacement of nurses. This would have negative consequences for patients, like social isolation due to being cared for by machines.

Conclusions:
Patients have ambivalent perceptions of new technologies in nursing care. They have a differentiated view of possible consequences, not merely for themselves but also for nurses.
In general, they are positive about the implementation, but this must be carried out under certain conditions, so that technology is used in a supportive, but not replacing, manner.

Background:
A large proportion of the European population seeks information about the COVID-19 vaccination on the internet. The population seems to split into those with positive stance on the vaccination and those with negative stance, but there are still individuals who do not have a final position yet. By now, there is a lack of understanding about the online information seeking behavior in these three groups. The current analysis sheds light on differences in internet usage and requested qualities of online information regarding the COVID-19 vaccination.
Methods: An online survey with N = 1,000 people (18-74 years) living in Germany was conducted between November 26 and December 8, 2021. The questionnaire included closed questions about frequency, information channels, formats and reasons of online information seeking, as well as one open question about requested qualities of online content. We conducted bivariate analysis for differences in information seeking behavior and content analysis for the requests.

Results:
Information seeking behavior differed significantly by attitude towards the vaccination regarding frequency, almost all types of formats, three of ten listed information channels, and three of six reasons for online information seeking. Undecided participants and those who support COVID-19 vaccination used the internet more often than participants who are against the vaccination. Individuals supporting vaccination preferred reading text contributions (e.g. online articles). Informative videos were more often consumed by those who are undecided or against vaccination.

Background:
The German government undertakes efforts to implement DiGA into the statutory health insurance to improve its quality. DiGA are physician-prescribed applications for patients with certain diagnosed diseases, whose costs are covered by the statutory health insurers. DiGA have the potential to improve healthcare, but it is also possible, that the usage of these applications perpetuates existing health inequalities, summarized by the term Digital Divide; meaning that socially deprived populations are less able to benefit from digital technologies. The aim of this analysis is to determine whether differences exist in DiGA use by sociodemographic/ socioeconomic characteristics.

Methods:
The results based upon the analysis of an online survey involving 1,200 people (

Background:
Telehealth services tends to be used relatively infrequently by minority populations, thereby exacerbating health inequalities. This study examines the individual, circumstantial and environmental factors that facilitate or hinder usage of telehealth among Israeli Arabs, who constitute 21% of the Israeli population.

Methods:
Data was collected through a telephone survey among the adult Arab population in October 2020 with 501 respondents (42% response rate). Analysis included logistic regression.

Results:
Most of the Arab population use the internet several times a week (93%) and have a smartphone (96%). The most popular