[Digital technologies in nursing-what can they achieve?]

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Health Informatics
• Nursing Science

Context:

• Digital care technologies, including AI, are increasingly vital in long-term care settings.
• These technologies leverage networking and sensor capabilities to enhance processes and products.
• Applications span professional collaboration, management, knowledge transfer, and direct patient care.

Purpose:

• To explore the potential of digital care technologies in long-term care.
• To identify barriers hindering the effective integration and adoption of these technologies.
• To propose strategies for successful digitization in the long-term care sector.

Summary:

• Digital care technologies can enhance care quality and working conditions but face implementation challenges.
• Obstacles include technology-driven development without user benefit, inadequate organizational integration, lack of evidence-based evaluations, and unsustainable financing.
• Overcoming these requires joint efforts from developers, users, policymakers, and scientists, emphasizing co-creation and routine care evaluation.

Impact:

• Facilitates improved quality of care and working conditions in long-term care settings.
• Highlights the need for user-centered development and robust evaluation of digital health tools.
• Promotes a collaborative approach to overcome barriers for successful digital transformation in healthcare.