Rethinking presence: a grounded theory of nurses and teleconsultation

To develop a theory that offered an evidence-based insight into the use of teleconsultation by nurses.

Teleconsultation is the use of video to facilitate real-time, remote interaction between healthcare practitioners and patients. Although its popularity is growing, there is little understanding of how teleconsultation impacts on the role of nurses.

The study adopted a constructivist grounded theory method, supplemented by the use of Straussian analytical approaches.

Using selective and theoretical approaches, registered nurses with experience of using video in health care were sampled. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews exploring experiences, knowledge and feelings surrounding teleconsultation. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and subjected to three-stage, nonlinear manual analysis (open, axial and selective coding).

Theoretical saturation occurred after 17 interviews. The core category identified from the data was 'nursing presence' Four subcategories of nursing presence were identified: operational, clinical, therapeutic and social. The degree to which presence could be achieved was dependent upon three influencing factors - enablers, constraints and compensation.

Nurses provide different types of presence during teleconsultation, with the degree of presence dependent on specific characteristics of video-mediated communication. Where the use of video constrains the delivery of presence, nurses use a range of compensatory mechanisms to enhance patient care.

Teleconsultation provides an innovative approach to enhancing the delivery of health care. This study provides nurses with insight into the impact of teleconsultation on their professional role, and an understanding of how best to use video-mediated communication to support patient care.