Institute of History and Ethics of Medicine, Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Deutschland, Germany.
Nurs Philos. 2021 Apr;22(2):e12331. doi: 10.1111/nup.12331. Epub 2020 Sep 30.
Digital technologies have become a crucial factor in nursing. Given the fact that many tasks could also be done by robots or AI systems, the place for the nurse in this scenario is unclear. In what way and to what extent will the implementation of ever more sophisticated technology affect nursing practice? It is the aim of this paper to analyse the potential challenges of nursing practice in the digital age. The analysis is conducted through the lens of new materialism, a set of theoretical models that understand the relationship between humans and technology as dynamic and performative. According to this view, there is no prefixed essence of technology. Rather, the meaning of technology is enacted in concrete practice. The analysis shows that in past debates on technology use in nursing, the nurses' role has been defined as guardians of humanity, defending the patient against the dehumanizing effects of technology. This role has been transferred to the digital age, where it is the duty of nurses to cushion the negative effects of digital technology. As an alternative to this outdated role, nurses should be included in processes of technology design and policymaking. Enabling nursing professionals to shape the circumstances of a digitally enhanced holistic practice may empower their status within the healthcare system and also benefit the patient by contributing to a more person-centred care.
数字技术已经成为护理的一个关键因素。鉴于许多任务也可以由机器人或人工智能系统完成，护士在这种情况下的角色还不清楚。越来越复杂的技术的实施将以何种方式、在何种程度上影响护理实践？本文旨在分析数字时代护理实践的潜在挑战。分析是通过新唯物主义的视角进行的，这是一组理论模型，认为人类和技术之间的关系是动态的、表现性的。根据这种观点，技术没有预先确定的本质。相反，技术的意义是在具体实践中体现的。分析表明，在过去关于护理中技术使用的争论中，护士的角色被定义为人类的守护者，保护患者免受技术的非人性化影响。这一角色已经被转移到数字时代，护士的职责是减轻数字技术的负面影响。作为这种过时角色的替代方案，护士应该参与到技术设计和政策制定的过程中。使护理专业人员能够塑造数字化增强的整体实践环境，可以增强他们在医疗保健系统中的地位，通过促进更以患者为中心的护理，也使患者受益。
