New technologies and related changes at work as triggers for professional development in the nursing domain: an...

Technological developments are changing work in healthcare. To keep up with these changes, nurses need to continuously adapt which requires three components of professional development: Elaboration, expansion, and externalization. Few studies, with partly inconsistent results, address technology-driven changes at work in the nursing sector. However, the implications of these changes for nurses' professional development remain unclear. The aim of the present study was therefore to explore the changes at work resulting from the implementation of technology, which learning activities emanate from these changes, and what the triggers are for professional development.

An exploratory, qualitative research design was applied. Data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews using the Critical Incidents Technique. Ten nurses with state-approved professional qualification in nursing, geriatric care, or equivalent nursing training took part in the study. Data analysis was conducted in a combination of deductive and inductive qualitative content analysis using a concept-driven coding frame.

Changes in work characteristics were reported for each category of technology. Regarding the individual categories of work characteristics (task, social, contextual), however, partly different changes were mentioned in relation to the technology categories. Learning activities from all three categories were identified. There are indications that both the usage of technology itself as well as the consequential changes at work can trigger professional development. However, differences were reported in terms of the components of professional development: Mentioned was that elaboration was triggered by the usage of technology and changes at work, and that expansion was related to problems and knowledge gaps associated with the technology and related changes. Externalization, in turn, was linked to social aspects and staff responsibility.

The results show how nurses can learn due to technology-driven changes at work. Furthermore, initial insights were gained on how work characteristics, learning activities and triggers are related. These findings can help to consider the specifics of the situation when planning the implementation of technologies, processes that results from that, and how professional development can be fostered.