The Effectiveness of Remote Video Monitoring on Fall Prevention and Nurses' Acceptance

Integration of Virtual Technology and Artificial Intelligence Improves Satisfaction, Patient Safety, and Nursing Workforce Efficiency

BACKGROUND

Virtual care technology including artificial intelligence (AI) may augment nursing functions creating flexibility in staffing that reduces workforce shortages and enhances patient safety.

LOCAL PROBLEM

A health system experienced nursing workforce shortages and patient safety concerns.

METHODS

Quality improvement methodology was used to evaluate the impact of implementing virtual care technology with AI.

INTERVENTIONS

Virtual patient observation (VPO) with AI and virtual nurse (VN) technology were implemented. Nursing assistants served as virtual observers, while registered nurses functioned as VNs, managing patient admissions, discharges, and education.

RESULTS

Unwitnessed in-room patient fall rates decreased 59% and median sitter hours were reduced by 91%. Patient experience and nurse perceptions of patient safety, workforce flexibility, and well-being improved. The program saved 63 hours per month of bedside nurse time.

CONCLUSIONS

Nurse leader sponsorship of VPO with AI and VN to augment nursing functions offers a solution to improve patient safety and workforce flexibility.

Beyond the Bedside: Decoding Patient Profiles for Smarter Virtual Patient Observation

BACKGROUND

Emerging evidence suggests that virtual patient observation (VPO) may help promote patient safety.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to examine and describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients who incurred VPO.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted. Differences in total VPO hours between groups were examined, followed by a hierarchical regression to investigate the effect of predictor variables on VPO utilization variance.

RESULTS

A total of 286 patient charts were reviewed. Mean VPO hours were higher in patients with an intensive care unit admission history. Adjusted for gender and history of dementia/Alzheimer's/memory impairment, the prediction of total VPO hours increased with the patient's intensive care unit admission history and overall hospital length of stay.

CONCLUSIONS

Examining the prevalence and variability in the pattern of VPO utilization by specific patient characteristics is essential for identifying what patients could best benefit from this technology.

Beyond technology acceptance-a focused ethnography on the implementation, acceptance and use of new nursing technology in a German hospital

Introduction

Hospitalised patients could benefit from the emergence of novel technologies for nursing care. There are numerous technical products available, but these rarely find their way into practice. Further knowledge is required about the circumstances under which technology in nursing is accepted and used. In the research project "Centre for Implementing Nursing Care Innovations", technical innovations are implemented on a trauma surgery inpatient ward in Germany. After implementation, it was investigated: Which implemented technologies are accepted/rejected, and which factors influence the acceptance/rejection of technology for nurses?

Material and methods

A focused ethnography was used, containing two approaches: First, participant observation was conducted to examine nurses' and patients' interaction with technologies. Observations were fixed in a field research diary and analysed using evaluative qualitative content analysis. Second, a questionnaire was used by nurses to provide information about the use frequency and technology suitability. The results of the study were consolidated and analysed using the UTAUT model.

Results

Seven studied technologies can be summarised in four result categories: (1) A Mobilising mattress, a Special projector and a Sound pillow are accepted and used by nurses and patients, because they offer a way to provide high quality care with little additional effort. (2) A Fall prevention system is consistently used in patient care as a work obligation, but since nurses consider the system error-prone, acceptance is low. (3) An Interactive therapy ball is accepted but nurses cannot use it due to the high workload. (4) An App for nurse-patient communication and a work-equipment tracking system are not used or accepted because nurses do not see a practical benefit in the systems.

Discussion

Acceptance or rejection of a product does not necessarily equate to use or non-use of the technology. Before implementation, technology acceptance among users occurs as prejudice-when users are given time to experiment with technology, intention-to-use can stabilize into sustained use. Accepted and used technologies can serve to mask problems (such as staff shortages) and encourage problematic developments, such as the reduction of contact time at the bedside. Therefore, technology acceptance should be qualified in asking to what accepted technology contributes.

Nurses' Perceptions of Telemonitoring Devices to Reduce Falls Among Hospitalized Patients: A Literature Review

PURPOSE

Technological advances have led to the adoption of telemonitoring devices for fall prevention. Multiple previous studies looked at the effectiveness of these devices. However, few studies looked at nursing staff perceptions of the technology. The current integrated literature review examined factors that influence nurses' and nursing staff's acceptance of telemonitoring technology for fall prevention.

METHOD

Three databases (CINAHL, Embase, and PubMed) were searched from January 2010 through September 2023. Study themes were analyzed, and study quality was appraised. Thirteen articles were identified and analyzed.

RESULTS

Nurses' perceptions included positive, negative, and mixed views of tele-monitoring technology. Key factors influencing staff perceptions of telemonitoring technology include the effectiveness of the technology at improving patient safety, its ease of use, and the degree to which staff felt supported by nursing leadership and hospital administration.

CONCLUSION

Findings demonstrate the importance of involving nurses in decisions regarding implementation of new technology. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 50(4), 6-10.].