Digitizing nursing: A theoretical and holistic exploration to understand the adoption and use of digital technologies by nurses.

BACKGROUND: With healthcare undergoing rapid digitalization, the effective integration of new technologies is crucial for nursing professionals, who form the largest group in the healthcare workforce. However, barriers within the nursing profession may impede digitalization efforts, leading to under utilization of available technologies and missed opportunities for enhancing healthcare quality and population health. AIMS: This article aims to investigate the adoption and use of digital technologies by nurses, considering how key demographics, such as gender, age, and voluntariness of technology use, interact to influence their acceptance and utilization of these technologies. METHODS: Employing the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) as a framework, we conducted a discursive exploration, supplemented by a literature review from diverse academic sources. Keywords related to UTAUT, digitalization, nursing practice and technology adoption were searched on PubMed, CINAHL and Google Scholar. Additionally, UK government and professional regulator reports were examined to understand current recommendations concerning digital technologies in nursing practice and the profession's demography. Searches focused on moderating factor domains, and the last search was conducted on 26 April 2023. RESULTS: The study revealed that the successful implementation of digital technologies in nursing practice requires a nuanced understanding of the nursing workforce's characteristics and preferences. Gender, age and voluntariness of technology use were found to intersect and influence nurses' acceptance and utilization of digital tools. DISCUSSION: By applying UTAUT in the context of nursing, this study highlights the importance of tailored implementation strategies for digital technologies. A technologically deterministic perspective is insufficient; instead, consideration of social factors specific to nursing is essential for successful adoption. CONCLUSION: To maximize the benefits of digitalization in healthcare, it is imperative to address the barriers faced by nursing professionals. A comprehensive understanding of how key demographics impact technology adoption will inform targeted strategies, enhancing the engagement of nurses with digital tools and fostering innovation in healthcare practices. Further research and primary data are needed, but this study lays the foundation for future advancements in digital healthcare integration for nursing professionals. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The issues highlighted in this article are relevant to nurse leaders and those responsible for implementing technologies within nursing contexts. They are also relevant to technology developers who may benefit from considering the evidence associated with the moderating demographic factors highlighted in this article. Without a holistic approach to the implementation of technology, challenges associated with the use of digital technology by nurses are likely to persist. By considering the moderating demographic factors highlighted within the UTAUT (age, gender, voluntariness of use and experience) nurse leaders and technology developers may have greater success obtaining greater clinical outcomes from digital technology. This work was completed in 2022. NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Due to the focus of this article being one on professional challenges within the nursing profession, no involvement from patients or the public was sought.

The Threat and Opportunity of Digital Technology in Agriculture.

Investment in ag tech startups has increased 370% since 2013. Many of these new companies market their technology to reduce or eliminate farm work altogether. But at what cost? Workers will lose their livelihoods. Farmers in the Pacific Northwest are struggling to find the capital needed to replant orchards to accommodate this new technology, resulting in changes to farm ownership. Rural economies who depend on the revenue agriculture generates stand directly in harm's way as wages are eliminated along with jobs. Technology also generates data, what has been called the "new gold". Current trends suggest that workers, growers and rural communities will not share in this newly created wealth. Technology contains the biases of those who design it and when deployed can result in both discriminatory practices and making workplaces more dangerous for those workers who remain. Rather than eliminating and diminishing agricultural work, technology should be designed to improve the quality of work and build the economic resilience of rural communities.

Digital competencies in medical education in Switzerland: an overview of the current situation.

Background: Today's medical students are growing up in a digital age in which the use of smartphones and smart devices is now irrevocably part of professional life. However, the abilities to use these devices that have become so ubiquitous in private life can only be partially transferred to work with patients and the medical setting. Since little is known about digitalization in medical education, the aim of this paper is to gain an overview of the current training in digital competencies at Swiss universities. Methods: The medical deans at all Swiss universities were contacted by telephone and informed about an online survey. The invitation to fill out the Survey Monkey questionnaire was subsequently sent by email to the specific contacts at each university. The survey consisted of questions to be answered using a defined scale and open-ended questions. The survey's focus, topics involving digital competencies, is based on the content in the Principal Relevant Objectives and Framework for Integrative Learning and Education in Switzerland (PROFILES) and the National Competency-based Catalogue of Learning Objective in Undergraduate Medicine (NKLM). Results: All of the dean's offices that were contacted participated in the survey. The topics on digitalization were all rated as relevant or very relevant. Our survey shows a heterogeneous picture in terms of implementing PROFILE and NKLM content. A few universities have well-established educational approaches or even implemented curricula, but often these are still in development. Participants also mentioned factors that are necessary for successfully setting up and implementing curricula dealing with digitalization and factors that can impede such efforts. Conclusion: The importance of acquiring digital competencies during medical study is known and recognized by all Swiss medical schools. Curricular integration varies in its progress and represents major challenges for the medical faculties. It is precisely the inclusion of students in such efforts that may be a potential response to this challenge.

Processos de aprendizagem sobre equidade para reflexão da prática social da Enfermagem / Learning processes about equity for reflection on the social practice of nursing / Procesos de aprendizaje sobre equidad para la reflexión sobre la práctica social de enfermería

Objetivo: descrever uma experiência de processo de aprendizagem sobre equidade, para reflexão sobre a prática social da Enfermagem. Método: relato de experiência, no qual se adotou a metodologia da problematização, com uso do procedimento do Arco de Maguerez, auxiliado por tecnologias digitais colaborativas e com múltiplas funcionalidades, via E-learning, que foi realizada entre agosto e dezembro de 2020, por uma universidade pública da região Norte do país. A experiência foi vinculada a uma atividade curricular intitulada "Exercício de Enfermagem" e contou com as participações de 36 alunos de graduação, 1 aluno de pós-graduação e 1 professor. O aporte teórico foi desenvolvido, via contribuições da Teoria da Atividade. Resultados: as estratégias mediadoras subsidiaram o aprendizado sobre práticas sociais, considerando as cinco etapas do Arco de Maguerez, explorando conceitos, determinantes estruturais e iniquidades em saúde e contextos macrossocial e microinstitucional, sinalizados por definições intermediárias em saúde a partir dos seguintes eixos temáticos: desigualdade, renda, racismo, assédio no SUS e vulnerabilidades. Os constructos sobre equidade e sobre vulnerabilidades sociais foram alinhados a estratégias de aprendizagem para avaliação formativa e somativas, considerando estudo de caso real escolhido pelo discente, as características da disciplina e os seus objetivos. Conclusão: a experiência oportunizou a discussão sobre equidade, por meio do protagonismo dos alunos e a inclusão de realidades e peculiaridades regionais, de modo crítico e reflexivo, sobre o papel social da Enfermagem em contextos de vulnerabilidade, embasando argumentações sobre transformações da sociedade e do sistema de saúde.(AU)

Objective: To describe an experience of the learning process about equity, for reflection on the social practice of Nursing. Method: Experience report, in which the problematization methodology was adopted, using the Maguerez Arch procedure, aided by collaborative digital technologies with multiple functionalities, via E-learning, which was carried out between August and December 2020, in a public university in the North region of the country. The experience was associated with a curricular activity entitled "Nursing Exercise" and had the participation of 36 undergraduate students, one graduate student and one teacher. The theoretical support was developed, via contributions from the Activity Theory. Results: The mediating strategies supported learning about social practices, considering the five steps of the Maguerez Arch, exploring concepts, structural determinants and inequities in health and macrosocial and micro-institutional contexts, signaled by intermediate definitions in health based on the following thematic axes: inequality, income, racism, harassment in the SUS and vulnerabilities. The constructs on equity and on social vulnerabilities were aligned with learning strategies for formative and summative evoluation, considering a real case study chosen by the student, the characteristics of the discipline and its objectives. Conclusion: The experience provided an opportunity to discuss equity, through the protagonism of students and the inclusion of realities and regional peculiarities, in a critical and reflective way, on the social role of Nursing in contexts of vulnerability, supporting arguments about transformations in society and the health system.(AU)

Objetivo: describir una experiencia de un proceso de aprendizaje sobre equidad, para la reflexión sobre la práctica social de Enfermería. Método: relato de experiencia, en la cual se adoptó la metodología de problematización, utilizando el procedimiento del Arco de Maguerez, auxiliado por tecnologías digitales colaborativas y con múltiples funcionalidades, vía E-learning, que fue realizada entre agosto y diciembre de 2020, en una universidad pública de la Región Norte del país. La experiencia estuvo vinculada a una actividad curricular, bajo el título de Ejercicio de Enfermería, y contó con la participación de 36 estudiantes de pregrado, uno de posgrado y un profesor. El marco teórico se desarrolló a partir de aportes de la Teoría de la Actividad. Resultados: las estrategias mediadoras subsidiaron el aprendizaje sobre prácticas sociales, considerando las cinco etapas del Arco de Maguerez explorando conceptos, determinantes estructurales e inequidades en salud y contextos macro-sociales y micro-institucionales señalados por definiciones intermedias en salud, a partir de los ejes temáticos desigualdad, renta, racismo, acoso en el SUS y vulnerabilidades. Las construcciones sobre ...(AU)

Tecnologias digitais na formação em Odontologia: ensino remoto emergencial como revelador de saberes e práticas docentes / Tecnologias digitais na formação em Odontologia: ensino remoto emergencial como revelador de saberes e práticas docentes

O presente estudo tem como objetivo analisar os saberes e práticas docentes mobilizados no contexto da incorporação de tecnologias digitais para a continuidade do ensino em meio à pandemia de Covid-19, em um curso de graduação em Odontologia, de uma universidade pública federal. Trata-se de uma pesquisa com abordagem qualitativa, por meio de estudo de caso exploratório que contemplou a realização de entrevistas individuais e, de maneira complementar, observação de campo e análise de documentos institucionais. A análise dos dados foi realizada por meio da técnica de análise de conteúdo temática de Bardin, a partir do quadro teórico baseado no referencial de Tardif sobre os saberes docentes e nos estudos sobre compreensão e interpretação da docência, discutidos, principalmente, por Tardif, Nóvoa e Pimenta, juntamente com referenciais que abordam a incorporação das tecnologias digitais na educação e no ensino da saúde. Utilizou-se o software QDA Miner para auxiliar na gestão, codificação e análise dos dados. Foram entrevistados, no período de fevereiro a abril de 2022, seis docentes do curso de graduação em Odontologia, contemplando todos os departamentos da faculdade. A análise resultou em três grandes categorias que abordam o papel da trajetória de vida e da formação profissional na constituição dos saberes e das práticas docentes; as visões docentes sobre educação e sobre o uso das tecnologias na educação; e as experiências de incorporação de TDIC desenvolvidas pelos docentes na implementação do ensino remoto, destacando suas possibilidades como experiência formadora de saberes docentes e como forma de repensar e aprimorar as práticas de ensino. O cenário do ensino remoto revelou saberes e práticas docentes sobre o ensino de Odontologia, abrangendo questões sobre o papel da formação, o papel do professor, a formação docente e os desafios culturais e pedagógicos relacionados ao currículo, à incorporação de tecnologias, aos processos de gestão, e à valorização do professor e das universidades. A aprendizagem com o uso das TDIC, ao promover o desenvolvimento de saberes tecnológicos, possibilitou a mobilização de saberes da formação, disciplinares e curriculares para planejar e implementar as atividades e evidenciou a importância de se discutir as visões sobre educação, tecnologia e saúde e de se repensar e transformar as práticas pedagógicas para a melhoria da qualidade da formação. Nesse contexto, sinalizamse as lacunas e os desafios enfrentados pelas instituições, principalmente no que se refere à desvalorização crescente e queda de investimento em educação, apontando a necessidade de desenvolvimento de políticas que garantam à universidade pública o exercício pleno de seu papel social.

The present study aims to analyze the knowledge and teaching practices mobilized in the undergraduate course in Dentistry at a public university, during the Covid-19 pandemic. This is an exploratory case study, with a qualitative approach, which included individual interviews with college professors. Field observation and document analysis were carried out in order to complement. The data obtained were analyzed using Bardin's content analysis. The theoretical framework consisted of Tardif's reference of teacher knowledge and studies on understanding and interpretation of teaching, discussed mainly by Tardif, Nóvoa and Pimenta, together with references that address the incorporation of digital technologies in health education and teaching. The QDA Miner software was used to assist in data management, coding and analysis. From February to April 2022, six professors of the undergraduate course in Dentistry were interviewed, covering all departments of the faculty. The analysis resulted in three major categories that address the role of life trajectory and professional training in the formation of teacher knowledge; teachers' views on education and on the use of technologies in education; and the experiences of incorporating digital technologies developed by teachers in the implementation of remote teaching, highlighting its possibilities as an experience that forms teacher knowledge and as a way to rethink and improve teaching practices. The scenario of remote teaching revealed knowledge and teaching practices about teaching Dentistry, covering questions about the role of training, the role of the teacher, teacher training and the cultural and pedagogical challenges related to the curriculum, the incorporation of technologies, the processes of management, and the appreciation of professors and universities. By promoting the development of technological knowledge, learning with the use of technologies made it possible to mobilize training, disciplinary and curricular knowledge to plan and implement activities. It also highlighted the importance of discussing views on education, technology and health and of rethinking and transforming pedagogical practices to improve the quality of training. In this context, the gaps and challenges faced by institutions are highlighted, especially with regard to the growing devaluation and reduction of funding made by the country in education, pointing to the need to develop policies that guarantee the public university the full exercise of its social role