Huvudintresseområde     Omsorg och teknologi                                          
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	Eva Ann Lærkner Specialuddannet intensiv sygeplejerske,  Udviklingssygeplejerske, MSc Nursing (cand.cur) Anæstesiologisk Intensiv afdeling V Odense Universitetshospital 5000 Odense C , Denmark E-post adress: eva.laerkner@ouh.fyns-amt.dk

Abstract

Caring in a technological world

Background/Introduction. Because of an increasing numbers of alert patients at the intensive care units together with an intensified debate concerning the relationship between care and technology in nursing an empirical study of nurses’ experience of caring in a high technological unit was performed.

Aim: With starting point in the question about how nurses experience the interaction with alert intubated patients in a high technological nursing practice, the purpose of the study was to identify important and problematic aspects of caring about alert, intubated patients. Furthermore, the study aims to clarify how technology, from a nursing perspective, may have impact on acts of caring in nursing practice.

Method: Using a phenomenologic-hermeneutical approach, data was collected through qualitative, semistructured interviews with 5 (1 male and 4 female) nurses from an intensive care unit in Denmark, who all has a degree in critical care nursing (CCRN). The interviews were taped and data was analysed within a 4-step model, inspired by the Norwegian professor K. Malterud, with the purpose of deducing central themes.

Results: 4 central themes including subthemes emerged; 1) knowing the patient 2) understanding the patient 3) the multifarious influence of technology and 4) the alert patient with a tube – a frustrating and unpredictable encounter.

Conclusion:  Based on data from the present study we can conclude that aspects as knowing and understanding the patient can be seen as significant factors for nurses’ ability to interact with alert and intubated patients in a high technology practice. Furthermore, the study shows that, the encounter between the nurses and patients imply a problematic aspect, because nurses in some situations seem to experience the patient as a cyborg between human and machine, which can result in that the interaction with the patient is perceived as frustrating and unpredictable. Finally the study suggest, that technology has impact on acts of caring in nursing practice on a situated level as well as on a universalistic level, through a multifarious influence both in the relation to the patient and in nursing practice.

Perspectives: The study could contribute to the development of nursing by challenging the perception of technology as neutral tools and by drawing attention towards from witch values nursing is organized. Futhermore the study raise the issue concerning what tasks nurses in high technology practices in the future should undertake.

Specialeafhandling (2004): Omsorg i en teknologisk verden - En undersøgelse af sygeplejerskers oplevelse af at interagere med vågne, intuberede patienter i en højteknologisk afdeling. Institut for Sygeplejevidenskab, Aarhus Universitet, Denmark