Digital technologies in nursing: An umbrella review.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Informatics
• Health Services Research
• Digital Health

Background:

• Digital technologies are increasingly integrated into nursing to enhance care quality and efficiency.
• A comprehensive overview of existing research on digital nursing technologies' impact is challenging due to the volume of studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To map published reviews on digital nursing technologies, categorizing them by aims and technologies investigated.
• To synthesize evidence on the association between digital technologies and nurses' work factors, professional behavior, health, safety, and ethically relevant patient outcomes.

Main Methods:

• An overview of reviews was conducted, with systematic searches in multiple databases and journals up to May 2024.
• Methodological quality of included reviews was assessed using AMSTAR 2, with data analyzed narratively.

Main Results:

• 213 reviews were identified, predominantly focusing on information and communication technologies.
• Positive impacts were noted for nursing task execution, information management, and job control, but mixed effects on documentation and communication, with negative impacts on workload.
• While job satisfaction and professional competence showed positive effects, adverse effects included increased mental and physical strain. Robotic and telecare technologies showed most findings on ethical outcomes.

Conclusions:

• The legitimacy of digital nursing technologies depends on their impact on patient outcomes and nursing work, safety, and health.
• Current research presents a diverse range of technologies with both beneficial and detrimental effects.
• Future research should focus on quantitative assessments of digital nursing technologies' effects on work, safety, health, and ethical outcomes.