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Internet users becoming immersed in the virtual world. Implications for nurses.
Suzanne Steffan Dickerson1, Lisa A Feitshans
1Department of Nursing, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, 914 Kimball Tower, 3435 Main St, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA. sdickers@buffalo.edu
Computers, Informatics, Nursing : CIN
|March 3, 2004
Summary
Frequent internet users experience online communication as a valuable resource but also face challenges like dependency and frustration. Understanding these user experiences is crucial for effective internet-based nursing interventions.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Research
- Health Informatics
- Sociology of Technology
Background:
- Growing global reliance on the internet for computer-mediated communication (CMC).
- Emerging interest among nurse researchers in utilizing CMC for client communication, education, and support.
- Need to understand user experiences with CMC for effective integration into nursing interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the lived experiences and meanings of online communication among frequent internet users.
- To discuss the implications of these experiences for nursing practice and interventions.
- To identify potential effects of integrating the internet into healthcare.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study employing four virtual focus groups with 32 frequent internet users.
- Hermeneutic interpretation used to analyze participants' narratives of everyday internet use.
- Identification of key themes and a constitutive pattern describing the user experience.
Main Results:
- Six themes emerged: internet as a resource, its appeal and addictive nature, frustrations, learning curve, and physical/psychosocial effects.
- A constitutive pattern of 'immersion into the virtual world' was identified.
- Frequent users perceive the internet as a multifaceted tool with both benefits and drawbacks.
Conclusions:
- Understanding the user experience of CMC is vital for nurses planning internet-based interventions.
- Nurses must consider the appeal, limitations, and barriers associated with internet use.
- Knowledge of these factors can help optimize the integration of the internet into nursing care and interventions.