Web Camera Use in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Impact on Nursing Workflow

Area of Science:

• Neonatal care
• Healthcare technology
• Nursing workflow

Background:

• Web camera systems are increasingly used in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) for virtual family visitation.
• While families generally appreciate these services, the impact on nursing workload has not been previously studied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore nurses' perceptions of web camera use on their workflow in the NICU.
• To identify factors that facilitate or disrupt the use of commercial camera services.
• To assess if camera systems interfere with the quality of nursing care provided to neonates.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, questionnaire-based study conducted from March to September 2014.
• Compared infants using camera services with a control group ('off camera').
• Collected data on nursing workload, time spent on camera manipulation, and family interactions via weekly questionnaires.

Main Results:

• Caring for multiple infants with web cameras increased nurses' workload and stress.
• Nurses perceived this increase as negatively affecting the quality of infant care.
• Cultural factors and proximity to the hospital influenced families' decisions to decline camera use.

Conclusions:

• Web cameras are perceived as beneficial by parents and nurses in the NICU.
• However, camera manipulation and addressing parental concerns via phone disrupted nursing workflow, potentially reducing care quality.
• Recommendations include enhanced awareness of camera-related issues and comprehensive staff training prior to implementation.