Visualism and technification-the patient behind the screen

Area of Science:

• Philosophy of Medicine
• Nursing Ethics
• Technology in Healthcare

Background:

• Western philosophical traditions, particularly Cartesian thought, often create skepticism regarding the "reality" of patient-reported symptoms, posing challenges to patient credibility.
• High-tech intensive care units (ICUs) present complex environments where caregivers face a tension between prioritizing technical tasks and providing essential humanistic care.
• The dominance of visualism and technification in ICUs, driven by non-neutral and highly visual technology, warrants a deeper philosophical understanding.

Purpose of the Study:

• To philosophically examine the impact of technology on patient credibility and the caregiver's role in intensive care settings.
• To challenge the dualistic view of an irreconcilable tension between object-subjectivity and care-cure in nursing.
• To explore a more comprehensive understanding of visualism and technification in intensive care by analyzing the essence of technology.

Main Methods:

• Philosophical analysis of Cartesian viewpoints and their implications for patient symptom interpretation.
• Examination of the caregiver's experience in cognitively and emotionally complex high-tech units.
• Critique of technology's role, specifically visual and screen-based monitoring, within the intensive care environment.

Main Results:

• Patient credibility is often undermined by a philosophical tendency to question the "reality" of symptoms, contrasting with the caring perspective that emphasizes attending to all symptoms.
• The prioritization of technical tasks in high-tech ICUs can overshadow essential caring behaviors, creating a precarious balance for caregivers.
• Screen-based vital signs, while providing objective data, may fail to capture the most relevant aspects of a patient's condition, highlighting the limitations of technification.

Conclusions:

• A more nuanced philosophical understanding is needed to address the pervasive visualism and technification in intensive care.
• Recognizing technology as non-neutral is crucial for re-evaluating its impact on patient care and caregiver roles.
• The study advocates for a holistic approach that integrates technological data with empathetic patient assessment, moving beyond a simplistic care-cure dichotomy.