Self-supporting wound care mobile applications for nurses: A scoping review

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Nursing Informatics
• Wound Care Technology

Background:

• Mobile applications are increasingly utilized in healthcare settings.
• Evidence on their development, evaluation, and impact in nursing wound care is evolving.
• Understanding the current landscape is crucial for optimizing their use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of available evidence on mobile applications for nurses in wound care.
• To map the development, evaluation, and patient/nurse/healthcare system outcomes of these applications.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive scoping review using Joanna Briggs Institute methodology.
• Extensive literature search across multiple databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, etc.) and grey literature.
• Inclusion of studies published in English and French, with an update search in April 2023.

Main Results:

• Eleven studies from 14 publications met the inclusion criteria, primarily descriptive.
• Mobile applications were used by nurses for wound assessment and clinical decision support.
• Nurses were iteratively involved in app development and evaluation; key outcomes included facilitated care, improved documentation, and access to evidence-based data.

Conclusions:

• Mobile applications hold significant potential to advance wound care practices.
• Active nurse participation is essential for the successful development and implementation of these digital tools.
• Further research is needed on offline applications and their impact on rural nursing and future generations.